Posted on 02/12/2026 8:32:09 AM PST by Libloather
Gene Simmons is again sticking his tongue out at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame for allowing hip-hop artists to snag a spot in rock’s most exclusive club.
The 76-year-old KISS co-founder — who was inducted into the Cleveland shrine for rock with the band in 2014 — appeared on the “LegendsNLeaders” podcast last week, where he flipped the script on host Ben Weiss and asked which band shaped him most growing up.
When the 25-year-old host revealed he gravitated toward more “hip-hop adjacent stuff” in his youth, Simmons blasted the genre and seethed that rap stars have scored spots in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
“It’s not my music,” said the rocker, whose on-stage persona is “The Demon.” “I don’t come from the ghetto. It doesn’t speak my language. And as I said in print many times, hip-hop does not belong in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, nor does opera or symphony orchestras.
“How come the New York Philharmonic doesn’t get into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame?” he snarked.
Simmons doubled down, fuming that metal giants Iron Maiden still haven’t snagged a Hall of Fame nod while hip-hop pioneer Grandmaster Flash has been.
“Iron Maiden is not in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame when they can sell out stadiums,” he said.
(Excerpt) Read more at pagesix.com ...
My LPs also used to skip often...
Hey. Disco rules, man.
“70s was incredible music. If you aren’t finding it, you aren’t trying or weren’t alive then.”
Quite
He once spent years complaining how the hall of fame wouldnt induct KISS. Now hes complaining about the induction of others. Not that i disagree with him.
The 1970s had some great music, with the notable exception of disco.
They want to include Rappers in the Rock Hall Of Fame while so many rock era pioneers and major stars have been overlooked or intentionally excluded.
Connie Francis is a prime example - she has been snubbed for more than 40 years. Despite being the top-selling female artist from the late ‘50s to early ‘60s
with over 100 million records sold, Connie Francis has never been nominated or inducted and is still not in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Others who have been snubbed and are NOT in the Rock Hall Of Fame
Jimmy Buffett
Steppenwolf
Three Dog Night
Grand Funk Railroad
The J. Geils Band
Chubby Checker
The Marvelettes
The Guess Who
Tommy James & the Shondells
Procol Harum
War
The Commodores
Dionne Warwick
Mary Wells
Peter Frampton
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
Paul Revere & the Raiders
Cyndi Lauper
Joe Cocker
The B-52’s
Cher
The Monkees
Warren Zevon
Jethro Tull
Iron Maiden
True. But it's difficult not to generalize and unload on rap due to the affirmative action it has been granted.
Hip Hop was invented when gorillas at the zoo flipped over a feed bucket and began beating on it, or so I’m told.
Gene knows why Rap is in the R&RHF better than I do.
Rap is now included, because for the last generation, Rap has been the biggest overall moneymaker, quality levels not withstanding.
It would be more precise, and fair, if Rap had it’s own Hall Of Fame, so that those who appreciate Rock or Rock & Roll don’t have to share that same facility or honor.
That would require somebody to create such a Rap HOF.
People like Jayz could finance such a Rap HOF very easily, but I think, he enjoys the idea of ‘Taking it away from Da White Boys” much, much more.
White music execs love hip hop because it’s cheap to produce.
Rap is not a genre of music.
It’s not music at all.
It’s bullcrap and loser whining that glorifies violence, misogyny, sexual abuse, racism, perversion and the drug culture.
In tempo It has more in common with African tribal chanting than to Rock and Roll music.
For the Hall of Fame to induct rappers what little credibility it might still have among serious R ‘n R fans will be totally lost.
“The 1970s had some great music, with the notable exception of disco.”
Nobody is talking about disco. Stop.
1970 - 1980 was the decade Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath and the Rolling Stones dominated.
It may have been the best decade in Rock history.
Same was said by past generations of street corner Doo Wop, Rock bands, etc. Don’t be a Luddite and let the kids have their fun.
That’s true.
That’s just extortion.
I know that Country hip hop/rap exists.
sheesh
Our culture is damaged.
For the first time in over 25 years there are no rap songs in the top 40. Rap is dying.
The fact that The Guess Who are not in RRHOF makes the whole enterprise IRRELAVENT to me.
These Eyes
Laughing
Undun
No Time
American Woman
No Sugar Tonight/New Mother Nature
Share the Land
Hand Me Down World
Stand Tall - Burton Cummins
And still Grand Funk Railroad isn’t in the Hall.
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