Posted on 02/13/2026 11:01:41 PM PST by nickcarraway
Gene Simmons is doubling down on the controversial comments he recently made about rap artists being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
During an appearance on the Feb. 7 edition of the LegendsNLeaders podcast, the Kiss star complained about Iron Maiden - "[who] can sell out stadiums" - being passed over for induction in favor of hip-hop artists such as Grandmaster Flash.
"Ice Cube and I had a back and forth [about this}, Simmons continued. "He's a bright guy and I respect what he's done. It’s not my music. I don’t come from the ghetto. It doesn’t speak my language, and I said in print many times hip-hop does not belong in the rock and roll hall of fame nor does opera symphony orchestras."
His comments - particularly the line about the ghetto, which seems to have since been edited from the original YouTube video at the 38:10 time mark - prompted a wave of criticism.
Simmons has found himself in this position before, most memorably with the comments he made after the 2016 death of Prince and again for his remarks about the 2025 death of his former bandmate Ace Frehley. In both of those cases he eventually apologized, but so far he's holding firm this time around.
'I stand by my words," he told People magazine. "Let's cut to the chase. The word 'ghetto,' it originated with Jews. It was borrowed by African-Americans in particular and respectfully, not in a bad way.”
He also firmly denied there were any racist undertones to his use of the word in this particular instance. “Ghetto is a Jewish term ... How could you be [racist], when rock is Black music? It's just a different Black music than hip-hop, which is also Black music. Rock 'n' roll owes everything to Black music, statement of fact, period. All the major forms of American music owe their roots to Black music."
Here's another question: Why does Simmons even care about who is in and out of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame? It's not like they get along. "It's become a joke," he declared in 2012. "We've been thinking about it and the answer is simply, 'We'll just buy it and fire everybody.'"
Kiss was inducted into the Rock Hall in 2019, but not without controversy. Only the four original members of the band were honored, snubbing (at the very least) Bruce Kulick and Eric Carr, who each performed on multiple platinum albums and successful tours during their decade-long runs in the band.
Compare that to, as one example, Metallica. Despite having played on just one studio album at the time of their 2009 induction, Robert Trujillo was honored alongside his bandmates.
While declaring that he only accepted the induction as a thank you to the band's fans, Kiss co-founder Paul Stanley doesn't look back on the induction fondly.
"They treated us like crap, even that night," he explained soon after. "We had trouble – how about this? – getting into the arena. We had no idea about the rundown of the show or when we were getting on stage. It was disgraceful what they did, but we won.''
Forget calling it the Hip Hop HOF, just call it the Ghetto HOF.
I think Dolly Parton is in the RRHOF, and was dubious about the whole thing.
Why is it “controversial”?! Did he say the “n” word too?
And?? Simmons is right- bands such as Iron Maiden sell out stadiums....what rap/hip hop artist can sell out a stadium??? And i don’t mean a concert with a half dozen rappers/hip hop artists on the bill...
As per “ghetto” being racist- too effing bad- these same people haven’t thought twice alleging i benefited from “white privilege” the past decade despite not knowing a damn thing about me...
Not in the above article is what Simmons also said, when interviewed, and its brilliant!!!
“Simmons says Ice Cube argued that the spirit of rock and roll is what is transcendent about the genre, not the nuts and bolts of a rock band. Therefore, hip-hop can be rock, because it is likeminded art.
“I just wanna know when Led Zeppelin is gonna be in the Hip-Hop Hall of Fame,” Simmons retorted.”
The Devil is not wrong.
Rap is an electronic age folk form. They’d hook turntables up to lamp post electrics and create beats over which they’d unload their thoughts.
cRap and Hippity-Hop are the sound-track for a corrosive, violent and self-destructive culture.
Because evil is attractive, and no music expresses evil more than rap music, even with rock sometimes trying to be as bad.
If it was just about the music style, it’d sell without all of the expressions of sex and violence. Only a very few musicians are able to feed their families recording nice rap or Christian rap, because that’s not what most rap fans want.
I type this as someone who became a Christian at 14 and almost immediately quit listening to worldly rock. Almost all of the music I’ve listened to has been Christian themed, about 2/3rds of it with a rock n roll bent. Think about how unusual that is. With rap it’s even more unusual.
That was a special era - and I can’t help myself when I say that I abhor 98% of Rap - some of the 2% that ain’t Ghetto Rap can be OK...but not for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
“Rock ‘n’ roll owes everything to Black music...”
Sam Phillips, who discovered Elvis Presley, would disagee completely to that statement. He mentioned that concept in an interview he gave one time. Said it was not true.
it is an absolute travesty that Iron Maiden is not in the R&RHOF...
They were not married at the time of the clip
There are ZERO rap or hip hop songs in the current top 40. Rap is dying.
Only because if you don’t you are labelled a racist. HHop/Rap is crap. Always has been the hangout of thugs and murderers — ghetto.
And, if YOU assume that by my using the term ghetto I mean black, YOU are the racist.
He’s not wrong.
Well yeah, but the way things are today...two dudes getting ‘married’ is still not a marriage, but here we are.
This Gene Simmons?
“I don’t care what party you’re affiliated with, or whether you think the election was stolen or not, which is all delusional. The earth is not flat. And this is really serious stuff. There are people dying because governors — DeSantis, cough, in Florida — are really hurting people by not mandating masks. You know, I may not be able to force you to get a vaccine. And by the way, I think it should be a law.”
Chuck Berry schooled by Marty Mcfly. Marty for the RRHOF.
Chuck Berry said his biggest influence was Hank Williams.
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