KISS bassist/vocalist Gene Simmons has defended his use of the word “ghetto” while saying rap “does not belong” in the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame.
During an appearance on the Legends N Leaders podcast posted to YouTube last weekend, Simmons said he respected rap artists who have been inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame but he admitted that he didn’t personally connect with their music.
“The fact that, for instance, Iron Maiden is not in the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, when they can sell out stadiums, and Grandmaster Flash [one of hip-hop’s original innovators] is,” Simmons said as per blabbermouth.net.
“[Legendary rapper] Ice Cube and I had a back-and-forth [on this subject], and he’s a bright guy and I respect what he’s done,” he continued. “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. How come the New York Philharmonic doesn’t get [inducted into] the Rock And Roll [Hall Of Fame]? ‘Cause it’s called the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. But he shot back and said, No, it’s the spirit of rock and roll.’ Okay, fine. So Ice Cube and Grandmaster Flash and all these guys are in the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. I just wanna know when Led Zeppelin‘s gonna be in the Hip-Hop Hall Of Fame. ‘Oh, you can’t do that?’ Oh, really?”
“Music has labels because it describes an approach,” Simmons explained. “By and large, rap, hip-hop is a spoken-word art. You put beats in back of it and somebody comes up with a musical phrase, but it’s verbal. There are some melodies, but by and large it’s a verbal thing — it’s rhyming and all that. And I know [rapper] Eminem can [rap really quickly]. I wish him more success. I really don’t give a fuck. It just doesn’t speak to me. With the genius of being able to put words and music and arrange it, it’s much more complex.”
On Wednesday (February 11th),Simmons gave an exclusive statement to People magazine in which he didn’t back down from the use of the word “ghetto” while making his point. “I stand by my words,” he said. “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.”
“As to whether there was a racist undertone to his original comments, Simmons said: “Ghetto is a Jewish term … How could you be, 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.”
10 Responses
He’s not wrong, I don’t think that genre, nor Pop, Funk, R&B, etc. belong in the ROCK N’ROLL Hall Of Fame.
If they wanted to be inclusive, then change the name to the Music Hall Of Fame, remove the Rock N’ Roll from the title, because it is disingenuous.
Bingo! Would a rap hall of fame let Bon Jovi in?
Hell to the no, but they might allow Aerosmith in because of their version of Walk This Way with Run-DMC.
Dana I like Gene and Paul growing up as a little kid they were my fav members but now don’t like them anymore what they did to Ace was very rude and very mean I like ace very much now he is my fav now the rock and roll hall of fame should be always be called rock and roll hall of fame why change it and I think pop and funk R&B should be in the Rock and Roll hall of fame as well and Eddie should be in the rock and roll hall of fame as well because he is the best podcaster on planet earth!!! and nobody can take that away from him ever please pass that to him! take care!
#1, Rap/Hip-Hop is NOT music! And it is NOT art! How could something that requires no singing and NO instruments be called or referred to as music? #2, Rock is NOT black music! It’s everybody’s music! The roots of Rock & Roll are planted in big band/swing music from back in the 1920’s! And big band/swing music was NOT black music! Anyway, don’t get me started on “racist comments” bullshit, I love ALL kinds of music, that’s “MUSIC,” which does not include Rap/Hip-Hop because that s–t is NOT music! In fact, do you really want to know who my favorite band/artists of all time is? It’s Kool & The Gang! Love em! Along with Earth, Wind & Fire, The Gap Band, Commodores, The Whispers, just to name a few, my point is, just because you hate Rap/Hip-Hop crap doesn’t mean you’re a racist! I’m not a fan of country music either, so what does that mean? Nothing! Exactly! However, I do love Southern Rock! And old school R&B, Motown, Funk, Jazz, Disco, old school pop (especially from the 70s & 80s) Rock (of course) Heavy Metal, almost everything, except…
Well, you didn’t seem to mind that band Whiskey Meyers that I posted on here and they are considered Southern Rock/Country.
As for Country, I hear you, I am also not a fam. But, I will give credit where it’s due, many Country artists are usually attractive and can SING. For example: Carrie Underwood, Jennifer Nettles, Little Big Town, Gretchen Wilson (love her song Redneck Woman), Reba McEntire, Trisha Yearwood, Amy Grant, etc.
I also really like Blake Shelton‘s honky tonk version of the Christmas song Up On The Housetop and of course, because of comic Craig Ferguson (whom I LOVE) Trace Adkin‘s Honky Tonk Badonkadonk.
Yea they’re good, more Southern Rock (which I love) than Country, I don’t hate Country music, the majority of it is very boring to me, but at least I’ll acknowledge it as music, because there’s singing and real instruments being played, unlike that meaningless Rap crap!
Axl Rose (Guns N’ Roses): Publicly requested not to be inducted in absentia, stating he wasn’t involved in the decision-making process and had issues with the Hall’s structure.
Sex Pistols: Boycotted their 2006 induction ceremony, calling the Hall of Fame a “piss stain” and protesting the cost(?) and concept.
Paul Rodgers: “I don’t think R&R belongs in a museum.”
Funky Cold Medina
For once, Gene is correct on this.