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.”
16 Responses
I agree with Gene on all points. The attempts of the rock hall to redefine what is and isn’t rock and roll are ridiculous and at the expense of more-deserving acts that have been eligible for decades! (Grand Funk, 3 Dog Night, The Guess Who, The Commodores, Styx, etc…)
I have a slightly different take on all this. I’ve been seeing Gene ALL OVER the media talking about this – his latest cause celebre. What gives? Why now? And why so high profile? Call me cynical, but I can’t help but wonder why Gene is being SO outspoken about this now. And what does he care? KISS is already in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Is he about to promote something? Or is he just really, really bored in retirement and he’s missing the constant media attention and being the center of manufactured controversy?
As for the actual substance of the issue, I do agree that they should just change the name to the Popular Music Hall of Fame.
Gene should learn pickleball
That is absolutely hilarious, Genesraccoonwig!
@GRW “schmeckleball”
I hope no one disagrees with this. I love part where Ice Cube says is the RnR vibe that gets rap in and Gene asks when Rock will get in the Hip-Hop Hall.