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Rap Music Should Be Included In Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame

Dusty Ayres

Dusty Ayres

Commodore
*sigh* I can't help from taking a deep breath before writing this post about whether or not rap should be included in the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame.
A fellow Yahoo! Music blogging comrade saw a lot of Twitter chatter about LL Cool J making the list of nominees to be inducted in March 2010.
I took a look and found four main objective opinions being expressed. Of course, there were people, like myself, who were in agreement with LL's nomination. But there were just as many with opposing point of views.
Some felt that because rap music is not technically rock and roll, it should not be included in the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. Others said that LL Cool J had no business being inducted ahead of particular artists. And another subset of folks didn't think LL Cool J was worthy of the prestigious honor at all.

Got a minute? We need to talk.
One tweeter annoyed by LL's inclusion posted a comment that made me laugh. "It says ROCK and roll, not rap and roll," @moviequill wrote. I understand the confusion here. Rock is a clearly defined genre. When you are in a record store, and you walk into the rock section, you will not find any hip hop albums.
However, people are taking the Rock And Hall Of Fame title too literally. The organization clearly was not founded with the intent of only recognizing the contributions from artists who solely recorded rock songs.
According to the organization's website, the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Foundation was created to "honor the men and women who have made unique contributions to the energy and evolution of rock and roll."
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http://new.music.yahoo.com/blogs/hi...ld-be-included-in-rock-and-roll-hall-of-fame/
 
If it's such a problem, why not make a Hip Hop Hall of Fame, and not nominate Van Halen. That'll show 'em.
 
If LL Cool J makes it into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, he should do a Ving Rhames* and hand the award to Neil Diamond.

*Points if you know what this means
 
uh... i'd see a problem if the hall of fame had never admitted non-rock artists into the ranks... but they have... they have had rappers inducted, so it's not really a big deal.

inductees
 
Yeah, weren't Grandmaster Flash and Run D.M.C inducted just a few years ago? I think this particular "battle" has already been lost. There might be an argument that LL Cool J isn't in the same pantheon because he wasn't as seminal in the development of the genre as Grandmaster Flash or as important in the mainstreaming of the genre as Run D.M.C, but not because of the genre itself. :vulcan:
 
^Why? It's a perfectly legitimate and highly influential genre of music. There's a lot of formulaic shit, just like in every genre, but there's also a great deal of good, innovative hip hop out there as well, and there always has been. I would argue in this case that perhaps LL Cool J is not among those innovators, but that's not really my call to make.
 
As long as the hall of fame was open to all other forms of music as well (jazz, country, pop, etc) then I don't see a problem with this at all.
 
nevermore said:
^Why? It's a perfectly legitimate and highly influential genre of music.
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That I do agree. But rock does not equate rap.

Caleuche said:
As long as the hall of fame was open to all other forms of music as well (jazz, country, pop, etc) then I don't see a problem with this at all.
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These genre's common denominator is the use of pentatonic chords. Not rap music.
 
So, should they rename the hall of fame to rock and roll, to the hall of fame of those people who did the pentatonic chords really well?

seriously, they should have one hall of fame to people who "rock".
 
Most of the pool of old rock musicians is shrinking (all of the 1980's generation have been mostly inducted) and the other related genres need their time in the sun, so yeah, it's time for the rappers to get inducted, starting with LLCool J.
 
Rap is not rock. If rappers want a hall of fame, let them start their own.

Rap is a distinct musical style, and should get a separate grouping for it. Just like other forms, such as country, already do.
 
Sorry, rap and hip hop don't belong in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame any more than opera or classical do. If an artist who is primarily a rap performer has MADE an interesting, unique or significant contribution to rock & roll, that's a different story in that particular case. Generally speaking, rap is a different genre and doesn't belong. there.
 
Mr. Laser Beam said:
Rap is not rock. If rappers want a hall of fame, let them start their own.

Rap is a distinct musical style, and should get a separate grouping for it. Just like other forms, such as country, already do.
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Zachary Smith said:
Sorry, rap and hip hop don't belong in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame any more than opera or classical do. If an artist who is primarily a rap performer has MADE an interesting, unique or significant contribution to rock & roll, that's a different story in that particular case. Generally speaking, rap is a different genre and doesn't belong. there.
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Except for the facet that it does, as most rap music has rock songs as it's basis, and is a derivative of R&B to begin with, along with disco, house, acid house, trance, bubblegum pop, and a lot of stuff that was spawned from rock. For the most part, rock & roll is taken from R&B (with elements of gospel), which was based on jazz,, which comes from old work songs in the slavery epoch, which all comes from Africa!

So yeah, I'd say that rap belongs in the Hall Of Fame.
 
Mr. Laser Beam said:
Rap is not rock. If rappers want a hall of fame, let them start their own.

Rap is a distinct musical style, and should get a separate grouping for it. Just like other forms, such as country, already do.
Click to expand...

Zachary Smith said:
Sorry, rap and hip hop don't belong in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame any more than opera or classical do. If an artist who is primarily a rap performer has MADE an interesting, unique or significant contribution to rock & roll, that's a different story in that particular case. Generally speaking, rap is a different genre and doesn't belong. there.
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Agreed on both counts, give them their own hall
Nor does Maddona, and the like
cRAP is not Rock!
 
Mr. Laser Beam said:
Rap is not rock.
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What about the "Roll" part? I mean, they see them rolling, they hating? ;)


But anyway, who says rap and rock can't get along?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pHCdS7O248g

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQjSqJ0I0UI

nevermore said:
Yeah, weren't Grandmaster Flash and Run D.M.C inducted just a few years ago? I think this particular "battle" has already been lost. There might be an argument that LL Cool J isn't in the same pantheon because he wasn't as seminal in the development of the genre as Grandmaster Flash or as important in the mainstreaming of the genre as Run D.M.C, but not because of the genre itself. :vulcan:
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On the other hand, Eminem has cited LL Cool J as a big influence on his own rapping. But yeah, LL isn't quite up there with Grandmaster Flash and Afrika Bambaataa.

Personally, I think they should induct Eric B & Rakim. But that's just me. :bolian:
 
Dusty Ayres said:
Mr. Laser Beam said:
Rap is not rock. If rappers want a hall of fame, let them start their own.

Rap is a distinct musical style, and should get a separate grouping for it. Just like other forms, such as country, already do.
Click to expand...

Zachary Smith said:
Sorry, rap and hip hop don't belong in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame any more than opera or classical do. If an artist who is primarily a rap performer has MADE an interesting, unique or significant contribution to rock & roll, that's a different story in that particular case. Generally speaking, rap is a different genre and doesn't belong. there.
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Except for the facet that it does, as most rap music has rock songs as it's basis, and is a derivative of R&B to begin with, along with disco, house, acid house, trance, bubblegum pop, and a lot of stuff that was spawned from rock. For the most part, rock & roll is taken from R&B (with elements of gospel), which was based on jazz,, which comes from old work songs in the slavery epoch, which all comes from Africa!

So yeah, I'd say that rap belongs in the Hall Of Fame.
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To add to your excellent points, rap is also part of a legacy of "blues shouting", which begat the preaching style used in many black churches for hundreds of years now. That preaching style in black churches is where rap came from.

The roots of rap are virtually the same as the roots of R&B and soul music, coming directly out of black churches. R&B, gospel, and blues of course are the "parents" of Rock and Roll. Lets not even talk about the profound influence rap has had on young rockers.

A debate about whether or not rap belongs in a Rock Hall of Fame is actually quite silly.

I would also suggest that those vehemently opposed to rap being in the Hall probably simply don't like the genre.
 
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