The 2010 Rock and Roll Hall of inductees were announced Dec. 15 with some of the biggest names in the history of popular music among the lucky names included. Punk forefathers the Stooges, British Invasion pop band the Hollies, reggae star Jimmy Cliff, ’70s prog rockers-turned-80s pop superstars Genesis, and Swedish ’70s dance-pop icons ABBA will all be given tributes this year as the latest to be enshrined in the hallowed Hall. But among the this year’s inductees, there were two notable absences:
No LL Cool J. No Red Hot Chilli Peppers.
Both the legendary rap star and the funk-rap-rock SoCal band were nominated for induction this year and both lost out. The last few years of inductee classes have been amazingly diverse; ranging from hip-hop acts, to female singer-songwriters, to rockabilly stars and soul legends — along with the usual cavalcade of classic rock bands. But the omission of LL and RHCP could be in response to some critics of the Hall’s newfound diversity. A lot of people revolted in 2007 when Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five, one of the most important and influential acts in hip-hop was inducted instead of ’60s British Invasion hitmakers The Dave Clark Five. After Run-DMC’s induction in 2009, there was another wave of music fans complaining about what should and shouldn’t be in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
So it shouldn’t be too big of a shock that hip-hop was shut out this year. But hip-hop music has influenced an entire generation of musicians — be they rap, pop, rock, or otherwise — and its more than deserving of being a part of the Rock Hall. But instead of playing politics, maybe the Hall should just honor the artists that have made the greatest impact — no matter what genre, or subgenre, they happen to fall into. And stop kowtowing to baby boomers who believe that British rock bands made the only relevant music over the past 50 years.
–todd williams
