Gene Simmons Criticizes Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame For Including Hip-Hop Artists

KISS bassist Gene Simmons has renewed his criticism of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame's decision to induct hip-hop artists. Speaking on a new episode of the LegendsNLeaders podcast, Simmons stated "It's not my music. I don't come from the ghetto. It doesn't speak my language." The 76-year-old musician argued that "hip-hop does not belong in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, nor does opera or symphony orchestras," and questioned "How come the New York Philharmonic doesn't get into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame? Because it's called the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame." Simmons referenced past discussions of the topic with Ice Cube, who was inducted with N.W.A in 2015. Ice Cube previously told Rolling Stone that "Rap is a piece of rock & roll, but there's also a piece of soul, a piece of R&B, a piece of blues" and that rap "captures the spirit of rock & roll." Simmons, who was inducted with KISS in 2014, has been a longtime critic of the organization's inclusion of hip-hop acts.