KISS bassist/vocalist Gene Simmons has issued a new statement, after once again questioning the validity of rap and hip-hop in the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame. Back in 2016, Simmons had a public spat with members of gangsta rap legends N.W.A. upon their induction into the Rock Hall. That disagreement spilled out on social media, and nearly a decade later, was seemingly reignited this week as Simmons once again shared his thoughts on the matter (you can recap all that here.)
A decade since that initial flare-up, Simmons remained critical of the genre being in the RRHOF, recently telling the Legends N Leaders Podcast:
“Well, there’s ‘popular’ and then there are words like ‘relevance’. Who determines relevance? Critics? What is that word? How do you [become] relevant? Who does that? Or is it the American ideal? Of the people, for the people, by the people. The first words are ‘we the people’. That’s relevance to me… The fact that, for instance, Iron Maiden is not in the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame, when they can sell out stadiums, and Grandmaster Flash is.
“Ice Cube and I had a back-and-forth, and he’s a bright guy and I respect what he’s done. 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?”
In a new statement given to People, Simmons addressed the pushback to his latest comments, including allegations of implied racism. Simmons however remained unmoved on his position of rap and hip-hop being included in the Rock Hall, stating “I stand by my words.” He went on to offer:
“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.”
“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.”
Simmons later went on to say:
“You can agree to disagree and still respect and admire each other. That’s fine. I have a sense of humor, and you don’t have to agree with my opinion, but I stand by my words. That’s what I believe.”
He continued:
“One, I admire and respect hip-hop. Two, it is not rock ‘n’ roll. And three, when are Led Zeppelin and AC/DC going to be inducted into the Hip Hop Hall of Fame?”
In a separate post made on his social media today, February 13th, Simmons added:
Interestingly, people get upset by opinions. Too bad…Fact: Rock n Roll, Jazz, Blues & Hip Hop all had roots in black music. No question about that. My question however is, when are Led Zeppelin & AC/DC being inducted into the Hip Hop Hall of Fame?
— Gene Simmons (@genesimmons) February 13, 2026
