The KISS guitarist criticized Ice Cube's acceptance speech which declared that rock 'n' roll is 'not even a style of music.'
- Apr 10, 2016
AceShowbiz - Gene Simmons could not get over the fact that N.W.A was inducted to Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on Friday, April 8. The KISS guitarist slammed Ice Cube's declaration that the seminal gangster rap group deserved the title despite their genre.
"The question is: Are we rock and roll? I say you're (damn) right we're rock and roll," Ice Cube, who represented the group in the acceptance speech, said. "Rock 'n' roll is not an instrument. It's not even a style of music. It's a spirit that's been going on since the blues, jazz, bebop, soul, rock 'n' roll, R&B, heavy metal, punk rock, and yes, hip-hop. Rock 'n' roll is not conforming to the people who came before you, but creating your own path in music and life. That is rock 'n' roll and that is us."
The next day, Simmons tweeted to Ice Cube, "Respectfully-- let me know when @JimiHendrix gets into the hip hop hall of fame. Then youll have a point." It was certainly not his first time slamming non-rock acts who got inducted to the Hall of Fame. "You've got Grandmaster Flash in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame? Run-D.M.C. in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame? You're killing me! That doesn't mean those aren't good artists. But they don't play guitar. They sample and they talk. Not even sing!" he said in a 2014 interview.
In a recent Q and A with NY Times, Ice Cube commented on Simmons' objection, saying, "I respect Gene Simmons, but I think he's wrong on this, because rock 'n' roll is not an instrument and it's not singing. Rock 'n' roll is a spirit. N.W.A is probably more rock 'n' roll than a lot of the people that he thinks belong there over hip-hop. We had the same spirit as punk rock, the same as the blues."
