Public Enemy’s Chuck D has something to say to Gene Simmons after the KISS bassist again argued that hip-hop doesn’t belong in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
Speaking to TMZ, Chuck D reminded Simmons that rock and roll includes “the roll,” citing soul, reggae and rap as natural evolutions of the genre.
Simmons had recently suggested during an episode of the Legends N Leaders podcast that hip-hop is primarily spoken word and doesn’t qualify. Chuck dismissed the recurring criticism, noting that rock itself owes its roots to Black music. The exchange continues a debate that has resurfaced repeatedly over the years.
Simmons has not responded to Chuck’s comment.
Ironically, Public Enemy were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame a year before KISS — in 2013. KISS followed in 2014.
During that same interview, Simmons also came under fire for his use of the word ghetto.
He followed it up with a statement saying, “Okay, fine. So Ice Cube and Grandmaster Flash, and all these guys are in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. I just wanna know when Led Zeppelin’s gonna be in the Hip-Hop Hall of Fame.”
His critique was also cultural, as he said he can’t relate to the music because he doesn’t come “from the ghetto,” and that apparently offended some people.
But he’s not fazed, saying, “I stand by my words. 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 and his band will be hitting the road this week with two shows in Louisiana — Friday in Lake Charles and Saturday in Bossier City — before boarding the Rock Legends Cruise in Fort Lauderdale, Florida on Monday the 23rd.
