Overview
- Simmons told People he stands by his podcast comments and argued that “ghetto” originated in Jewish communities, adding that both rock and hip-hop are Black music traditions.
- On the LegendsNLeaders podcast, he reiterated that hip-hop “does not belong” in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, saying “I don’t come from the ghetto” and questioning Grandmaster Flash’s induction while Iron Maiden remains out.
- He quipped about “when Led Zeppelin’s gonna be in the Hip-Hop Hall of Fame” and described rap as primarily a spoken-word art compared with what he called rock’s more complex arrangements.
- Public criticism has intensified over what many called racially insensitive language, renewing attention to his long-standing 2016 claim that he was “looking forward to the death of rap.”
- The Hall has inducted numerous hip-hop acts, and Ice Cube has argued the institution honors the spirit of rock; the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame has not issued a new response.