Gene Simmons Is Still Complaining About Rap In The Rock Hall: “I Don’t Come From The Ghetto”

For years now — and probably since the genre’s inception — Gene Simmons has been happily going on the record to proclaim his dislike of hip-hop and his frustration over the fact that rappers are allowed in the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. The KISS member, who was inducted into the Rock Hall in 2014 and given a Kennedy Center honor under Donald Trump last year, clearly thinks about hip-hop often for a guy who claims to not like hip-hop. For example, in an interview last week with the YouTube channel LegendsNLeaders, Simmons was asked about the difference between popularity and relevance. That was all it took for him to go on another anti-hip-hop spiel.

Here’s what he had to say:

The fact that, for instance, Iron Maiden is not in the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame when they can sell out stadiums, and Grandmaster Flash is. Ice Cube and I had a back and forth, and you know, he’s a bright guy, I respect what he’s done. It’s not my music. I don’t come from the ghetto. It doesn’t speak my language. I said in print many times hip-hop does not belong in the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. Nor does opera, symphony orchestra. How come the New York Philharmonic doesn’t get [in Rock Hall]? ‘Cause it’s called the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame.

But [Ice Cube] shot back and said it’s the spirit of rock and roll. OK, fine. So Ice Cube and Grandmaster Flash and all these guys are in the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. I just want to know when Led Zeppelin is gonna be in the Hip-Hop Hall Of Fame… Music has labels because it describes an approach. By and large, rap, hip-hop is a spoken word art. You put, you know, beats in the back of it and somebody comes up with a musical phrase. But it’s verbal. There are some melodies, but by and large it’s a verbal thing, you know? It’s rhyming and all that. And I know Eminem can go [gibberish] — I wish him more success. I really don’t give a fuck. It just doesn’t speak to me. The genius of being able to put words and music… It’s much more complex.

It’s quite telling that Simmons claims hip-hop “doesn’t speak his language” in the same breath that he goes off trying to explain what constitutes hip-hop! He’s missing quite a bit of history and context! (It’s also worth noting that he recently claimed musicians are treated “worse than slaves.”) His latest rant begins around the 37:50 mark below, if you’re interested.