Kiss of death? Gene Simmons telling Ice Cube rap isn’t rock ‘n’ roll

[CORREA]

During N.W.A.'s induction into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame class of 2016, MC Ren addressed Gene Simmons' comments about how the KISS bassist/vocalist is "looking forward to the death of rap."

"I want to say to Mr. Gene Simmons that hip-hop is here forever," Ren said at the 31st annual Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame induction ceremony at Brooklyn, New York's Barclays Center. "We're supposed to be here."

According to Billboard.com, Ren's N.W.A. bandmate Ice Cube explained why N.W.A. and hip-hop in general belong in the Rock Hall alongside THE BEATLES, Elvis Presley and Chuck Berry.

'The question is, 'Are we rock 'n' roll?'" Cube asked the crowd. "And I say — you goddamn right we rock 'n' roll.

"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."

During a chat with Rolling Stone to commemorate the 40th anniversary of KISS's groundbreaking 1976 album, "Destroyer", Simmons predicted: "Rap will die. Next year, ten years from now, at some point, and then something else will come along. And all that is good and healthy. I am looking forward to the death of rap. I'm looking forward to music coming back to lyrics and melody, instead of just talking. A song, as far as I'm concerned, is by definition lyric and melody, or just melody."

Simmons also spoke out about his frustration with rap and hip-hop artists being inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. The singer/bassist argued that the likes of RUN-DMC have no place in the Rock Hall, believing that all they do is "sample and they talk, not even sing". He told Radio.com: "You go on with your bad self and get more disco artists... A long time ago it was diluted. It's really backroom politics, like Boss Tweed. A few people decide what's in and what's not. And the masses just scratch their heads. You've got Grandmaster Flash in the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame? RUN-DMC 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!"

Simmons later responded to a Twitter user asking if the Rolling Stone quote was accurate. "Save this," he wrote. "Everything has it's [sic] day. Rock. Folk. Raga. Doo Wop. New Romance. Grunge. Alternative. Rap. Wait n see." He also tweeted: "Apparently pointing out that everything is cyclical — even music — is 'controversial.' People are very easily offended."

https://twitter.com/icecube/status/719598438493614080

https://twitter.com/genesimmons/status/718903122874097664?ref_src=twsrc^tfw

[SuperSpider]

Gene Simmons is wrong about rap not being here to stay for the decades to come. Are NWA rock'n'roll and are they suitable to be inducted in this particular hall of fame though? Absolutely not.

[abusive]

It's not Rock and it's corny that anyone in Hip Hop would even care about this bs, the Grammy's, the VMA's etc.
Fukk the industry and everyone that loves it.

[CORREA]

Gene Simmons is wrong about rap not being here to stay for the decades to come. Are NWA rock'n'roll and are they suitable to be inducted in this particular hall of fame though? Absolutely not.

if rap continues in the direction its going with all this auto tune trap crap they might not be a hiphop left yes i know its just a phase and it will eventually go away but most these southern rappers have destroyed hiphop guess who the kids growing up gonna look up too when they grow up def not no 90s or 00s rappers prob some retard with skin tight jeans with dreads and lots of autotune cause thats their generation   

[Sccit]

Gene Simmons is bitter

[TraceOneInfinite Flat Earther 96']

Gene Simmons is bitter

yep... these days I'm not into playing the race card much... but I think this is one instance where you know what Simmons really wanted to say, lol

[Remedy360]

Gene Simmons is bitter

Yep, I've always liked Kiss but Gene Simmons just seems like a douche in general.

[SuperSpider]

Gene might be bitter, but that does not change the fact NWA have nothing to do with rock n roll, same way Kiss will be out of place being mentioned on a rap chart etc

[doggfather]

Gene might be bitter, but that does not change the fact NWA have nothing to do with rock n roll, same way Kiss will be out of place being mentioned on a rap chart etc

+1

[Sccit]

Gene Simmons is bitter

yep... these days I'm not into playing the race card much... but I think this is one instance where you know what Simmons really wanted to say, lol

Doubt it, I'm pretty sure Simmons loves Hendrix and hates Eminem

[Sccit]

Gene might be bitter, but that does not change the fact NWA have nothing to do with rock n roll, same way Kiss will be out of place being mentioned on a rap chart etc

Rock n roll is not even a genre as much as it is a culture .. And a group like NWA embodies Rock n Roll culture .. Listen to rock from the 50s and then listen to rock today and tell me it's the same genre of music.

[CORREA]

i agree with Gene Simmons 100 % how would ya feel if a rock artist were to win a hip hop award or a be inducted to a rap hof

its all apples and oranges no hip hop artist should ever be in no rock hof  it will be like Jordan being in the nfl hof

[abusive]

Gene might be bitter, but that does not change the fact NWA have nothing to do with rock n roll, same way Kiss will be out of place being mentioned on a rap chart etc

+2

[Sccit]

i agree with Gene Simmons 100 % how would ya feel if a rock artist were to win a hip hop award or a be inducted to a rap hof

its all apples and oranges no hip hop artist should ever be in no rock hof  it will be like Jordan being in the nfl hof

There is no hip hop hall of fame

[abusive]

I'm disappointed that they would even show up to something like this. Whatever happened to being anti industry/system/corporation? Steve Miller said some real ish about The Rock N' Roll HOF that you would think N!ggaz With Attitudes would say:

Steve Miller: This Whole Industry Is F--kin' Gangsters and Crooks

Steve Miller blasted the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and says that "this whole industry fuckin' sucks" in a candid interview.

Steve Miller's gripes against the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame — for which the rocker was inducted Friday night — extended past the podium into the backstage area later that night. "The whole process is unpleasant," Miller told reporters. "The whole process needs to be changed from the top to the bottom." Talking to Rolling Stone, Miller widened his targets, throwing barbs not just at the Rock Hall — though there were many choice words about that — but at his record label rep ("I wanted to pull him by his necktie and kick him in the nuts") and the industry in general.

Was the Hall of Fame experience what you thought it would be?
Uh. No. No, it wasn't. It was nice. The whole experience should be completely redesigned and become much more artist-friendly.

In what way?
Starting from who you can invite, what you can do, how long you can play, what you can say. The whole thing is sort of an amateur production and doing this is harder than doing a 20-city tour.

What do you mean by "amateur production"?
A hundred thousand phone calls; the contract work. The licensing still isn't signed and isn't complete. Everybody is kind of a dick and an asshole. And every artist you talk to will tell you that. You're lucky that everybody didn't fucking walk out. It was very, very close. If you're an investigative reporter, get fucking busy. K? Got enough?

Tell me what you're working on.
Tell you what? What more do you want to know?

What are you up to now?
Let's see. I'm going to San Diego and playing five gigs. And then I'm going to do some work at the Metropolitan Museum and musical instrument department at their musical gallery. And I'm working on music education for Little Kids Rock. Then I'm going to take a couple of weeks off and going to do a 50-city tour.

Do you think about recording any new albums?
No. I don't think about it at all. There is no record business. I record a lot of things. There is no record business. There's no reason for me to spend any money producing stuff that a record company... All the people that were sitting in the front row tonight, like the guy that came from my record company, I wanted to pull him by his necktie and kick him in the nuts.

Really?
Yeah. He's made a billion dollars off my work over the last 50 years and the motherfucker just came over and introduced himself tonight. That cheery little thing. You know he won't do any contract work, he won't clean anything up, he won't get anything done.

This whole industry fucking sucks and this little get-together you guys have here is like a private boys' club and it's a bunch of jackasses and jerks and fucking gangsters and crooks who've fucking stolen everything from a fucking artist. Telling the artist to come out here and tap dance.

I came out here for my fans. I came out for the people who take it seriously. And if the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame wants to be taken seriously, they need to put their books out in the public. They need to fucking become transparent. They need to stop lying. They need to stop all the bullshit and they need to clean it up and they need to expand it. They need to include a lot more people. And the most important thing is the fucking board of this organization really needs to enlarge their gene pool. I think you understand.

Read more: http://www.rollingstone.com/music/features/steve-miller-this-whole-industry-is-f--kin-gangsters-and-crooks-20160411#ixzz45pEtn15c