Gene Simmons Blasts Hip-Hop In The Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame: ‘I Don’t Come From The Ghetto’

KISS at Rod Laver Arena(Credit: Andrew Briscoe)

It’s far from the first time that Gene Simmons has blasted the induction of hip-hop artists in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, but he recently took his criticism further by saying, “I don’t come from the ghetto.”

The KISS co-founder, bassist and singer shared the remark in an interview on the Legends N Leaders podcast.

During the chat, Simmons expressed disappointment that Iron Maiden hasn’t yet been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame while Grandmaster Flash has, repeating his belief that “hip-hop does not belong” in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Simmons said, “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 — he’s a bright guy, and I respect what he’s done. It’s not my music. I don’t come from the ghetto. It doesn’t speak my language.”

He continued, “I said in print many times: Hip-hop does not belong in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, nor does opera, symphony orchestras… It’s called the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. But [Ice Cube] shot back and said, ‘No, it’s the spirit of rock ‘n’ roll.’ OK, fine … I just want to know when Led Zeppelin’s gonna be in the Hip-Hop Hall of Fame.”

Simmons added that hip-hop is a “spoken-word art,” while rock music is “much more complex” as it puts words to music and contains dynamic arrangements. He also stated that rap “doesn’t speak to me.”

“Music has labels because it describes an approach,” he said. “By and large, rap, hip-hop is a spoken-word art. You put 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 — it’s rhyming and all that.

“And I know Eminem can go [raps quickly]. I wish him more success. I really don’t give a fuck. It just doesn’t speak to me. With the genius of being able to put words and music and arrange it, [rock music is] much more complex.”

KISS were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2014.

In 2018, Simmons received backlash from American rapper Talib Kweli, one-half of Mos Def, after he said he was “looking forward to the death of rap.”

“Would it be unfair of me to say I’m looking forward to the death @genesimmons or nah?” Kweli tweeted, adding, “Chuck Berry shits on Kiss.”

The rapper went on to reference a tweet Simmons posted a day earlier, which defended his comments by saying that everything, including music, is cyclical.

“Pointing out everything is ‘cyclical’ is different than ‘looking forward’ to things dying,” Kweli added.

“Do better, Gene.”

Simmons’ latest comments about rock and hip-hop music begin at the 37:50 mark in the video below.