NEW YORK, April 14, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Hip Hop Hall of Fame + Museum wanted to be proactive and responsive to the numerous negative and controversial statements made by the Legendary Gene Simmons of the group Kiss that have been leveled against Hip Hop Music & Culture’s relevance, influence, and NWA being inducted in the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame’s musical diaspora. His statements do not have a historical basis in regards to the influences and derivatives of the true foundations of Rock n Roll in America.
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Mr. Simmons has talked down on our culture of hip hop, its people, artists, fans, and communities around the world when he says ‘he can’t wait till hip hop dies’, or ‘there is no hip hop hall of fame’, or ‘Ice Cube’s point is valid when Jimi Hendrix is included in the HHHOF’. He is wrong on all accounts.
First, there is a Hip Hop Hall of Fame which has been in existence for over 20 years. The Hip Hop Hall of Fame Awards TV Show was created by JT Thompson in 1992 and later produced with Juanita Dove Williams of Dove Entertainment, as the chief Fundraising vehicle to build an actual HHHOF Museum following the RockHall’s template. The official launch at Sylvia’s in Harlem in 1995 included hip hop pioneers, legends, artists, celebrities, and labels. The HHHOF Awards Show first aired in national syndication and on BET Cable Network in 1996. Among some of the very first Inductees were Rock n Roll Hall of Famers Grandmaster Flash, the late Eazy E of NWA, and Run DMC with Jam Master Jay, the Kings of Rock, who scored a major hit record with ‘Walk This Way’ featuring Legendary rock group Aerosmith highlighting hip hop’s inclusion and infusion of rock and other musical genres and styles. Today the Hip Hop Hall of Fame + Museum is a fully Chartered Non-Profit Museum & Educational Institution that is coming to Harlem, NYC.
Secondly, in regards to Ice Cube’s points being valid if and when Jimi Hendrix is welcomed into the HHHOF. Again, Mr. Simmons is wrong in regards to history. Jimi Hendrix can qualify as an influencer of Hip Hop Music. Lets talk about his time living in Harlem working with the Aleem Brothers, playing benefit concerts on 138 th St, or him playing with Buddy Miles and Jalal from the griots ‘Last Poets’ whom many say are a precursor to hip hop because of the spoken raps and funky beats used in the jam sessions. Let’s also explore his Band of Gypsies, Jimi Hendrix group that fused R&B and rock music. Look at all of the hip hop groups that sampled his music including The Pharcyde, Cypress Hill, The Beatsie Boys, and A Tribe Called Quest to name a few. So yes, there is a place for rock n roll in the Hip Hop Hall of Fame. Our question to Mr. Gene Simmons is ‘what are you going to say when Tone Loc eventually gets into the HHHOF with his song ‘Funky Cold Medina’ which is a sampled Kiss record’, stated HHHOF Legends Committee Co-Chair Kenny ‘DJ Lord Yoda X’ Syder. With All due respect Mr. Simmons owes Ice Cube, NWA, Hip Hop Music Culture, and our colleagues at The RockHall an Apology.
Thirdly, you stated ‘You can’t wait till hip hop dies’. ‘The fact of the matter is that hip hop has been here unrecognized since the beginning of time, and will stand the test of time and not die Mr. Simmons. The 5 Elements of Hip Hop run deep in our cultural history from the Ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics and Arts that are like the Graffiti Artist of today. The deep bass beats and rhythm of the African Drums are like The DJs mixing the music today. From our rich African tribal dances to the slick moves of the Nicholas Brothers from Harlem’s Renaissance are like the BBoys/Girls Breakdancers today. The influences of the early story teller griots and toasters, to no words just scat singing, and Cab Calloway’s Hi-De-Ho crowd call and response are just like the MCs and rappers of today who all have combined stories, poetry, music, and dance to excel as entertainers, educators, cultural ambassadors, and historians for the community who handed down the history of our culture and the struggle of our people from generation to generation. All in pursuit of knowledge, freedom from slavery, struggle for civil rights, fighting the Power like The Last Poets and Watts Prophets to the birth of hip hop in the 70s and song ‘The Message’ by RockHall inductees Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five. The journey continued in 1989 with RockHall inductees Public Enemy’s ‘Fight The Power’ to the 1992 LA Riots & LA Gang Truce and Founding of the HHHOF, to today’s Black Lives Matter Movement and Urban trendsetters of Music, Film, TV, Sports, Fashion, Tech, Scholars, and Business.
This is the hip hop community struggle for free expression, equality, equity, education, entrepreneurship, and socio-economic empowerment and justice. These are the voices of a new generation in America and in countries around the World’, stated JT Thompson, Creator of HHHOF Awards/Chairman of the HHHOF.
The mission of the Hip Hop Hall of Fame as a Museum & Educational Institution is to Preserve, Archive, Exhibit, Educate, and Showcase the rich history of Hip Hop Music & Culture and its contributions and impact on the larger society and communities around the world. The HHHOF website is at http://hiphophalloffame.org , http://facebook.com/hiphophalloffame , http://twitter.com/hiphophof , http://instagram.com/hiphophalloffametv .
For more press, sponsorship, and support information contact Ben Davis or JT Thompson.
