by Jeroslyn JoVonn
February 12, 2026
Gene Simmons is doubling down on his disapproval of hip-hop acts being inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
Gene Simmons of the rock band KISS is sharing his perspective on why he doesn’t think hip-hop belongs in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
During a recent interview on the LegendsNLeaders podcast, the KISS frontman doubled down on his opposition to hip-hop’s presence in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
“The fact that, for instance, Iron Maiden is not in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, when they can sell out stadiums and Grandmaster Flash is, right?” Simmons said in a clip shared online. “Ice Cube and I had a back and forth [about this]. 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. “And I said in print many times: Hip-hop does not belong in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Nor does opera, symphonies, orchestras. How come the New York Philharmonic doesn’t get in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame? Because it’s called the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame!”
Elaborating on his past conversation with Ice Cube, Simmons said the rapper believes hip-hop embodies the rebellious “spirit” of rock, while he sees clear distinctions between the two genres.
“But [Ice Cube] shot back and said, ‘No, it’s the spirit of rock ‘n’ roll.’ OK, fine,” Simmons said. “So Ice Cube and Grandmaster Flash and all these guys are in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. I just want to know when Led Zeppelin will be inducted into the Hip-Hop Hall of Fame. ‘Oh, you can’t do that.’ Oh, really? Music has labels because it describes an approach. Hip-hop and rap is a spoken word art. There are some melodies but, by and large, it’s a verbal thing.”
“It just doesn’t speak to me,” he added. “The genius of being able to put music and words and arrange it is much more complex.”
KISS was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2014, followed two years later by Ice Cube’s group N.W.A.
Other hip-hop artists honored include Eminem, Jay-Z, Outkast, and Missy Elliott. The hall’s inclusion of non-rock acts continues to spark debate among fans, including critics like Simmons.
