The new nominations for the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame's 2021 class have officially arrived, and as is often the case, several rap legends have been honored accordingly. With last year seeing the addition of the Notorious B.I.G, this year's batch of nominees has brought Jay-Z and LL Cool J into the fold. Should they ultimately go on to be inducted, they would be joining Run-D.M.C, Beastie Boys, Public Enemy, N.W.A, and Biggie as the hip-hop representatives -- at least, for now.
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In addition to Jay and LL, nominees include Rage Against The Machine, Foo Fighters, Kate Bush, Iron Maiden, Chaka Khan, DEVO, The Go-Go’s, Carole King, New York Dolls, Tina Turner, Dionne Warwick, Fela Kuti, Mary J. Blige, and Todd Rundgren. Eligibility criteria require that a nominee released their first commercial release twenty-five years ago; for Jay-Z, Reasonable Doubt's 1996 release makes it officially eligible, whereas LL Cool J has been eligible since Radio dropped in 1985.
Should Jay-Z and LL Cool J make the final cut -- the voting process is undertaken by artists, industry employees, and even fans -- the Class of 2021 will be celebrated in May with a gala in Cleveland, Ohio. We can only hope to see hip-hop gain further representation in the storied institution, and both Jay-Z and LL Cool J are more than worthy of placement. And to think -- both are still active in the game, with LL having returned to the studio and Jay on the verge of a new Nipsey Hussle collaboration. Best of luck to both hip-hop legends!
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