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By Narissa Van Cooten
PRIDE Guest Writer
Ice Cube at Chicago screening for the film “Ride Along” at AMC River East 21 Theaters, Chicago, IL, USA on January 9, 2014. Photo by: Adam Bielawski. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.
On April 8 at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center in New York, legendary Compton hip-hop group, N.W.A, was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. BBC News reported that the group is “just the fifth hip-hop act to be voted into the hall.”
According to Rolling Stone, the “group’s Compton progeny”, rapper Kendrick Lamar, introduced the group that evening with a powerful speech.
Dr. Dre at the Beats Store grand opening November 2011. Photo by: Commondr3ads. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.
He said, “…the fact that a famous group can look just like one of us and dress like one of us, talk like one of us, proved to every single kid in the ghetto that you can be successful.”
Group members Dr. Dre, DJ Yella, MC Ren, and Ice Cube each gave a moving speech to express their gratitude for the honour.
“This is proof to all the kids out there… that anything is possible,” Dr. Dre expressed.
Last month, Gene Simmons, singer and bassist of American hard rock band Kiss, told Rolling Stone he isn’t happy with the pop charts and is “…looking forward to the death of rap.”
MC Ren addressed the comments directly saying, “Mr. Gene Simmons, hip-hop is here forever! Get used to it!”
Ice Cube added, “Now, the question is, are we rock & roll? And I say you goddamn right we rock & roll.”
“Rock & roll is not an instrument, [it’s] not even a style of music… It’s a spirit. It’s been going since the blues, jazz, bebop, soul, R&B, rock & roll, heavy metal, punk rock and yes, hip-hop… what connects us all is that spirit.”
He also said the group was “humbled” for the honour and that they’ve “come a long way from being so hated.”
N.W.A faced much controversy due to their explicit lyrics about women, drugs, crime, and specifically for their anti-police views. Subsequently, they were banned from many American radio stations but despite that fact, they have sold over 10 million units in the U.S.
Ice Cube posted a photo on Twitter during the night:
#rockhall2016 pic.twitter.com/397hEt5DO6
— Ice Cube (@icecube) April 9, 2016
Dr. Dre also posted about their night:
Compton’s in the House!!! #rockandrollhalloffame pic.twitter.com/emoJLFIqHj
— Dr. Dre (@drdre) April 9, 2016
A post of the continuing Twitter feud between Ice Cube and Gene Simmons:
Cube – I stand by my words. Respect NWA, but when Led Zep gets into Rap Hall of Fame, I will agree with your point. t.co/CQUoJwhZJb
— Gene Simmons (@genesimmons) April 11, 2016
