Rock veteran Gene Simmons has doubled down on remarks he made last week questioning the place of hip-hop and rap artists in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, sparking fresh debate over genre boundaries in music history. During a recent podcast interview, Simmons reiterated his view that genres outside traditional rock — particularly hip-hop — don’t align with what he believes the Hall of Fame should represent.
On the LegendsNLeaders podcast, the Kiss co-founder argued that while acts like Grandmaster Flash have been inducted into the Rock Hall, other artists he views as more tightly associated with rock have been overlooked. Simmons questioned the logic of that disparity, saying he simply doesn’t relate to the genre and suggesting it isn’t part of rock music’s core tradition.
“It’s not my music. I don’t come from the ghetto. It doesn’t speak my language, and… hip-hop does not belong in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, nor does opera or symphony orchestras.”
That particular phrasing — especially his reference to not “coming from the ghetto” — drew significant backlash on social media, where some critics described the comment as insensitive or outdated. Simmons responded to the criticism directly in a statement to People, saying he stands by his words and attempting to clarify his use of the term. He claimed that “ghetto” originally referred to Jewish communities and was later adopted respectfully by others, and stressed that his point was about cultural perspective rather than race.
In defending his stance, Simmons reiterated his broader opinion that hip-hop and rap, while valid art forms, are fundamentally different from what he considers rock music. He maintained that rock’s roots, though deeply influenced by Black music, are distinct from the rhythmic and spoken-word foundations many hip-hop artists built their genre on. He also joked that if hip-hop belongs in the Rock Hall, perhaps bands like Led Zeppelin should someday be inducted into a hypothetical Hip-Hop Hall of Fame.
Simmons’ remarks have reignited a long-standing debate about how the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame defines its scope and which genres should be eligible for recognition. Inductees in recent years have included pioneering rap acts like Ice Cube, Run-D.M.C., Eminem and Jay-Z, reflecting the Hall’s evolving interpretation of rock’s cultural influence — an evolution some, like Simmons, find contentious.
Supporters of hip-hop’s inclusion argue that the term “rock and roll” has long been used to describe a broader musical spirit rather than a strictly defined genre, and that hip-hop’s impact on modern music culture justifies its place in the Hall. Critics of Simmons’ comments also say language matters, particularly terms like “ghetto” that carry historical and social weight.
For now, Simmons stands by his views, acknowledging respect for hip-hop’s artistry but remaining firm in his belief that it doesn’t fit his personal or historical vision of rock. Whether his stance prompts further discussion among music institutions or influences how fans view genre categorization, it highlights ongoing tensions in how popular music’s history gets celebrated and defined.
