Missy Elliott, DJ Kool Herc, and more artists have made it into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame’s Class of 2023. The organization announced the full list of artists that will be joining the hall on Wednesday. More artists voted into the hall include Kate Bush, Rage Against the Machine, Chaka Khan, Sheryl Crow, Willie Nelson, George Michael, and the Spinners, among others.
“This year’s incredible group of inductees reflects the diverse artists and sounds that define rock & roll,” said John Sykes, chairman of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Foundation. “We are honored that this November’s Induction Ceremony in New York will coincide with two milestones in music culture; the 90th birthday of Willie Nelson and the 50th Anniversary of the birth of hip-hop.”
Missy Elliott On The Hollywood Walk of Fame
Missy Elliott enters the hall during her first time being on the ballot. Sykes notes that it’s a sign of the power of hip-hop at the moment, referencing the recent inductions of JAY-Z and Eminem. “Missy Elliott got in first ballot, just like Eminem got in first ballot last year and JAY-Z the year before. So if there’s a throughline we’re seeing,” Sykes said. “It shows the power of hip-hop music culture now, as if we didn’t know it already, as far as how quickly these artists are being recognized on the first ballot.” Elliott is also the only artist in the class to make it in her first year of eligibility. It was, however, Crow and Michael’s first year on the ballot as well.
Missy Elliott joins a long list of legendary hip-hop artists already in the hall. Among them are Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, Run-D.M.C., Beastie Boys, Public Enemy, N.W.A, 2Pac, The Notorious B.I.G., LL Cool J, and more. The 38th annual Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony will take place on November 3 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y. The hall’s contract with HBO has expired and it’s unclear who their media partner will be for the event.
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