Since its establishment in 1983, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has slowly opened its doors to varying genres. For decades, the walls of the famous museum have been lined by paragons of classic rock, but the honours have since been bestowed upon hip-hop, folk, and pop artists as well. Last year, a ceremony celebrated the initiation of legendary acts like The Cars, The Smiths, and Run DMC among others. This year, the Cleveland-based institution has announced its latest batch of inductees, and its most buzzworthy nominee is without a doubt, the rapper, Tupac Shakur.
Shakur is the first solo hip-hop act to enter the hall, and his inclusion reflects modern music’s evolving landscape. The remaining five inductees are all influential stars in their own right, but none extraordinary in the same sense. All of Joan Baez, The Cars, ELO, Pearl Jam, and Yes will follow join the late emcee in the hall. The occasion will be capped off with an event on April 7th, where members will also award Nile Rodgers with a trophy for “Musical Excellence”. Visitors of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame will be able to experience a special exhibit honouring the inductees, which will open on March 30th.
This is a big year for rookie nominees. Both Pearl Jam and Tupac were in the their first year of eligibility, while more surprisingly, Joan Baez, ELO, and Journey are all first-timers themselves. This particular class beat out stiff competition to gain honours, topping acts like Depeche Mode, Janet Jackson, and Kraftwerk.
You can catch the live ceremony this April, on HBO Canada and Sirius XM.
