Tupac Shakur is officially a Hall of Famer.
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame announced its 2017 class on Tuesday, and Tupac Shakur might be the most notable name among the inductees. The influential late rapper is just the sixth hip-hop artist to be inducted into the Rock Hall, which indicates how one of music’s most popular forms has yet to receive proper acknowledgement. But Shakur’s induction might be a sign of a turn among Hall voters. (The voting body is composed of 900 members, made up of musicians, journalists and critics.)
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Joining Shakur on the way to Cleveland are Pearl Jam, Journey, Joan Baez, Electric Light Orchestra and Yes. Additionally, Nile Rodgers — whose highly influential band Chic continues to be denied induction — will receive the Rock Hall’s Award for Musical Excellence.
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony will be held April 7 at Brooklyn’s Barclay Center and simulcast on SiriusXM. (Yes, even though the Hall is in Cleveland. It’s always been done this way.) HBO will once again air the ceremony and its subsequent concert, which figures to be far better than last year’s set of performances, later next year.
Along with Chic yet again not being voted in (for the 11th time), the snub that probably stand out the most is The Cars. Eligible for the first time this year, The Cars received the fifth-most votes on the “fan’s ballot.” The four acts who finished ahead of The Cars — Journey, Electric Light Orchestra, Yes and Pearl Jam — were all inducted. Also making their debut on the ballot were Janet Jackson, Depeche Mode, Jane’s Addiction, Bad Brains and the J. Geils Band. Musicians become eligible for the Rock Hall 25 years after their first recording is released.
As our Jeremy Klumpp wrote in October, Pearl Jam’s induction was an absolute lock. But Nirvana being voted in last year certainly opened the door for the so-called grunge era of music.
“The most popular band of the 1990s. Pearl Jam has a massive fanbase that has led to five No. 1 albums, and record sales topping 30 million copies in the United States. They’ve spent their entire careers fighting for social causes, while continuing to be one of music’s best live acts.”
Baez’s induction is also worth noting, as one of very few women to be voted into Cleveland. She’s one of three women to be inducted in the last four Hall of Fame classes, joining Linda Ronstadt and Joan Jett. During his induction speech at last year’s ceremony, Steve Miller criticized the Hall and its voters for its continued neglect in recognizing the female artists who have been a vital part of rock n’ roll history.
One intriguing subplot to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ceremony will be whether or not Journey’s famed lead singer Steve Perry reunites with the band on stage and performs. Perry left the band in 1998 and Journey is currently performing with Arnel Pineda on lead vocals. Pineda will not be part of the group inducted, despite being with the band since 2007.
[Variety]
