Missy Elliott first female hip-hop artiste in Rock & Roll Hall of Fame

NEW YORK (AP):

Missy Elliott, Willie Nelson, Sheryl Crow, Chaka Khan, Soul Train creator Don Cornelius and the late George Michael have all been inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, with Kate Bush also finally reaching the top of that hill.

The Cleveland-based institution announced Wednesday the artistes and groups entering the hall as the class of 2023, a list that includes The Spinners, Rage Against the Machine, DJ Kool Herc, Link Wray, Al Kooper and Elton John’s long-time co-songwriter Bernie Taupin.

“When you can go from Link Wray, who was one of the early influencers, to Missy Elliott and Kate Bush and The Spinners and Rage Against the Machine and Willie Nelson, you have a very diverse body of work. What we are always trying to show is that rock ‘n’ roll is a big tent and a lot of people belong,” said Joel Peresman, president and CEO of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Foundation ahead of the unveiling.

“Does a Willie Nelson fan know anything about Missy Elliott? Probably not, and vice versa,” said Peresman. “But this is an opportunity for someone who is into one of these artists to take a look at it and say, ‘Gee, I love Missy Elliott’ or ‘I love Rage Against the Machine. But The Spinners, who were they? Let me check that out.’ If that can open some minds and open some attitudes, then we’ve done our job.”

Elliott, the first female rapper inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, an MTV Video Vanguard Award recipient and a four-time Grammy Award winner, now becomes the first female hip-hop artist in the rock hall, which called her “a true pathbreaker in a male-dominated genre”.

In response, she tweeted: “I want to say this is huge not for just me but all my Sisters in hip hop this door is now open to showcase the hard work & what many of us contribute to music. I have cried all morning because I am grateful.”

Artistes must have released their first commercial recording at least 25 years before they’re eligible for induction. Eight out of 14 nominees were on the ballot for the first time, including Crow, Elliott, Michael and Nelson. This is the first year of eligibility for Elliott.

The induction ceremony will take place Nov 3 at the Barclays Center in New York City.

Nominees were voted on by more than 1,000 artists, historians and music industry professionals. Fans could vote online or in person at the museum, with the top five artists picked by the public making up a “fans’ ballot” that was tallied with the other professional ballots.