LL Cool J in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame? It Officially Could Happen

By Jett Wells Posted Sep 28th 2010 02:00PM

Pop-Ed: It's that time of the year again. Music's highest honor, induction to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, is about to be handed out to the greatest artists to ever rock the planet. But upon first look, the nominees for the class of 2011 appear weak, to say the least. Every year can't be like 2006, when Black Sabbath, Blondie, Miles Davis and the Sex Pistols were inducted, and you know it's a down year when Bon Jovi and Neil Diamond look like sure things. Regardless, somebody's got to make the cut.

Last year, the inductees included names like The Stooges, ABBA and David Geffen, and the number of inductees per year ranges from as many as 11 to as little as five, so there's really no telling how many artists will pass this year's test.

The nominees for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame class of 2011 are: Alice Cooper, Beastie Boys, Bon Jovi, Chic, Neil Diamond, Donovan, Dr. John, J Geils Band, LL Cool J, Darlene Love, Laura Nyro, Donna Summer, Joe Tex, Tom Waits and Chuck Willis.

Although it's called the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, hip-hop artists have historically been inducted as well, like Run D.M.C. and Grandmaster Flash, and this year's crop of nominees includes two rap-centric acts: The Beastie Boys and LL Cool J.

One can make an argument that the Beastie Boys were one of the most iconic groups of the 1980s and 1990s, but the nomination of LL Cool J is highly questionable. Although LL Cool J was the first to coin the phrase "Don't Call it a Comeback" and has 12 albums, his legacy is most remembered for his hit movies and washboard abs. It's a bit of a technicality that LL Cool J is in contention because all artists considered have to have released music at least 25 years before they are eligible for induction, and Cool J, one of the earlier big hip-hop acts, dropped his first album in 1985. The godfathers of modern rap, Notorious B.I.G. and Tupac, didn't start making music until the 1990s. Dr. Dre started making music in 1984, but it will be another five years before bigger hip-hop legends qualify for the Hall of Fame. More likely than not, LL Cool J will be looking from the outside in this year. (Insert "Ladies Love Cool James, but Hall of Fame Voters, Not So Much" ... joke here.)

With these 13 hit-or-miss nominees for the class of 2011, it's fair to assume maybe only five to seven will get inducted. There are only a handful of locks in this group, including Alice Cooper, Bon Jovi, Neil Diamond, Donovan and, if there's any justice in this world, Tom Waits. All five of these artists have storied recording careers and collectively have had a lasting impact on rock music today.

For all we know, this might be the final group to make the cut, but if anyone could sneak into the lineup, it's probably the Beastie Boys or Chuck WIllis. The Beastie Boys were hit-makers, and the hottest white-rap sensation ever. Their discography is impeccable, while Chuck Willis has an edge with his work in the blues/soul that nourished the early years of rock.

Tags: beastie boys, ll cool j, rock and roll hall of fame

Comments

(39)

Tuesday 28 September

By demonspeed2k

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the beastie boys? ll cool j? guess they will have to
change the name to the rap and roll hall of fame!!!

By Kenny

Highest Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

What they should change it to is, "The Rolling Stone Hall of Fame." The erection that owns RS basically has final say...so fan favorites like Rush and KISS, who are GOING STRONG for almost 40 years, will never make it. RnRHOF voters? Eff'em.

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Wednesday 29 September

By BTDT

Rush - 0, Madonna - 1.
Rock and roll my axx.

By DLJ

If the legendary Alice Cooper (who should have been inducted in 1994) isn't inducted, then I'm all for burning the R&R Hall of Fame to the ground.

By hpyhrt2322

two words "Moody Blues" with all the hits they had and yet they still are not in? Nights in white satin alone should have but them in years ago!!!

By ambimas

ARE THEY FU%&ING KIDDING!!!!!?????? When is YES, RUSH, ELP, DEEP PURPLE and MOTT
The HOOPLE going to get in? This is a FU%&ing Joke!!!!!!!

By mj

Beastie Boys, Chic, LL Cool J AND Donna Summer SHOULDN'T even be in the running . its the ROCK n roll hall of fame . NOT the lame disco, rap, hip hop hall of shame. let them create their own hall .

Friday 08 October

By veronica

This hall of fame is a joke, like you said. How are the rappers and Neil Diamond considered Rock????
Who the heck is making these decisions? They may belong in the music hall of fame, but there isn't one is there? Well then they certainly shouldn't be in the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame. I feel so bad for all the inductees from the past - the title means NOTHING now. Remember back in the 70's? You were either Disco or Rock. Kiss fans certainly would be appalled by Donna Summer and vice versa. How the heck can a disco singer , Donna Summer, belong in a Rock category?

By Apostate

Hmmm....

By Tony

This is total BS. Since when should these "artists" go in before legends like Rush or KISS? Give us a break. Alice Cooper is about time!!!! Not to sound ignorant, and I'm not, but, this is the "Rock and Roll" Hall of Fame. If other types of music want a hall of fame, they should build their own. Donna Summer?? Give me a break!!! Bon Jovi should NEVER EVER go in before the likes of Rush or KISS. Sorry, they laid the foundation for bands like Bon Jovi and Metallica (who went in 2010??). Put in those who truly deserve to be there first and than talk about all these others being put into the "Rock and Roll" Hall of Fame. This is shameful and goes against the whole point of having this in the first place. LL Cool J and the Beastie Boys are pioneers. No one can take that away from them. But, not in RnR. They did nothing to influence other rockers. Rush and KISS did (regardless of what you think of KISS). Vote them in NOW!!!!!

By Allie

Well said and you didn't have to use vulgarity to get your point across! Kudos to you!!!!

By mik

heart is from the 70s their not in

By Mike

What a farce.

By Shana

What a joke! Hall of Fame should be about lifetime achievement -- there are so many more legendary artists with 30-40 year careers worth honoring as mentioned above ... and including Kenny Loggins and/or Loggins & Messina or the many other artists whose fans are campaigning on their behalf. I agree with the poster above who says it should be called the "RS Hall of Fame"

By larry

The R&R HOF is a joke and should be abolished......It's got nothing to do with anything other than who that turd that owns Rolling Stone Mag likes..............

By kleinzeit99

at this point you have to seriously question the validity of those voting...but if you listen to the rolling stone, kiss doesn't even exist...you would think someone would realize the revenue the place could genereate by putting kiss in...we are talking about northern ohho were they(kiss) have always had a strong following...utter nonsense. way to go ol ohio...

By Nico Toscani

Hall of Shame is more like it.

By daveyourock

You have got to be kidding me!! The rocknroll hall of fame is as big a joke as the city of cleveland itself!!!!

By Bet

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Where is Grand Funk Railroad and why have they not been inducted into the Hall of Fame. They were great during the Viet Nam era and had alot of fans.

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