LL Cool J Snub Reveals Rock & Roll Hall of Fame’s Identity Crisis
What’s the criteria for Rock Hall induction? Damned if it knows.
On May 12, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame announced its 2020 honorees. One of the most noteworthy names on the list is LL Cool J. At first glance, it appears a fitting acknowledgment for one of hip-hop’s most transcendent icons.
Oh, but the devil is always in the details; the hustle buried in the fine print.
A closer reading of the announcement reveals that LL is not being recognized as a proper inductee. That honor is reserved for Foo Fighters, The Go-Gos, Carol King, Todd Rundgren, Tina Turner, and LL’s fellow rap luminary Jay-Z. LL is instead slated to receive the Musical Excellence Award for “originality and influence creating music that has had a dramatic impact on music.”
It’s an odd award, given that its description mirrors the precise characteristics that should presumably warrant traditional induction into the Hall. Even more bizarrely, recipients of the award are ineligible for full induction at a later date. In short, it’s a boobie prize; a participation trophy to say “thanks for playing our game, now go host a basic cable reality show.”
LL Cool J is nobody’s also-ran. With ten consecutive platinum albums and roughly…
