Kendrick Lamar Inducts N.W.A. Into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

Kendrick Lamar inducted N.W.A. into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame last night. The group join Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, Run-D.M.C., the Beastie Boys, and Public Enemy as the only rap acts in the Hall. Kendrick, who has been vocal about the group’s influence on him, talked at length about the group’s larger influence on the Los Angeles community. “These are the records that put Los Angeles on the map,” he said. He closed by saying, “Being gangsta is being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.” Read the full transcript here. Watch his speech and N.W.A.’s acceptance speeches below.

N.W.A. announced they would not be performing at the ceremony. “Nah, we’re not performing. I guess we really didn’t feel like we were supported enough to do the best show we could put on,” Ice Cube told The New York Times. All living members of the group attended. During his speech, Dr. Dre said it was only a matter of time before Kendrick Lamar himself was inducted into the Hall. DJ Yella brought Eazy-E’s mother out on stage.

MC Ren took the time to respond to Gene Simmons, who recently told Rolling Stone he was “looking forward to the death of rap,” saying, “I wanna say to Mr. Gene Simmons that hip-hop is here forever. We’re supposed to be here!” Ice Cube, once the most volatile member of the “World’s Most Dangerous Group,” told kids to stay in school before adding, “You’re goddamn right we’re rock’n’roll.” Other Hall inductees include Cheap Trick, Deep Purple, Chicago, and Steve Miller.

NWA with Kendrick on stage at the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame ceremony! #RockHall2016 pic.twitter.com/TH4fWXraND

— Ice Cube (@icecube) April 9, 2016

Read “Who Got the Camera? N.W.A.’s Embrace of “Reality,” 1988-1992″ on the Pitch.

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