Gene Simmons is back at it again with rude comments against the hip-hop community. After telling Rolling Stone he was looking forward to the “death of rap,” N.W.A’s Ice Cube and MC Ren had some choice words for the Kiss frontman during their induction into the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame on Apr. 8.
“Rock ‘n roll is not just a musical style but a spirit that connects people, be they blues men or punk rockers,” said Cube on Friday at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. “Rock ‘n roll is not conforming to the people who came before you but creating your own path in music and in life. That is rock ‘n roll and that is us.”
“I want to say to Gene Simmons, hip-hop is here forever, get used to it,” said Ren.
Simmons clapped back on Twitter, writing “Respectfully– let me know when @JimiHendrix gets into the hip hop hall of fame. Then youll have a point.”
Respectfully– let me know when @JimiHendrix gets into the hip hop hall of fame. Then youll have a point. @icecube https://t.co/BRuU8t5vYe
— Gene Simmons (@genesimmons) April 9, 2016
Before the induction, the rapper and actor Cube told The New York Times, “I respect Gene Simmons, but I think he’s wrong on this because rock ‘n’ roll is not an instrument and it’s not singing. Rock ‘n’ roll is a spirit. N.W.A is probably more rock ‘n’ roll than a lot of the people that he thinks belong there over hip-hop. We had the same spirit as punk rock, the same as the blues.”
During the Rolling Stone interview, Simmons also name dropped two hip-hop acts in particular, and questioned why they are included in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
“You’ve got Grandmaster Flash in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame? Run-D.M.C. in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame? You’re killing me,” the guitarist said. “That doesn’t mean those aren’t good artists. But they don’t play guitar. They sample and they talk. Not even sing.”
The feud continues. Check out N.W.A’s full speech below.