Tina Turner, Jay-Z, LL Cool J to be inducted into Rock & Roll Hall of Fame
The official ceremony will be held this October, other honorees include Billy Preston and Gil Scott-Heron
The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame is ready to make some history this year.
Wednesday morning, the organization announced that Tina Turner, Jay-Z and more as part of their 2021 inductee class.
TheGrio previously reported the official list of nominees for the Class of 2021 back in February. At the time, music fans rejoiced as they learned iconic Black artists like Jay-Z, Tina Turner, Mary J. Blige, Chaka Khan, LL Cool J, and Dionne Warwick were among the nominees.
Now that the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame has officially made the announcement, they are saying the 2021 group is “the most diverse list of Inductees in the history of the organization.”
Tina Turner, Jay-Z, Carole King and more are going in under the “Performer” category, but it doesn’t stop there.
The Musical Excellence Award includes rapper LL Cool J and singer/songwriter/keyboardist Billy Preston, who was known for backing acts like Little Richard, Sam Cooke, The Beatles and more, and for his solo hits “Will It Go Round In Circles,” “Nothing From Nothing” and “With You I’m Born Again,” among others. He is also the songwriter behind the Joe Cocker classic “You Are So Beautiful.”
Preston passed in 2006.
Poet, novelist and singer/songwriter Gil Scott-Heron is also a posthumous 2021 inductee. His influential work in the 70s is viewed as a precursor to hip-hop and his 1970 song, “The Revolution Will Not Be Televised” is considered a classic and has been sampled and quoted in everything from social justice campaigns to commercials. Scott-Heron died in 2011.
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John Sykes, the chairman of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Foundation shared an official statement along with the announcement of the 2021 inductees.
“This diverse class of talented Inductees reflects the Rock Hall’s ongoing commitment to honor artists whose music created the sound of youth culture…,” he said. “It will make for an unforgettable live celebration of music in October at this year’s Induction Ceremony in Cleveland.”
Many of the inductees have already shared their excitement on social media.
Turner wrote in a tweet, “I am absolutely thrilled to be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame amongst such amazing artists! Thank you for all your continued love and support over the years! Love, Tina,” along with a heart emoji.
LL Cool J shared his news with his 2.3M Instagram followers Wednesday morning, with an inspirational post. He wrote in the caption, “You can do anything you put your mind to. Thank you.”
The 36th Annual Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony will be held on Saturday, Oct. 30, 2021.
Check out the full and interactive list of 2021 Inductees here.
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