Tupac makes history as he joins the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

PanARMENIAN.Net - The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has officially announced next year's inductees. The announcement may be a little bit surprising for everyone as Tupac Shakur joins the list of inductees. The legendary rapper will make a history as the first solo hip-hop artist to receive the honor, AceShowbiz said.

Tupac, who was killed in a drive-by shooting in 1996, will be part of 2017 class that includes Joan Baez, Pearl Jam and other two English bands, Electric Light Orchestra (ELO) and Yes. Nile Rodgers, frontman of 11-time nominees Chic, will also receive the Award for Musical Excellence at the 32nd induction ceremony.

The charismatic rapper was officially nominated for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame this past October. He joined his fellow hip-hop artists, including N.W.A, Public Enemy, the Beastie Boys, Run DMC and Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five as the hip-hop representatives in the Hall.

Some fans have criticized nominees they consider to be outside the genre. Tupac's nomination indeed drew such a response, just like the earlier hip-hop inductees such as N.W.A, Public Enemy and Grandmaster Flash. However, President & CEO of the Hall Joel Peresman says in a statement, "It's a broad definition and we consider hip-hop an important part of the whole genre."

Artists are eligible for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 25 years after the release of their first album or single. Other nominees considered for induction this year included Chic, Bad Brains, Chaka Khan, Depeche Mode, J. Geils Band, Jane's Addiction, Janet Jackson, Joe Tex, Kraftwerk, MC5, Steppenwolf and The Zombies.

The 2017 induction ceremony is scheduled to take place on April 7 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. SiriusXM will broadcast the ceremony live and it will be filmed for a later telecast on HBO. An on-sale date for tickets will be announced in January.