The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame has nominated Missy Elliott and A Tribe Called Quest.
The nominees for the 2023 induction ceremony were revealed by the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Foundation on Wednesday (February 1). Hip-hop nominees Missy and Tribe are in the lead, with Iron Maiden, Rage Against the Machine, Cyndi Lauper, George Michael, and Willie Nelson rounding out the list.
First-time nominee Missy Elliott gets a nod in her first year of eligibility. The Virginia native fits the prerequisite that 25 years must have passed since an artist’s first commercial recording because her debut album Supa Dupa Fly was released in July 1997.
“I have cried my eyes out,” she wrote on Instagram while reacting to the news. “I am so HUMBLY GRATEFUL for this nomination with also 14 other Amazing artist so grateful[.] To All of you & my fans who have been through this journey with me I Thank You also 4 helping me get here[.] YOU ROCK.”
Meanwhile, A Tribe Called Quest was nominated for the award last year but was unsuccessful in getting enough votes to be admitted. Eminem, who came in second place on the fan poll with approximately 685,000 votes, was one of the greats of Hip Hop who was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2022, trailing only Duran Duran.
The induction ceremony for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame class of 2023 will take place in the fall after the announcement is made in May. As part of the fan ballot, fans can cast their votes.
If they are successful, Missy Elliott and A Tribe Called Quest will be added to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame’s growing list of rap legends. In 2007, Grandmaster Flash and the Furious were the first Hip Hop act to secure a spot, opening the door for Run-DMC, Beastie Boys, Public Enemy, N.W.A, 2Pac, Biggie, and JAY-Z to follow.
