Gene Simmons is doubling down on comments that reignited debate about rap music’s place in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and denying accusations of racism.
The 76-year-old KISS bassist recently addressed his remarks from a podcast appearance where he questioned why hip hop artists have been inducted while some hard rock acts remain on the sidelines. “I stand by my words,” Simmons told PEOPLE. “It’s not my music. It doesn’t speak my language.”
During the conversation, Simmons referenced Iron Maiden’s absence from the Hall while artists like Grandmaster Flash and Ice Cube have been honored. He noted that he has respect for hip hop pioneers, saying Ice Cube is “a bright guy” whose work he acknowledges, even if it is not his personal taste.
Simmons also expanded on his use of the word “ghetto,” explaining that he believes the term has historical roots beyond its modern usage. “The word originated with Jews,” he says. “It was borrowed respectfully, not as an insult.”
He pushed back against accusations of racial insensitivity, stressing the genre’s origins. “Rock and roll owes everything to Black music,” Simmons says. “That’s a fact. Hip hop is also Black music. It’s just different.”
The rocker has shared similar views before, including past comments predicting that rap will eventually evolve into something new. “That’s how music works,” he says. “Something else always comes along.”
