Missy Elliott & DJ Kool Herc Will Be Inducted Into Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame

Some of Hip-Hop's most integral voices will finally be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame this year.

On Wednesday, May 3, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame announced its newest class of inductees. Among the list of iconic artists are Missy Elliott, a seasoned rapper and songwriter, and the man who's credited with establishing Hip-Hop music and culture in the Bronx, DJ Kool Herc. Elliott will be inducted alongside other legendary performers like Sheryl Crow, Willie Nelson and George Michael. Meanwhile, Kool Herc, born Clive Campbell, will be honored with the prestigious Musical Influence Award. LL Cool J, who was previously inducted in 2021, revealed the inductees in a special announcement.

Missy Elliott is the first female rapper to be inducted, especially on her first year of eligibility. Musicians are usually eligible for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame 25 years after the release his or her debut album. Missy Elliott celebrated the 25th anniversary of her first studio LP Supa Dupa Fly last year, which features hits like "The Rain" and "Sock It 2 Me." However, according to Billboard, the nomination committee now meets the same year that the new honorees are inducted instead of the year before like they've done in the past. Artists who dropped their first album in 1997 or 1998, like Elliott, officially became eligible in 2023.

Meanwhile, Kool Herc's induction arrives amid the 50th anniversary of Hip-Hop. Herc's skills on the turntables and the breaks he crafted in the 1970s laid the foundation for the genre that has inspired several generations of rappers and musicians over the past five decades. "Soul Train" host Don Cornelius will also be inducted with the Ahmet Ertegun Award while Chaka Khan will finally be inducted with the Musical Excellence Award. The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame is going down on November 3 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn.

Congratulations to Missy Elliott and DJ Kool Herc! See what she had to say about her induction below.