Jay Z Becomes First Rapper Inducted Into Songwriter’s Hall of Fame
by Staff Editor
UPDATE: After becoming the first rapper ever to be nominated, Jay Z has reason to celebrate as he officially becomes the first rapper to be inducted into the Songwriter’s Hall of Fame! The nominees were revealed in October of 2016 and the inductees were announced today on CBS Morning. Major congratulations to Hov for the well-deserved accomplishment!
“He has changed the way we listen to music.” —@NileRodgers on Jay Z becoming first rapper inducted into 2017 Songwriters Hall of Fame #SHOF pic.twitter.com/rHISmBLRcp
— CBS This Morning (@CBSThisMorning) February 22, 2017
Add another accomplishment to Mr. Carter’s lengthy journal.
Jay Z has become the first rapper ever to be nominated for the Songwriter’s Hall of Fame. For the 2017 class, Hov is alongside some talented performing nominees including: Madonna, George Michael, Cat Stevens, Jeff Lynne, Sly Stone, Gloria Estefan, Bryan Adams, Vince Gill, Bread’s David Gates and the songwriting teams that make up the bands Chicago and Kool & The Gang.
In order to be eligible, candidates for the Songwriter’s Hall of Fame must have at least 20 years of songwriting experience. With Jay Z officially releasing Reasonable Doubt in 1996 (20 years ago), 2017 marks Hov’s 1st year of eligibility.
The nominees are separated into “performing songwriters” and “non-performing songwriters.” Eligible members of the Songwriter’s Hall can vote for two performing songwriters and three non-performing ones until December 16th. The final group of five individual writers or writing teams will be inducted in a ceremony to be held in New York on June 15th.
The non-performing nominees include: Max Martin, Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds, Kenny Nolan, Randy Goodrum, Tony Macaulay, William “Mickey” Stevenson, Allee Willis, Maury Yeston, Paul Overstreet and the songwriting duos Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, Dan Penn and Spooner Oldham, and Steve Barri and the late P.F. Sloan, who died last year.
Congratulations to Jay Z for his nomination in his first year of eligibility. Let’s hope he prevails come 2017.
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