The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame has announced the class of 2024, Yonkers native Mary J. Blige, Queens Hip-Hop group A Tribe Called Quest are among the inductees. The induction ceremony will be held live on Oct. 19 at the Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse in Cleveland. It will stream live on Disney+ with an airing on ABC at a later date and available on Hulu the next day.
To be eligible for induction, an individual artist or band must have released its first commercial recording at least 25 years prior to the year of nomination.
The Queen of Hip-Hop Soul’s first releases came in 1992, when she released her debut album, the classic What’s The 411? The album included a number of hits, including “Real Love,” “You Remind Me,” “My Love,” her cover of Chaka Khan’s “Real Love” and “Reminisce.” Chaka Khan was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame last year, receiving the Musical Excellence Award.
“I am so excited to congratulate Yonkers’ own Mary J. Blige on the announcement of her induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame for 2024,” said Congressman Jamaal Bowman, Ed.D. (NY-16). “Growing up in the projects in Yonkers and raised by a single mother, Blige’s story is the story of many New Yorkers, myself included. Her music is informed by her lived experiences with addiction and harassment, and it gives a voice to the experiences of our community and the oppression and struggle we face on a daily basis. Blige’s art has shaped our culture and allowed so many folks in our community to see themselves reflected in her work that is rooted in the political and social experiences we share every single day. Here in Yonkers we know the power and movement of music, and the microphone that it gives us to share our stories. Mary J. Blige is the realization of that power, and I am so excited to celebrate her induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.”
A Tribe Called Quest released their debut single, “Description of a Fool,” in 1989. That song was later included on their 1990 debut album, People’s Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm, which also included “I Left My Wallet In El Segundo,” “Bonita Applebum” and “Can I Kick It?”
Also among the inductees: funk legends Kool & The Gang. They debuted in 1969 and have been together ever since. Some of their biggest hits include “Get Down On It,” “Ladies Night,” “Jungle Boogie,” “Hollywood Swinging,” and of course, “Celebration.”
Other inductees in the performer category include Cher, the Dave Matthews Band, Foreigner, Peter Frampton, and Ozzy Osbourne. Osbourne is already in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Black Sabbath, but this induction honors his solo career. Artists on the ballot who weren’t voted in include legendary hip-hop duo Eric B & Rakim, as well as Sade, Mariah Carey, Sinead O’Connor, and Lenny Kravitz.
Big Mama Thornton, who is considered by many to be one of the creators of rock and roll music, is being inducted in the Musical Influence Category. Dionne Warwick, meanwhile, is being honored with the Musical Excellence Award, along with Norman Whitfield, a songwriter/producer for Motown Records during the 1960s. Some of the songs that he worked on included “Ain’t Too Proud To Beg,” “(I Know) I’m Losing You,” and “I Heard It Through The Grapevine.” Other artists who are honored with the Musical Excellence Award are Jimmy Buffett and punk rock legends the MC5.
“Rock ‘n’ roll is an ever-evolving amalgam of sounds that impacts culture and moves generations,” John Sykes, chairman of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Foundation, said in a statement. “This diverse group of inductees each broke down musical barriers and influenced countless artists that followed in their footsteps.”
