Shawn 'Jay Z' Carter has become the first rapper inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame! #SHOF pic.twitter.com/OgNaIpbaXs
— CBS Mornings (@CBSMornings) February 22, 2017
I’m not sure if Jay Z ghostwrites for rappers, singers and bunnies anymore, but the price to get S Dot Carter to make your sh*t tighter just went all the way up. The man “with the hand that don’t write” was nominated for entry into the 2017 class for the Songwriters Hall of Fame late last year, and now he’s officially been inducted. This makes your boy Hov the very first rapper to receive a nomination. Between this and Tupac’s Rock and Roll Hall of Fame nomination, whoever thought hip-hop would take it this far?
Per the organization, the Songwriters Hall of Fame is “dedicated to recognizing the work and lives of those composers and lyricists who create music around the world.” And what better emcee than Jay Z, who literally has a lyric for every conceivable scenario in life. Even uninspired lyrics like “Jigga Man Volume 3, I’m back looking like me” or “Bounce up like roundball” have their place and time.
The 47-year-old millionaire mogul became eligible for entry this year as 2016 also marks 20 years since Jay dropped his classic debut album, Reasonable Doubt. Since its release, Jay Z has ascended from local Brooklyn rhymer to being lauded as the greatest rapper of all-time, permanently etching his face on hip-hop’s proverbial Mount Rushmore. All this while also building a billion-dollar empire to serve as a lasting blueprint for upcoming rappers.
Voters had until December 16 of last year to decide whether Jay Z was worthy enough for induction, and today they did just that. Now, the hip-hop artist is the first rapper to be included in the Songwriters Hall of Fame. Watch Nile Rodgers speak on why it took so long for his induction below.
JUST ANNOUNCED: @NileRodgers reveals 2017 Songwriters Hall of Fame inductees. @SongwritersHOF #SHOF pic.twitter.com/46fbJQcZIL
— CBS This Morning (@CBSThisMorning) February 22, 2017
“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
