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GENE SIMMONS: 'I Am Looking Forward To The Death Of Rap'

March 17, 2016

KISS bassist/vocalist Gene Simmons has told Rolling Stone in a new interview that he is not a hip-hop fan. "I am looking forward to the death of rap," he said. "I'm looking forward to music coming back to lyrics and melody, instead of just talking. A song, as far as I'm concerned, is by definition lyric and melody … or just melody."

He continued: "I'm all for anybody talking. 'Wild Thing' was talking: 'Wild thing, she makes my heart sing/ she makes everything … .' There's no melody there. That's cool. Napoleon XIV, 'They're Coming to Take Me Away, Ha-Haaa!' That's a funny song, but those are novelty records. So was Dickie Goodman and 'Mr. Jaws'. These were all hits, by the way. But predominantly, music is about melody and lyric, whether it's rap or doo-wop, or yeah, even rock."

Simmons added: "Rap will die. Next year, ten years from now, at some point, and then something else will come along. And all that is good and healthy."

Asked whether or not he likes rap at all, Gene said he thought it was okay, but conceded: "I don't have the cultural background to appreciate being a gangster. Of course that's not what it's all about, but that's where it comes from. That's the heart and soul of it. It came from the streets."

Simmons previously spoke out about his frustration with rap and hip-hop artists being inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. The singer/bassist argued that the likes of RUN-DMC have no place in the Rock Hall, believing that all they do is "sample and they talk, not even sing". He told Radio.com: "You go on with your bad self and get more disco artists... A long time ago it was diluted. It's really backroom politics, like Boss Tweed. A few people decide what's in and what's not. And the masses just scratch their heads. You've got Grandmaster Flash in the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame? RUN-DMC in the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame? You're killing me! That doesn't mean those aren't good artists. But they don't play guitar. They sample and they talk. Not even sing!"

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