Eminem and A Tribe Called Quest are among the first-time nominees for induction into the prestigious Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, alongside Dolly Parton, Duran Duran, Beck, Carly Simon, Lionel Richie and more. 17 artists in total are being nominated for induction for 2022 including Rage Against The Machine, Pat Benatar, Dionne Warwick, Judas Priest, Kate Bush, DEVO , Eurythmics, Fela Kuti , MC5, and The New York Dolls.

In a press release on Wednesday (2/2/22) John Sykes, head of the foundation that operates the Rock Hall said “This year’s ballot recognizes a diverse group of incredible artists, each who has had a profound impact on the sound of youth culture.”

Rap star Eminem was nominated the first year that he was eligible (artists must have released their first commercial recording at least 25 years before they are eligible for induction). This year’s class will be announced in May with an induction ceremony being held later this year.

The Rock & Roll Hall of fame has been considering Hip Hop acts for induction since 2007 with the first being Grandmaster Flash & The Furious 5. Run-DMC, The Beastie Boys, Public Enemy, NWA, Tupac Shakur and The Notorious B.I.G. have all been inducted with Jay -Z and LL COOL J being the latest inductees, inducted in 2021. According to the Rock Halls website “Not since the early days of Rock & Roll has an African American driven cultural art taken such a strong hold of mainstream American society as Hip Hop.”