“This honor is above me. It’s been a long time coming and my fans know what I mean,” an emotional Mary J. Blige said to the Cleveland crowd at the plaque dedication ceremony during the 2024 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame festivities. “But we came, we saw, we conquered and now, we’re here.”
Deemed music’s highest honor, this past weekend was a true celebration of the industry’s most influential folks across all genres. The city of Cleveland, aka “The Land,” was filled with music lovers from all walks of life hoping to not only show love to the 2024 class of inductees but also to the city’s massive Rock Hall of Fame Museum, which showcases artifacts and other memorabilia of past inductees as well as future hopefuls.
Being named to any class means you have solidified yourself as one of the greats and that your contributions to your art have impacted the world in inexplicable ways. To even be considered, performers must have at least 25 years of work under their belt from the date of their debut album. That type of staying power in any industry for a quarter of a century is worthy of commemoration. With the first cohort being named in 1986—with names like Aretha Franklin, James Brown, Marvin Gaye, Little Richard, Fats Domino and more—the 2024 class has now etched their names into the musical ethos that only a select few have been called to. Those names include Mary J. Blige, Kool & The Gang, A Tribe Called Quest, Dionne Warwick, Big Mama Thorton, Suzanne de Passe and more.
“We started back in 1964 and now we are in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame,” Robert “Kool” Bell of Kool & The Gang happily shared. “This is a great thing!”
Though most think the honor is only for those who literally classify themselves as rock artists, the hall of fame has long included musicians, songwriters and executives in other genres like rap, R&B, soul and more. With many of the musical types influencing each other over the years and creating sub-genres, the only real classification is the attitude and impact one has on one’s career.
The festivities started with the dedication on Friday in which inductees were invited to share short remarks before the 2024 class’ official plaque was unveiled. It was the perfect warm-up to the main event, the Rock Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on Saturday night. A concert, party and overall appreciation for these remarkable artists, the Rocket Mortgage Field House was packed as friends, family and fans came together to honor these talented men and women.
EBONY was in the building for the monumental night, and it was certainly one of epic proportions. From surprise guests and touching tributes, here’s a look at some of the 2024 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction’s top moments.
Kool & The Gang Show Us Why They’re One of the Most Sampled Groups of All Time
Rapper Chuck D presented the current group members with their induction award while speaking on the impact they had not only on him but on hip-hop, as the gang is one of the most sampled groups of all time. “This is a long overdue celebration,” the hip-hop legend said during his speech. “So here we are, celebrating full circle. With massive respect, get your mind, body and soul in check.”
Although most of the original gang has passed on, Robert “Kool” Bell is still able to rock out on his bass like he did back in the 60s and 70s. Lead vocalist James “JT” Taylor got the crowd on their feet with his dynamic voice as he sang classics like “Ladies Night” and “Celebration” while cannons of confetti exploded around the arena to drive the song home.
Common, Dave Chappelle, Queen Latifah and Busta Rhymes Honor Tribe Called Quest
“Being inducted into the Rock Hall of Fame is not something a Black kid from New York in 1985 would imagine,” Dave Chappelle said during his speech honoring the hip-hop group. “Tribe, thank you for your service.” Crediting the group as the reason for getting him back onto mainstream television, the comedian gave a touching tribute to the members while also honoring the late Phife Dawg. Q-Tip and Jarobi White, along with Phife’s parents, accepted the honor for the group before Busta Rhymes, Queen Latifah, Black Thought, De la Soul and Questlove rocked the audience with Tribe classics like “Can I Kick It” and “Scenario”— the 1991 hit that officially introduced us to Busta Rhymes.
“It’s an honor to be here with fellow inductees, Ms. Dionne [Warwick], you’ve always been a staple in my household,” Q-Tip shared before going into a nearly 10-minute preamble that he wrote to commemorate the night. Through tears, he gave a shoutout to his late bandmate and childhood best friend. “Phife, I miss you and wish you were here, man.”
Mary J. Blige Proves Once Again Why She Reigns as the Queen of Hip-Hop Soul
Easily the most moving speech of the night, Mary J. Blige gave a peek into her upcoming tour by way of her Rock Hall of Fame performance. Her dear friends turned brothers, Method Man and Dr. Dre, paid homage to the singer by sharing stories and reiterating the fact that the songstress puts her all into her art, and for that, this honor is more than deserving.
“You don’t just listen to a Mary album, you feel it in your soul,” Dr. Dre explained.
Sporting a wide-brimmed black hat, a jewel-encrusted bodysuit, and her iconic thigh-high boots, Queen Mary commanded the stage with a performance that felt nothing short of legendary. She delivered a powerhouse set of her biggest hits, including a stirring rendition of “My Life,” where she was joined by rising star Lucky Daye, and a crowd-pleasing “Love No Limit,” with Ella Mai stepping in for a soulful duet.
“As I said yesterday, this has been a long time coming,” an emotional Blige said. “I’ve always wanted to be a rockstar and the queen of hip-hop soul is a rockstar. I’m a rockstar, y’all!”
Dionne Warwick Says She’s No Rock Singer, But Honored to Be Inducted
Leave it to Dionne Warwick to tell it like it is. With her “alter ego” and soon-to-be biopic star Teyana Taylor officially inducting the multi-decade vocalist, Warwick spoke on how she’s never considered herself a rock singer by any means.
“Ms. Dionne has done an incredible service to the world with her music,” Taylor doted. “As Black women, we’re always fighting to be seen and heard. So, for her to top the Beatles, you need to know what a big deal that was. Ms. Warwick didn’t come to play. Period!”
Shortly after, Jennifer Hudson joined Warwick on stage to lend her powerhouse vocals to a duet version of “I’ll Never Love This Way Again.”
Suzanne de Passe and Big Mama Thorton Received Honors
If not for the visionary work of former Motown executive Suzanne de Passe, the world might never have known the magic of the Jackson 5, the Commodores or the cinematic triumph of Lady Sings the Blues. It’s fitting, then, that the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame has honored de Passe with the Ahmet Ertegun Award, recognizing her trailblazing contributions to music history. As only the fifth woman to receive this distinguished accolade, her former boss and Motown legend Berry Gordy shared a heartfelt video tribute, ensuring de Passe gets her well-deserved flowers.
“I wish I could be there in person. Suzanne was important in helping me achieve my dream of Motown. You are a true pioneer. I am happy to welcome you, my friend, into the Rock Hall of Fame,” Gordy said.
After a look back over de Passe’s storied and instrumental career throughout the decades—with scenes from her time traveling with a young Jackson 5 crew—the music executive gave her own moving speech about simply never taking no for an answer. She recalled the time when Gordy didn’t want to sign a kid act to the Motown label because they were too much work. But she persevered until he could no longer resist.
“I can never thank Barry enough. He saw something in me that I didn’t see in myself. Because of that, I’ve had the most wonderful career. This is a life-changing moment for me,” Passe said.
Additionally, Big Mama Thorton was honored with the Musical Influence Award. Although she passed away in 1984, she has been credited for the careers of Elvis Presley and many others, as they often sampled her original works, leading them to chart-topping hits.
“She inspired a whole lot of singers, but no one could hit it like she could,” the video tribute said.
Zendaya Stuns with Cher-inspired Look
As social media so eloquently put it, “No one is touching the doll, Zendaya.” One of today’s most influential fashion stars, in large part to her stylist Law Roach, the young actress graced the ceremony with yet another jaw-dropping look. Rocking a long, straight weave and a dress that only she and Cher could pull off, Zendaya presented the singer with her induction award while paying homage to Cher’s remarkable career and the lane she has opened for women to truly be themselves.
