Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 2012: Who Would Get Your Vote?

The list is light on guitar bands, are we not cool anymore?   08-Oct-12

N.W.A.

Sometimes you can actually forget how much N.W.A. terrified the American state, but then you remember that they were actually sent a warning letter by the F.B.I., that's rock and roll.

The messages about racial inequality and supremely underprivileged neighborhoods in L.A. even resonated with middle-class white kids around the world, sounds a lot like rock and roll in that sense.

They pioneered hip hop, which contrary to popular opinion is still alive and brilliant today, because while the masses are enraged at the likes of 50 Cent and Flo Rida talking slowly over Fruity Loops beats and selling millions of records, guys like Ugly Duckling and Death Grips are still doing incredible things with the genre.

N.W.A. created something you could dance to, rock to, and get angry too, and that's rock and roll. Dr Dre then refused to grow old gracefully, a lot like, oh, let's see, every single rock star on the planet.