LL Cool J, and several other trailblazing artists, will be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame later this year. For the 53-year-old rap icon, the honor was a long time coming. LL has been nominated for induction into the prestigious Hall a total of six times, including this past February.
On Instagram, he celebrated the impressive feat. “You can do anything you put your mind to. Thank you,” he captioned a post of the 2021 inductees.
As reported by REVOLT, the Rock & Holl Hall of Fame announced their 2021 class of inductees on Wednesday (May 12). LL will be honored with the Musical Excellence Award, which will also be going to Billy Preston and Randy Rhoads. Other special categories include the Early Influence Award, which will go to Gil Scott-Heron, Kraftwerk and Charley Patton; and the Ahmet Ertegun Award, which will honor Clarence Avant.
Another rap titan, JAY-Z, will also be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame under the Performer Category. Hov was nominated for induction for the first time this February after his classic debut album, Reasonable Doubt, turned 25 years old. Per the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame rules, artists are only eligible for induction once their debut record has been around for 25 years.
Other artists in the Performer Category being inducted are Queen of Rock ‘n Roll Tina Turner, Carole King, The Go-Go’s, Foo Fighters and Todd Rundgren.
“It’s a diverse group of extremely talented artists, all who have had a significant impact on our sonic landscape,” Rock & Roll Hall of Fame CEO and President Greg Harris said of the inductees.
The 2021 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony will be held at the Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse in Cleveland, Ohio on Oct. 30. The ceremony will later air on HBO and be available to stream on HBO Max.
See LL Cool J’s reaction to his induction on Instagram below.