Grandmaster Flash
& The Furious 5 made history when the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame announced
the group was being considered for induction into the prestigious museum’s list
of all-time great recording artists, a first for any Hip-Hop act.
No recording artist
is eligible until 25 years has passed from the release of their first record.
Flash, along with Grandmaster Melle Mel, Kid Creole, Cowboy, Rahiem and Scorpio
began recording in the mid 1970’s.
"It feels
wonderful that an organization such as this has taken notice of one of the groups
that has done so much for the building blocks of Hip-Hop, who unfortunately
just barely missed the video age," Flash told AllHipHop.com. "You
see its unfortunate in such an incredible time for Hip-Hop that no other organization
has taken the time to look back to the beginning, when so many other organizations
care for their own, hit record or not."
Flash said that
he has always received the support of Hip-Hop, with the Furious 5 and with his
outside endeavors.
"Life is great
in my career as a producer/DJ/entertainer," Flash said. "Hip-Hop is
huge enough now that it is of the utmost urgency that today’s fans and
supporters know about the people that helped build this."
Like fellow pioneer
Afrika Bambaataa, who recently founded the Universal Federation for the Preservation
of Hip Hop Culture, Flash said that the early days of Hip-Hop and the groups
that helped shape the artform need more recognition.
"It wasn’t
just my group alone, there are so many who have NO video footage, archival means
or hit records to display," Flash continued. "The
world of Hip-Hop needs to know who these people were. Did you know that Hip-Hop
was created in 1971? When will we start looking back to teach the new heads [what] they need to know?"
Still, Flash acknowledged
that the group receiving a nod from the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame was a milestone
for the group.
"It’s
a pleasure to receive this nomination and hopefully go all the way and once
again make history! I have to take my hat off and thank you Rock & Roll Hall
of Fame. If we win, I do it in honor of all the heads that helped build this
culture from its humble beginning and make it a worldwide phenomenon."