The ballot for the 2017 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is out, and it's got one major addition to it: Tupac Shakur is on the ballot for the first time ever after becoming eligible this year. Other major acts on the ballot include Janet Jackson, Journey, Yes, Bad Brains, Pearl Jam, Jane's Addiction, The Cars, and Kraftwerk. Fans can vote online for their favorite acts, with the top five acts typically gaining entry. The winners will be announced in December with an induction ceremony taking place in April 2017.
Last year's Rock and Roll HOF inductees included a hip-hop act as well. N.W.A. got in alongside Chicago, Cheap Trick, Deep Purple, and Steve Withers. The group was memorably inducted into the HOF with a speech from Kendrick Lamar. Other major rap groups already in the HOF include Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, Run-DMC, Beastie Boys, and Public Enemy.
The Rock and Roll HOF is based in Cleveland, Ohio and has been inducting influential music acts since 1986. In order to be eligible for the ballot, 25 years need to pass from the release date of the artist's first album. Several prominent hip-hop acts, like The Notorious B.I.G., Jay Z, and Nas, will still not be eligible for a number of years under these rules. However, the eligibility for hip-hop artists continues to expand as the window moves into the 1990s.
You can head over the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's website to start voting for your favorite artists. Be sure to look out for the winners this December.
