Hip Hop Hall of Fame

After spending 40+ years as the culture-defining movement, Hip Hop needs its own institution to stand next to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland and the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville.

Is there a Hip Hop Hall of Fame?

...It's complicated. Yes, there has been a registered non-profit with that name for over 30 years, but there is no physical Hall of Fame museum, no formal process for induction, and no annual ceremonies.

Is there a Hip Hop Hall of Fame website?

Yes, at hiphophof.tv, but you won't find a comprehensive list of Hall of Fame nominees or inductees.

Where can I find out who has been inducted?

Keep scrolling here for the full list. Because “inductions” have been so sporadic, there are scores of deserving artists who haven't been honored yet.

What's the full story of the Hip Hop Hall of Fame?

The first "Hip-Hop Hall of Fame" award show happened on March 7th, 1991 in New York. The only evidence of the event are in a series of images, that show it was attended by Busta Rhymes, Candyman, Brand Nubian, and many others. Grandmaster Flash was honored and VJs Ralph McDaniels and Lionel Martin (aka The Vid Kid) received awards.

A few years after the first event in 1991, J.T. Thompson registered “Hip Hop Hall of Fame” as a non-profit and trademarked the name. Thompson continues to pursue the dream he started over 30 years ago of building a museum dedicated to hip hop. After various attempts in Harlem, his current vision is in midtown Manhattan, “It’s not just the Hall of Fame anymore. It’s a hotel, it’s a residential and retail mall and it’s a live entertainment venue. We are building something sustainable.” Thompson has been making these types of “coming soon” promises for years, but dates keep getting pushed back. He is also now involved with a separate for-profit Hip Hop Hall of Fame branded TV network along with other commercial endeavors.

As for inductions, Thompson's Hip Hop Hall of Fame has held just a handful of events, starting in 1996. After that inaugural ceremony, competition from the Source Awards put the show in a holding pattern for years. An event in 2002, organized by a David Olu under the Hip-Hip Hall of Fame name, enshrined 15 members at a star-studded ceremony*. David Olu had previously created a "Hip Hop Hall of Fame" board game, which was done without the knowledge of Thompson, who deemed Olu's group “imposters.” Apparently BET had planned to air the 2002 ceremony, but ultimately backed out.

* With the first three "Hip Hop Hall of Fame" induction ceremonies organized by three different parties, it appears Grandmaster Flash was honored at each one. He'll likely go down as the only triple HHHoF inductee.

After failed attempts for additional ceremonies in 2005 and 2008, Thompson organized a comeback event in 2014, honoring a mix of rappers, deejays, graffiti artists, dancers, and documentarians. Another large induction class was promoted in 2017, but there doesn't appear to be a record of the ceremony actually happening. The announced inductees are included in the list below.

With no regular Hip Hop Hall of Fame inductions in the 2000s, the hip hop award show vacuum was primarily filled by VH1 Honors, until that finally ended in 2017.

What's the future of the Hip Hop Hall of Fame?

It's uncertain. In the 25+ years since that first ceremony on BET, there is very little tangible progress towards building a physical Hip Hop Hall of Fame. With the Universal Hip Hop Museum under construction and opening its doors in 2024, it seems the community has shifted its focus towards the new Bronx institution. It is unlikely there will be an appetite from civic leaders to create a second New York museum dedicated to hip hop, just when the first one will be trying to find its legs.

While the "Hip Hop Hall of Fame" name will remain locked to its trademark owner, the idea of canonizing the legends remains vital to ensuring the legacy of the culture.

Hip Hop Hall of Fame Inductees

As noted above, the 2002 class listed below was named by a separate organizer and is not recognized by the HHHoF.

Additional history of the Hip Hop Hall of Fame at Mic.com and Billboard.

Hip Hop Museums

Plans for a museum dedicated to hip hop have been around since at least 1996. As the birthplace of hip-hop, New York City has been the focal point for many of these efforts:

• Mt. Vernon
• Jamaica, Queens
• Harlem
• Midtown Manhattan
• Bronx Point (currently under construction and scheduled to open in 2025)

Below is a rundown of some of the most significant hip hop museum efforts over the last 20 years.

National Museum of Hip-Hop

In the late 2000s, the now defunct National Museum of Hip-Hop, founded by Craig M. Wilson, tried to build in the Bronx, but had trouble with funding and also caused a rift in the hip-hop community. Additionally, naming issues brought threats of legal action from the owner of the rights to the “Hip Hop Hall of Fame” name. The organization hasn't been heard from since 2021 and appears to have ended.

National Hip-Hop Museum

Not to be confused with the similary named venture above, the "Hip-Hop Museum Pop-Up Experience" was founded in 2019 by Jeremy Beaver in Washington, DC, but was rebranded in 2021 to the National Hip-Hop Museum reflecting their goal of taking their exhibits on the road to cities across the United States. Their website details an impressive collection of hip-hop memorabilia. Their museum features an art gallery, café, and a dispensary that sells Hip-Hop cannabis strains.

The National Hip-Hop Museum has held annual inductions honoring some of the seminal figures of the genre. Inductees are honored at a ceremony where they are given special jackets, necklaces, hats, and plaques.

The Hip Hop Museum

More recently, The Hip Hop Museum (rebranded from the Universal Hip Hop Museum), led by founder Rocky Bucano, is under construction in the Bronx (scheduled completion in 2025). Artists such as Kurtis Blow, Ice T, LL Cool J, and Nas have all publicly supported the museum. Organizers have teased a future "Hall of Respect," which sounds like it will be their version of a Hall of Fame.

In 2023, protesters have called for Bucano to step down as President and Chairman due to his alleged ties to Afrika Bambaataa and the Universal Zulu Nation.

The Worldwide Hip Hop Hall of Fame Museum

In Memphis, there is yet another group with dreams of creating a museum dedicated to hip hop history. The "Worldwide Hip Hop Hall of Fame Museum Tourism and Hospitality Resort" is "coming soon," according to the website, and it would include a hip hop wax museum. The idea was born from the visions of its founder, Rogers Mitchell, Jr.

The Shelby County Commissioners have been entertaining the idea of creating a hip hop museum in Memphis, but it's unclear if it is related the the Worldwide Hip Hop Hall of Fame entity.

VH1 Hip Hop Honors

Between 2004-2010, and again in 2016-2017, VH1 held annual award shows to celebrate the best hip hop artists of all-time. Over the nine high-profile televised ceremonies, they honored many of the early influences of the genre as well as the brightest stars. While the names listed below aren't in a "Hip Hop Hall of Fame," nearly all deserve to be.

The following are the artists who were celebrated at VH1's Hip Hop Honors:

Future Hip Hop Legends is not affiliated with the Hip Hop Hall of Fame, the Hip Hop Museum or VH1.