Tonight (June 15), prolific MC Jay Z will become the first rapper to be inducted to the Songwriters Hall of Fame. The Brooklyn wordsmith will join the likes of Burt Bacharach, Duke Ellington, Ira Gershwin, John Lennon, Elton John, and Lionel Richie, after being handpicked by his peers.
Since 1996, Jay Z has proven to be an indomitable force in the rap game. Boasting a bevy of accolades including 21 Grammys and 13 solo No. 1 albums on the Billboard 200, Jay Z's latest feat serves as another accolade.
To celebrate his achievement, his streaming service TIDAL has launched a tribute page that includes congratulations from his peers like Quincy Jones, Rakim, and Bono among others while reflecting on his body of work since Reasonable Doubt including his top lyrical moments, and other highlights centered around his prestigious career.
2017 looks to be only getting busier for Hov, who will be headline Queens' Meadows Music and Arts Festival, Austin's ACL and Philadelphia's Made in America Festival.
He is also rumored to be working on a new album. In an interview with Billboardearlier this week, Damian Marley confirmed he was working with Jay Z, who recently took a trip to Jamaica. "Well, I did some work with him for some stuff that he's working on," Marley said. "I'm not really sure of the details of his project in that sense, but we worked on some music together. I've been a fan of his music since he came out. We've never done any musical work together. So that was a joy to finally work together musically."
The Songwriters Hall of Fame ceremony will take place June 15 at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York City.
