Janet Jackson Celebrates ‘Rhythm Nation 1814’ Induction into Grammy Hall of Fame as “An Honor

Beverly Hills was abuzz with excitement as the Recording Academy welcomed a new group of iconic musicians into the prestigious Grammy Hall of Fame.

This year’s inductees include a remarkable lineup of albums and singles: 2Pac’s “All Eyez On Me,” Selena’s “Amor Prohibido,” Lucinda Williams’ “Car Wheels On A Gravel Road,” and Heart’s “Dreamboat Annie.” The Soul Stirrers’ single “Jesus Gave Me Water,” Alice Coltrane’s “Journey In Satchidananda,” Funkadelic’s “Maggot Brain,” and Radiohead’s “OK Computer” also made the cut. Other notable additions are “Orange Blossom Special” by The Rouse Brothers, Eric B. & Rakim’s “Paid In Full,” Nick Drake’s “Pink Moon,” Janet Jackson’s “Rhythm Nation 1814,” Bertha “Chippie” Hill’s single “Trouble In Mind,” and Ella Jenkins’ “You’ll Sing A Song And I’ll Sing A Song.”

Janet Jackson expressed her gratitude, telling Rocsi Diaz from On The Red Carpet, “It’s an honor.”

Jimmy Jam, who produced Jackson’s “Rhythm Nation 1814,” reflected on their collaboration, saying, “The thing we did with Janet really was just let her be her. You know, and just try to capture that.”

Chris Perez, the husband of the late Selena, shared his appreciation for the enduring power of her music.

“I mean, we gotta thank the fans for keeping it alive, keeping the music alive, her legacy alive, and passing it down from generation to generation,” he noted.

“Well it’s kinda like a dream. It’s fantastic it really is,” said Ann Wilson of their album’s induction.

Ann, along with sister Nancy blazed trails in rock with their band Heart. And they’re thankful to be able to break ground for young artists.

“It’s awesome when girls coming up behind us feel, like, braver because we were out there busting doors down a little bit,” said Nancy Wilson.

“Everybody has their music, everybody had their time. We had our time. We’re the upperclassmen and it’s a great thing,” said Eric B. .

“The Grammy Hall of Fame is a big thing so, you know, to be part of that, an underground artist, I feel good about that,” added William “Rakim” Griffin about their groundbreaking album Paid In Full.

Tupac Shakur’s nephew Malik and niece Nzingha were on hand for the gala and talked about the artist’s legacy.

“You go around the world, his face is on murals, on statues, on people’s t-shirts from the poorest of the poor to the richest of the rich. This is nice and everything but that’s kind of what it’s all about,” he said.

“For him, he would be honored. He would be over the moon about it and he would be saying ‘I told you I was a legend,’” added Malcolm Greenidge, (E.D.I. Mean), who frequently collaborated with Tupac

Norah Jones was honored with the Ray Charles Architect Of Sound Award.

“I think the reason I love Ray Charles so much is that he made everything his own. And that’s what I strive to do. That’s what most artists strive to. You try to make it your own. Even tonight, I don’t want to copy Ray. I just want to honor him in the best way I can, which is to make him my own,” she said.

The gala also serves as a fundraiser to support the Grammy Museum’s national education programs.