Rap/Hip-Hop Makes the Smithsonian...

So why aren't there any rap/hip-hop acts in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame? Please, don't say that rap music doesn't belong there. The RNRHOF is a shrine to popular music and rap music meets that standard easily.

I think one year of inductions should be dedicated entirely to rap and hip-hop. I also think that the initial inductions should be done similarly to the initial inductions into the Baseball Hall of Fame: a charter class of 5 inductees that epitomize the best of what rap has to offer.

Here is my charter class:

1. RUN-DMC : The Old-School Representative; The first truly massively popular rap act; The first rap act with broad-based crossover appeal; Resurrected Aerosmith's career - what other group can make such a claim, rap or otherwise?; A no-brainer.
2. L.L. Cool J : The Solo Act Representative; Strong musical output and popularity from Old-School to Nu-Skool; Smoothest rapper in the business; Credited with first rap love song/slow song; Great lyricist.
3. N.W.A. : The Subversive Representative; Permanently changed the face of rap music; Produced the Kobe and Shaq of rap in Ice Cube and Dr. Dre; Exploded a bombshell on the American public; Forced America to consider life in the 'hood; In the end, had more influence and longer careers than a Public Enemy or KRS-One/Boogie Down Productions.
4. Salt-n-Pepa : The Female Representative; Vastly superior to any other female act; Produced hugely popular music that appealed to both sexes and crossed-over effortlessly; Possessed legitimate rap chops; Wrote excellent lyrics; Incredibly danceable.
5. Beastie Boys : The White Boy Representative; Arguably the most popular rap act of all time; Broke all kinds of new ground; Earned total respect of rap community; Paul's Boutique is greatest rap album of all time, at least from a technical perspective.

There. That's my class along with some brief reasoning. Please feel free to comment. Try to remember that the charter class ought to represent the totality of hip-hop as best as possible. Sure, performers like Afrika Bambaataa, Grandmaster Flash, Sugarhill Gang, Public Enemy, EPMD, Gangstarr, 2 Live Crew, KRS-One, Queen Latifah, and many others will have their day, but my five are the biggest jewels in the crown.