Big Daddy Kane performs at the Paradise Theater on Friday
Photo: Walik Goshorn

NEW YORK — Circa the late 1980s, Hurricane Chris — the kid who can be heard lately singing "Hey Bay Bay" — was just a bayyy-bee. And when somebody said, "Superman that ho," chances are they were referring to the actual Man of Steel thwarting one of the Legion of Doom's dastardly plots, not the new dance by a rapper named Soulja Boy.

On Friday night at the Paradise Theater in the Bronx, rap's golden era was back in full effect with a party and concert held in hip-hop's birthplace. There was a tribute to Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five, and while the Grandmaster himself wasn't present, the fab quartet of four MCs (founding member Cowboy passed away in 1989) — Melle Mel, Kidd Creole, Rahiem and Scorpio — didn't just sit back and let everyone tell them how beloved they are. Nah, the FF actually took the stage and performed.

Melle Mel's fanny pack gave away his age — after all, who under age 40 that doesn't play in the NFL wears one of those outside the gym? — but he showed youthful energy with his boys, sliding from side to side on several records and even leading the audience in a three-step (not the same old two-step). The highlight was their performance of "The Message" and bringing out the Sugar Hill Gang for "Rapper's Delight."

Big Daddy Kane's dance steps were undeniably a fan's delight. Kane, who performed before the Furious Five, had most of his hits handy, but he really tore down the house when his former backup dancer Scoob Lover made a surprise appearance. Scoob's fancy feet showed he can still spar with movers like Omarion, especially when he did the classic step of holding his right foot in his hand and using his left leg to jump over it. Kane joined in, standing in front of Scoob in the handshake position and both doing a split. "Come get some, you little bum!"

KRS-One came out later, showing that when you have skills, you can rap over anything. He dropped lyrics to "You Must Learn" over classical music, and "The Bridge Is Over" and "Black Cop" especially did it for the people. Marley Marl was KRS-One's DJ for the night and fellow Queensbridge native/ former KRS foe MC Shan, who stood next to Marley enjoying the Teacha's set. Shan had opened the night's festivities.

Slick Rick and Doug E. Fresh closed the concert with the tag-team precision of wrestling legends the British Bulldogs. Rick did "Hey Young World," then Doug joined in for "The Show and "La-Di-Da-Di." Then the Ruler fell back and let Doug do his own songs like "Freaks" with Lil' Vicious.

The party continued at a separate event Saturday night at B.B. King Blues Club & Grill in Times Square, where Roxanne Shante held a 1987-themed party. Dookie-rope chains, flattops with blond streaks and even custom-made Dapper Dan suits could be seen in the crowd.

MC Shan came out once again and performed as did Just-Ice, Kangol from UTFO, Bow-Legged Lou from Full Force, Smooth Da Hustla and his brother Trigga Da Gambla, Lovebug Starski, Mobb Deep's Havoc and Roxanne herself.

Seen a great show? MTV News wants your photos, videos and reports from all the latest concerts for our new You R Here community. Check out the site to read, rate and comment on reviews from around the globe. We'll put the best stuff on our You R Here blog, and even in on-air news!

• KRS-One, Big Daddy Kane, Furious Five, more live at the Paradise Theater

• Big Daddy Kane
• Melle Mel
• KRS-One
• Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five

Grandmaster Flash at the 2007 Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Induction Ceremony
Photo: Scott Gries

NEW YORK — Maybe it was the honoring of hip-hop's first supergroup, or the potential clash of egos surrounding one of the hugest bands of the '80s, or even the induction of a group of alt-rock pioneers. Or perhaps it was the promise of appearances by Jay-Z, Pearl Jam's Eddie Vedder and Rage Against the Machine's Zack de la Rocha.

Whatever the reason, there was a buzz in the air on Monday night at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel for the 22nd annual Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony — one that surged through the thoroughly amped crowd (filled with actual stars) and kept the packed press room humming throughout the night.

(Watch Kurt Loder catch up with the latest Rock Hall inductees, plus members of Velvet Revolver and more, at the Monday night ceremony.)

How successfully that buzz translated into magic moments was another matter. Because the four-hour ceremony — which was rife with taped in-memoriam pieces (to the Godfather of Soul, James Brown, and Atlantic Records/R&RHOF co-founder Ahmet Ertegun), self-aggrandizing "retrospective" pieces and canned "classic performances" from HOF ceremonies past — had its fair share of confusing moments, although some certainly tried very hard to make it memorable.

Keith Richards — sporting a rather skeevy moustache ("I couldn't shave it off in time to get a tan on my upper lip," he sneered) and looking every bit like Jack Sparrow's sea-soaked dad — got things going in earnest, slumping over at the lectern and delivering a slurred, surprisingly sweet induction speech for the archetypal girl group, the Ronettes. And long-missing de la Rocha of the recently reunited Rage (see "Rage Against The Machine To Reunite For Coachella Festival"), who resembled an afro-sporting Adam Sandler, gave an impassioned speech honoring punk poetess Patti Smith, describing her as "fearless" and saying her words inspired him and a generation of musicians to "drop their textbooks and pick up Langston Hughes."

Then Smith, clad in nearly the same outfit she wore on the cover of her classic 1975 album Horses, took the stage, dedicated her award to her late husband (and MC5 guitarist) Fred "Sonic" Smith, and positively ripped through a set of tunes, including a cover of the Rolling Stones' anti-war screed "Gimme Shelter"; her biggest hit, "Because the Night"; and a stomping version of her "Rock N Roll N----r," which had everyone in the room — including the Reverend Al Sharpton, there to pay tribute to James Brown — wide-eyed and sort of headbanging. Oddly, Smith dedicated the song to her late mother, whom, she said, had told her it was "her favorite song of mine to vacuum to."

And while it would be tough to out-surreal Smith's appearance, the induction of Van Halen certainly gave her a run for her money. Ever since the 2007 class of HOF inductees was announced back in January (see "R.E.M., Van Halen, Grandmaster Flash Make Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame"), VH's enshrinement has been the subject of speculation: would feudin' frontmen David Lee Roth and Sammy Hagar share the stage together? Will the long-rumored reunion tour actually happen? (The answer: probably not — see "Van Halen Reunion Tour Might Not Happen After All.") And after founding guitarist Eddie Van Halen checked himself into rehab last week (see "Eddie Van Halen Heading To Rehab"), who would show up to accept their award?

As it turned out, just Hagar and recently deposed bassist Michael Anthony appeared onstage, and anyone expecting fireworks was seriously disappointed. Both were humble and quite gracious in accepting their awards, both namechecked all of their former bandmates (even short-term singer Gary Cherone), and Hagar seemed truly touched by the honor.

"I can't tell you how much I wish everyone was here for this," he said. "It's hard for Mike and I to stand here and do this, but you couldn't keep me away from here with a shotgun. I am truly honored."

The Van Halen musical tribute consisted of a hardscrabble performance by Velvet Revolver on "Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love," followed by a surprisingly rocking Hagar/Paul Shaffer version of "Why Can't This Be Love." Apparently, efforts had been made to involve other Van Halen members in the performance. When asked after the show if Roth had been approached, Velvet Revolver singer Scott Weiland said, "We said that we would do [early Van Halen favorites] 'Jamie's Cryin' ' or 'You Really Got Me,' but he was pretty adamant about doing 'Jump.' But that song's not really us, and we don't have a keyboard player."

After Van Halen's spot, the house lights dimmed for Jay-Z, on hand to induct Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five, the first hip-hop group to be honored by the Hall.

Jay — who read his speech from his BlackBerry — started off by quoting the opening missive from the group's groundbreaking 1982 anthem "The Message" (which the crowd surprisingly began chanting along with him), then dubbed the Furious Five "hip-hop's first supergroup," groundbreaking artists who paved the way for the hip-hop stars of today.

"Thirty years later rappers have become rock stars, movie stars, leaders, educators, philanthropists, even CEOs," he said, making a clear reference to himself. "None of this would have been possible without the work of these men."

Then the group — minus founding member Cowboy, who died in 1989 — took the stage, pausing to acknowledge the moment and recognize the breakdancers, MCs and graffiti artists with whom they shared the early days of hip-hop. "There was a time when journalists thought this culture was a fad," Flash enthused, "so this is significant." Then they got down to bringing the black-tie audience the sound of the Bronx, circa 1979.

And Flash began cutting records back and forth, and the Five strutted and bounced about the stage, and the opening notes of "The Message" began to make their way from the sonic bombast, and for the first — though certainly not last — time in Rock Hall history, the white linen tablecloths in the Waldorf's main ballroom began to ruffle and sway under the sonic force of truly booming bass. Hip-hop had entered the building earlier in the night — but this performance, this rattling moment, was its clarion call.

Somehow, Eddie Vedder found it in himself to follow all that, delivering a mumbled, humble speech about his love for R.E.M., stating that he listened to the group's landmark 1983 Murmur album "1,260 times ... even though you can't understand a f---ing thing [frontman Michael Stipe] is saying."

Then all four members of R.E.M. — including founding drummer Bill Berry, who left in 1997 — took the stage, looking dapper and every bit the alt-rock elder statesmen they've been anointed (Stipe's old-man reading glasses certainly contributed to that impression). Only Stipe and bassist Mike Mills spoke — Berry and guitarist Peter Buck looked on like proud parents — and they were gracious and self-effacing as ever, thanking seemingly every person who had helped them during their 27-year career.

And they played hits from throughout that career: "Begin the Begin" (from 1986's Life's Rich Pageant), "Gardening at Night" (from 1981) and were joined by Vedder for the later hit "Man on the Moon." The five were then joined by Smith for a romp through Iggy Pop and the Stooges' "I Wanna Be Your Dog" (which Stipe and Mills later confirmed was a subtle lobbying effort directed at the Hall, which has rejected the Stooges' induction for many years — (see "So How Do You Get Into The Rock Hall Of Fame?"), and closed the night with a rousing jam of Smith's anthem "People Have the Power," joined by an incongruous trio of guests: Richards, Hagar and Stephen Stills.

And while it was a long night, it was also probably the coolest in recent HOF memory. It took them long enough to recognize punk and — more notably — hip-hop, so you can't blame anybody if they wanted to stay up late and revel in it all.

• Grandmaster, R.E.M. Deck Rock Hall

• 2007 Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Ceremony Inducts R.E.M., Van Halen, Grandmaster Flash And More

• Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five
• R.E.M.
• Patti Smith
• Van Halen
• Jay-Z

R.E.M. in 1985
Photo: Paul Natkin/WireImage.com

A groundbreaking college-rock band, a fractious group of hard rockers, a pioneering and political hip-hop act, a punk poetess and the greatest girl group of all time are readying their acceptance speeches.

On Monday (January 8), the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation announced its 2007 class of inductees, an eclectic list that features R.E.M., Van Halen, Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five, Patti Smith and the Ronettes. All five acts will be inducted into the Hall during a gala ceremony/concert at New York's Waldorf-Astoria hotel on March 12.

Of course, all five will also be expected to perform that night, which, uh, might prove interesting for a couple of acts.

R.E.M. — who burst onto the burgeoning college rock scene in 1981 with their jangly, lo-fi single "Radio Free Europe" and ascended to multiplatinum success and mega-buck contracts in the decades following — parted ways with original drummer Bill Berry in 1997, and have only played with him a handful of times (including a performance at the band's induction into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame last year) since then.

But according to frontman Michael Stipe, fans can look forward to history repeating itself again in March. "Obviously, we're really honored ... and the thought of ourselves and Patti Smith and Grandmaster Flash all being there, it's going to be a very exciting night," Stipe told MTV News. "And of course, Bill will be there with us, he'll definitely be onstage with us."

The same probably can't be said about Van Halen — the hard-charging rockeros who pretty much ruled the 1980s thanks to a string of sizzling radio hits, including "Panama," "Hot for Teacher" and "Runnin' With the Devil" — who, to put it nicely, have had their fair share of controversial lineup changes.

In 1985, at the height of their fame, the group split with flamboyant lead singer David Lee Roth, and in the 20 years since, the relationship between him and fleet-fingered guitarist Eddie Van Halen — unquestionably one of the greatest rock guitarists of all time, who pioneered a mesmerizing two-hand tapping technique and enormously influenced the sound of heavy metal — has run the gamut from mildly chilly to flat-out acrimonious.

Roth was replaced by throaty margarita enthusiast Sammy Hagar and went on to score even more hits, including 1991's "Right Now," but in 1996 the group ditched Hagar for Extreme frontman Gary Cherone, who was ousted not long after (Hagar returned for a tour in 2004 but was again ejected, and Roth's return has been rumored many times — often by Roth himself — over the last decade). More recently, Eddie Van Halen announced on Howard Stern's radio program that he was replacing founding bassist Michael Anthony with his own son, Wolfgang.

It's not known just who will represent Van Halen at the Hall's induction ceremony (actually, it's not even clear who's in Van Halen at this point), but a trainwreck on the level of last year's onstage spat between current and former members of Blondie certainly seems possible (see "Metallica Thud, Blondie Feud At Rock Hall Of Fame Ceremony").

But potential onstage dramatics aren't the only reason this year's crop of inductees is noteworthy. The recognition of R.E.M. and Van Halen find the Hall embracing overlooked genres, and by including Patti Smith, it continues to shine a light on punk and its many subgenres. And, frankly, it's about time the Ronettes — who belted out the sublime, Phil Spector-produced R&B gem "Be My Baby" — got in. But the induction of Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five is perhaps the biggest step of all.

When they take the stage in March, Flash and the Five will become the first true hip-hop act enshrined in the Hall. Anchored by DJ Flash, whose turntable dexterity and mastery of breaks made him an underground party legend in New York during the 1970s, the Five (which also included rappers Cowboy, Kid Creole, Melle Mel, Rahiem and Mr. Ness) signed to the seminal Sugar Hill Records and released a plethora of party cuts, including "The Adventures of Grandmaster Flash on the Wheels of Steel," and scored their biggest hits with a pair of seething, political tracks, "The Message" and "White Lines (Don't Do It)."

The full list of nominees for the Rock Hall was first announced in October (see "R.E.M., Van Halen, Stooges, Grandmaster Flash Top Rock Hall Nominees"), and artists who failed to gain enshrinement include influential Detroit bludgeoners the Stooges, disco heavyweights Chic and British-invasion act the Dave Clark Five.

Artists become eligible for induction in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 25 years after the release of their first record. Nominees are determined by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's nominating committee — comprised of rock and roll historians — and ballots are sent to an international voting body of around 750 "rock experts."

For more on the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, check out the feature, "So How Do You Get Into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame?"

• R.E.M., Van Halen Lead Rock And Roll Hall 2007 Inductees

• R.E.M.
• Van Halen
• Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five

T.I. accepts a prize at Sunday's BET Hip-Hop Awards
Photo: Rick Diamond/ WireImage

The king of the South was one of kings of rap saluted at the first-ever BET Hip-Hop Awards, held in Atlanta on Sunday.

T.I. was the definite crowd favorite at A-Town's Fox Theatre, delivering what was arguably the most energetic and well-received performance of the night with his "Top Back" remix (B.G., Young Dro, and Big Kuntry joined him onstage). T.I. scored his first victory of the night in the Video of the Year category, with "What You Know" beating out Busta Rhymes "Touch It" remix, Common's "Testify" and Lupe Fiasco's "Kick Push."

The head of the Grand Hustle label took a second big honor, winning the Hip-Hop MVP of the Year award over Lil Wayne, Young Jeezy, Chamillionaire and Yung Joc.

"You can hate if you want, but you're wasting your time," T.I. said at the end of his acceptance speech.

(Check here for pictures of the stars in their Sunday best.)

Chamillionaire was another multiple winner, scoring Rookie of the Year as well as the Alltel Wireless People's Champ award, voted on by viewers.

Jay-Z stood tall against Diddy, T.I., Ludacris and Nelly in the Hip-Hop Hustler category.

"Luda is supposed to win this one," Hov said. He joked that he and Cris would work it out so Luda could take the trophy next year.

Grandmaster Flash was the first recipient of the I Am Hip-Hop Award, honoring icons in the game, while Common was named lyricist of the year and Busta Rhymes won in the Best Live Performer category.

And the prize for the unofficial category of most performances of the night went to Young Jeezy, who rocked the mic three times. The Snowman brought the gentlemen's club to the awards show with a performance of "I Luv It" that featured girls dancing on stripper poles, and teamed up with Ludacris for "Grew Up a Screw Up." Jeezy also rapped on a special version of the show's opener, "Welcome to Atlanta," featuring Luda, Producer of the Year winner Jermaine Dupri and Lil Jon.

The Game, Snoop Dogg, DJ Unk and Jim Jones — with some hyping from Juelz Santana — were also among the performers at the ceremony, which was hosted by Diplomat artist and top urban comedian Katt Williams.

The BET Hip-Hop Awards airs Wednesday at 9 p.m. on BET.

• Chamillionaire, Ludacris, Busta, Jim Jones And More At The 2006 BET Hip-Hop Awards

• T.I.
• Chamillionaire
• Jay-Z
• Ludacris
• Busta Rhymes

Eddie Van Halen, David Lee Roth and Michael Anthony in 1984
Photo: Warner Bros.

The dawn of the 1980s is upon the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, as R.E.M. are among the nine acts on the ballot for induction this year. Joining them are Van Halen, the Stooges, Patti Smith, the Dave Clark Five and hip-hop legends Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five.

The induction, to be held March 12 at the Waldorf=Astoria in New York, will honor five artists from this year's list, which also includes singer Joe Tex and girl group the Ronettes. To be eligible for induction this year, an artist had to have released their first single no later than 1981. R.E.M., the Ronettes and Van Halen are this year's only first-time nominees (see "So How Do You Get Into The Rock Hall of Fame?").

Led by Eddie Van Halen's signature fleet-fingered guitar riffs and singer David Lee Roth's wild stage antics, Van Halen were one of the biggest hard-rock bands of the '80s. With such signature hits as "Panama," "Hot for Teacher," "Jamie's Cryin'," "Runnin' With the Devil" and "Jump," the group released a string of hit albums — selling more than 56 million LPs in the U.S. alone —beginning in 1978 until its split with Roth in 1985. He was replaced by former solo star Sammy Hagar, who, in turn, was succeeded by ex-Extreme singer Gary Cherone.

With one of the most instantly identifiable sounds in all of rock and roll, R.E.M. are the trailblazers of the early '80s indie-rock scene in America. From singer Michael Stipe's poetic, sometimes inscrutable lyrics to guitarist Peter Buck's jangly riffs, the group has created a string of indelible hits from its very first in 1981, "Radio Free Europe," through "Can't Get There From Here," "The One I Love," "It's The End of the World as We Know It (and I Feel Fine)" and "Man on the Moon."

Detroit's Stooges are widely considered to be the prototypes for punk. The group — led by unhinged singer Iggy Pop — blurred the lines between raw blues, psychedelia and garage rock on such signature songs as "Raw Power" and "I Wanna Be Your Dog," influencing everyone from the Ramones to Nirvana along the way.

If the Stooges are the godfathers of punk, then Patti Smith is definitely the godmother. A poet and mesmerizing live performer, Smith was one of the early fixtures at the now-defunct New York mecca of punk, CBGB, in the mid-1970s (see "Flea Jams With Patti Smith, Punks Weep At CBGB's Last-Ever Show"). She has continued to perform and record topical, emotionally charged music.

When it comes to influence, few hip-hop acts carry as much weight as New York's Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five. Led by Flash, one of the most innovative turntable artists in the early years of hip-hop, the group was anchored by Flash's inventive turntable manipulation and such legendary street tales as "The Message" and the anti-drug rap "White Lines."

Led by funk masters Nile Rodgers and the late Bernard Edwards, Chic were one of the hardest-working disco bands of the late '70s. With such hits as "Dance, Dance, Dance (Yowsah, Yowsah, Yowsah)," "Le Freak" and "Good Times," the duo of Rodgers and Edwards created some of the funkiest and most frequently sampled songs ("Good Times" was the basis for "Rapper's Delight" by the Sugarhill Gang) from an era of largely forgotten tunes.

Also nominated is one of the most popular bands from the British Invasion of the mid-1960s, the Dave Clark Five, who rivaled the Beatles in popularity at the time thanks to hits like "Glad All Over." Girl group the Ronettes — led by Ronnie Spector and known for such mid-1960s hits as "Be My Baby" and "Baby, I Love You" — and 1960s soul singer Joe Tex, best known for his 1965 hit "Hold What You've Got," are also nominated.

The five inductees will be announced in January.

• R.E.M.
• Van Halen
• Iggy & the Stooges
• Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five

Debbie Harry
Photo: Paul Hawthorne/ Getty Images

Though there are a handful of comparatively fresh faces, many of this year's nominees for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame may be hoping that the second — or fifth or eighth — time is the charm.

New names on the ballot this year include late jazz giant Miles Davis, new wavers Blondie ("Heart of Glass"), Texas rockers the Sir Douglas Quintet ("She's About a Mover"), singer/songwriter-turned-Muslim-activist Cat Stevens ("Wild World"), '60s white-blues act the Paul Butterfield Blues Band and British Invasion-era combo the Dave Clark Five ("Glad All Over").

The ballot also includes previous nominees John Mellencamp, the J. Geils Band, disco-era group Chic (whose "Good Times" was the musical foundation of Sugarhill Gang's pioneering "Rapper's Delight"), Texas soul singer Joe Tex ("I Gotcha") and punk godmother Patti Smith. Pioneering hip-hop act Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five will make a second attempt at being the first rap group inducted into the Hall.

The rest of the nominees have had multiple shots at induction. Legendary metal act Black Sabbath — who famously say they have no interest in being inducted — will go for a record eighth bid, Southern rockers Lynyrd Skynyrd will clock in with their seventh, and punk group the Sex Pistols — whose frontman, John Lydon, called the Hall "The place where old rockers go to die" — and punk prototypes the Stooges will give it a fifth go.

The failure of these oft-nominated artists to be inducted has inspired much debate (see "So How Do You Get Into The Rock Hall Of Fame?").

Miles Davis was one of the most celebrated and enigmatic musicians of the modern jazz era, and crossed into rock territory with his innovative and influential work in the late '60s and early '70s, most famously on 1969's Bitches Brew LP.

Blondie, fronted by new-wave vixen Debbie Harry, started out on the New York punk scene in the mid-1970s and hit the charts with a patented style that fused punk-rock and girl-group sounds with elements of disco ("Heart of Glass") and hip-hop ("Rapture").

Singer/songwriter Cat Stevens released a series of introspective, folky hit albums in the 1970s with hits such as "Peace Train" and "Wild World" before retiring from music in 1977 and converting to Islam.

In 1964, London's Dave Clark Five were serious contenders for chart domination, but the group lost momentum after scoring hits like "Glad All Over," "Bits and Pieces" and "Because" and faded from view.

Paul Butterfield was one of the first white blues harmonica players to earn widespread praise for his playing as the leader of his eponymous band. He is credited with turning white audiences onto the classic sound of electric Chicago blues in the 1960s and earning a place in rock history when his band backed Bob Dylan at the Newport Folk Festival in 1965 — the gig where Dylan was famously booed for playing an electric guitar.

Earlier this year, Buddy Guy, the O'Jays, the Pretenders, Percy Sledge and U2 were inducted into the Hall (see "Justin Timberlake, Bruce Springsteen To Induct This Year's Rock Hall Of Famers").

Artists become eligible for the Hall 25 years after the release of their first record. A group of 75 musicians, journalists and members of the music industry pick the nominees, who are then voted on by a larger group of approximately 700. The top nominees will be announced in December and inducted during the Hall's annual ceremony in New York next year.

• Top Rock Hall Nominees 2005

• Blondie
• Cat Stevens (Yusuf)
• Miles Davis
• Black Sabbath
• Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five

U2 (file)
Photo: U2.com

Twenty-five years after the release of their debut — and just weeks after they topped the charts with their latest album — it's been announced that U2 will be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

The Irish rockers lead the 20th anniversary class of inductees, which also includes R&B vocal group the O'Jays, soul singer Percy Sledge, the Pretenders and blues guitarist Buddy Guy (see "U2, Grandmaster Flash, Sex Pistols Lead Rock Hall Of Fame Nominees").

The class of 2005 will be inducted at a ceremony on March 14 at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York.

U2, who formed in 1976 as teenagers in Dublin, Ireland, released Boy in 1980 and became one of the biggest and most iconic bands in the history of rock by the mid-1980s, thanks to such landmark hits as "With or Without You," "Pride (In the Name of Love)" and "Sunday Bloody Sunday."

The O'Jays had a string of hits in the 1970s, including the smash "Love Train," while soul-stirring singer Percy Sledge is known for his signature ballad, "When a Man Loves a Woman."

The Pretenders, led by the smoky-voiced singer Chrissie Hynde, are known for such hits as "Brass in Pocket" and "Back on the Chain Gang." Chicago blues legend Buddy Guy has been a force on the electric guitar for more than 25 years, influencing everyone from Eric Clapton to Jimi Hendrix with his energetic playing and wild stage show.

Passed over for the Hall of Fame were legendary British punk rockers the Sex Pistols, whose singer, John Lydon (a.k.a. Johnny Rotten), once said the Cleveland museum is where "old rockers go to die." The Pistols were among a group of 10 artists who were eligible for induction but passed over this year.

Fellow punkers Patti Smith and the Stooges also didn't make the final cut, along with Southern rockers Lynyrd Skynyrd and one of the pioneering acts in hip-hop history, Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five, who would have been the first rap act to be inducted into the hall.

Inductees in the non-performer category include early rock and roll booking agent Frank Barsalona (Led Zeppelin, Bruce Springsteen) and Sire Records co-founder Seymour Stein, known for signing everyone from Madonna and the Ramones to the Talking Heads.

Artists are eligible for induction 25 years after the release of their first record.

• U2
• The Pretenders
• Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five
• The Sex Pistols

Sex Pistols' Johnny Lydon (a.k.a. Johnny Rotten) (file)
Photo: MTV News

It looks like John Lydon — a.k.a. Johnny Rotten of the Sex Pistols — could be getting ready to die.

The snarling Pistols frontman has found his band among the 15 finalists for enshrinement in the 2005 class of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, an institution Lydon once declared to be a "place where old rockers go to die."

"The Rock and Roll Hall of Shame, that's what it ought to be," Lydon complained in 2003, after the Sex Pistols were denied entry for the second year in a row — although contemporaries the Ramones and the Clash received nods. "[That] title was clearly earned."

The Pistols are just one of three punk pioneers poised for enshrinement in 2005: Patti Smith and the Stooges also made the cut. The rest of the nominees include U2, Lynyrd Skynyrd, early hip-hop group Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five, country legend Conway Twitty, alt-country pioneer Gram Parsons, singer/songwriter Randy Newman and R&B acts the O'Jays, Percy Sledge and Wanda Jackson.

Aside from the Sex Pistols, the most intriguing nomination is that of Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five, who would become the first rap act inducted in the Hall. To be eligible for enshrinement, an artist's initial release must be 25 years old. Flash & the Five released two singles, "Superappin" and "Freedom," in late 1979 and early 1980, and the group's recognition could be the beginning of a wave of hip-hop inductions into the Hall.

Voters received ballots in the mail last week, and performers who receive the highest number of votes (and more than 50 percent of the vote) will be inducted; the Hall generally elects five to seven performers a year. The inductees will be announced sometime in November, and the induction ceremony — the Hall's 20th — is scheduled to take place in New York in March.

• U2
• Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five
• The Sex Pistols
• Lynyrd Skynyrd

Name: X-ecutioners

Mixtape: Scratchology

Hometown: New York, New York

Joints to check for: "Ugly People Be Quiet," "Like This (Full & Fresh)" and "Product of the Environment (Remix)"

Previous mixtapes: Although this is their first mixtape, the turntablists have released a bevy of albums, including Built From Scratch and X-ercise.

The 411: In the era of exclusives, some hip-hop purists complain that you don't have to have real skills on the 1s and 2s to make street-savvy mixtapes. And while DJs who only use DATs and CDs may serve as evidence for their criticism, there are still some turntabilists who make their compilations the traditional way — with wax.

The X-ecutioners built a reputation for being one of the most adept crews on the wheels of steel with such projects as 2002's Built From Scratch and their stint on Eminem's Anger Management Tour last summer. However, the three-man collective of Rob Swift, Roc Raida and Total Eclipse (Mr. Sinista has left the group) have actually been doing their thing together since 1989. And their love of the art goes back even further. On Scratchology, they not only compiled records to show which artists inspired them, but they also set out to school the masses on hip-hop history.

"The CD was something that I personally wanted to do for a couple of years, but I didn't want to make a CD that would only reach that underground market," said Rob Swift, explaining why the group opted to release its mixtape on Sequence Records rather than just giving it to the streets. "Scratchology is a way to explain that scratching isn't something that came about in the last five years. Scratching and the DJ, [they] helped launch hip-hop.

"There's basically three periods of scratching," he continued. "There's the genesis with Grandmaster Flash, Kool Herc and guys like DXT. Then there's the middle school with people like [DJ] Cash Money and Pete Rock. They basically helped the art grow from where it was invented. Then you have today's [scratchers], [people] like the X-ecutioners and Mix Master Mike. We just played music that reflected those three eras [on our mixtape]."

Some of the cuts that serve as a musical history lesson are "The Adventures of Grandmaster Flash on the Wheels of Steel," where the DJ legend cuts up such records as Chic's "Good Times." From there, the New York troupe reintroduce Herbie Hancock's '80s dance hit, "Rock It." Midway through the mixtape, the X-ecutioners take a more hands-on approach, actually adding their own scratches to the Pete Rock remix of Public Enemy's "Shut 'Em Down" and Gang Starr's "DJ Premier in Deep Concentration."

Another track starring Primo is also featured later as the mixtape comes to a close. Built From Scratch's "Premier's X-ecution," which features an original beat by the producer/DJ along with Roc Raida's "I'll Kick Ya Ass," are among the tracks on the disc's finale.

"Some of the early songs we played in their original form, like [the track by] Grandmaster Flash and 'Rock It,' " Swift explained. "A lot of people were hearing these songs for the first time. I wanted people to really hear the song in its proper context and see how [the art] has grown. Later on in the CD we started to do more manipulating on records because people are more familiar with those cuts."

And while familiarity is always good, the X-ecutioners say they want more people to become more familiar with them on their next album. Swift and the rest of the gang, who are currently in the lab, said that they are about halfway done, but so far no guest collaborations have been made.

"Right now we're really trying to make a strong effort to do songs that are a 100 percent reflective of the X-ecutioners," he said. "We felt it was important to show people we can stand on our own two feet, but mad respect to everybody like Linkin Park and M.O.P. who were on our last album."

Although Swift says Linkin's Mike Shinoda probably won't rhyme on their new project, he did say there was a possibility that they would get a beat from him. Swift estimated the new album should drop no later than January 2004.

For you mixtape junkies that prefer to hit up your favorite local bootlegger rather than go to a store, there are several selections that just arrived this past weekend, one of which comes courtesy of the Roc. The key word here is "sequel": DJ Clue just released Desert Storm 2 in conjunction with Jay-Z. S. Carter has several freestyles on the mixtape, while his estranged homegirl Foxy Brown is featured via "Why You Hating." Also DJs Kay Slay and Big Mike follow up their joint Racial Profiling effort from a couple of weeks ago with a part 2 as well. 50 Cent, Scarface and the LOX's Styles team up for "Most Hated" and Fox Boogie pops up again, with yet another street offering on "Why, Why, Why."

For a full-length feature on mixtape culture and the role of mixtapes in making a rapper's career, check out "Mixtapes: The Other Music Industry."

For other artists featured in Mixtape Mondays, check out Mixtape Mondays Headlines.

• The X-Ecutioners
• Jay-Z
• DJ Clue
• Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five
• Herbie Hancock

• 50 Cent
• Diddy
• Jay-Z
• Fabolous
• Eminem

2007 Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Ceremony Inducts R.E.M., Van Halen, Grandmaster Flash And More

• Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five
• R.E.M.
• Van Halen
• Pearl Jam
• Velvet Revolver

R.E.M., Van Halen Lead Rock And Roll Hall 2007 Inductees

• R.E.M.
• Van Halen
• Patti Smith
• Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five
• The Ronettes

Chamillionaire, Ludacris, Busta, Jim Jones And More At The 2006 BET Hip-Hop Awards

• Chamillionaire
• Ludacris
• Busta Rhymes
• Ying Yang Twins
• T.I.