The Notorious B.I.G. and Whitney Houston set for induction to Rock & Roll Hall of Fame
The late artists’ families are reacting to the honor.
The Notorious B.I.G. and Whitney Houston will join music royalty when they get inducted into the Rock Hall of Fame on Saturday (Nov. 7). The rapper and the songstress will be ushered with the prestigious class of 2020 in the first-ever virtual Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Special that will air on Saturday on HBO and HBO Max.
The pre-recorded event will celebrate the newest induction class, which also includes Depeche Mode, the Doobie Brothers, Nine Inch Nails and T. Rex. Foo Fighters’ Dave Grohl will kick off the event by introducing each inductee. The Brooklyn emcee and the Grammy winning singer will be inducted post-mortem, with their families accepting the honor on their behalf.
“I’m so very, very proud that Whitney is being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame,” mom Cissy Houston reportedly says in the special. “She wanted to be something – not anything. She worked hard at it, too.”
“I’m proud of who she was,” Houston added. “What can I say now? If I talk too long, I’ll cry. I don’t want to cry.”
“This is something Whitney always wanted,” Pat Houston, manager and sister-in-law, also says. “I remember in 2009, we were in London. Whitney looked at me and she said, ‘This is really special, but there’s only one thing missing: I’ve got to get the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.’ This moment right now proves it all: There’s only one matchless Whitney Houston, and tonight, she would be very proud and honored to receive this award.”
The rapper, who was born Christopher Wallace, will be represented by his two adult children—T’yanna and C.J.,—who will accept the award for their late dad, who was a hip-hop trailblazer best known for his ‘90s hits “Juicy” and “Big Poppa.”
“When my dad passed away, I was only 3 years old,” T’yanna says in the special. “Even though I didn’t get to know him as well as I wanted, through his fans and our family, I was able to see with my own eyes that his music transcended the hip-hop industry. He was able to become not only the ‘King of New York,’ but the king of the culture.”
The show will feature guest performers and appearances from Luke Bryan, Diddy, Miley Cyrus, Billy Gibbons, Don Henley, Jennifer Hudson, Billy Idol, Iggy Pop, Alicia Keys, Adam Levine, Chris Martin, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Brad Paisley, Bruce Springsteen, St. Vincent, Ringo Starr, Gwen Stefani, Charlize Theron, Heart’s Nancy Wilson and more, according to the Associated Press.
Variety reports that ahead of the event, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame will livestream a virtual red carpet event on its Twitter, Facebook and YouTube channels at 6:45 p.m. ET. The program, hosted by Carrie Keagan, will feature both live and pre-recorded conversations with the new inductees and guest performers. The first-ever virtual Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Special will air on Saturday via HBO at 8 p.m. ET.