Jay Z was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame on Oct. 30. The 36th annual Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony was held in Cleveland, Ohio, at the Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Other inductees included LL Cool J and Tina Turner.
The 23-time Grammy winner received congratulations during the ceremony from Samuel L. Jackson, DJ Khaled, Rihanna and the 44th president of the United States, President Barack Obama.
Jay Z, whose born name is Shawn Carter, posted his thanks on Twitter following the ceremony. Carter noted that he was humbled by the love and joked that he would cry in the car later.
“In my excitement, I failed to prize, and acknowledge JAZ-O, he was the hometown hero that made the dream tangible . Thank you good man… ok let me lose this password for another year or so . Thank you all again , incredibly humbled by your love,” he wrote. “Thank you to everyone in that video package, I’m definitely gonna cry in the car.”
In my excitement , I failed to prize, and acknowledge JAZ-O, he was the hometown hero that made the dream tangible . Thank you good man… ok let me lose this password for another year or so . Thank you all again , incredibly humbled by your love .
— Mr. Carter (@sc) October 31, 2021
Thank you to everyone in that video package , I’m definitely gonna cry in the car .
— Mr. Carter (@sc) October 31, 2021
Carter posed with several stars at the ceremony, including his fellow inductee LL Cool J, Angela Bassett, Dave Chappelle and Drew Barrymore. Bassett was on hand to induct Turner during the ceremony, and Chappelle had the honor of inducting Carter.
“I’m honored that I got a chance to know you,” said Chappelle. “You embody Black excellence, how great we can be.”
View this post on Instagram
View this post on Instagram
View this post on Instagram
View this post on Instagram
View this post on Instagram
President Obama celebrated Carter with a message congratulating the rapper and thanking him for his inspiration. Obama said that Carter’s words inspired him on the 50th anniversary of Selma and called him the embodiment of the American dream.
“I’ve turned to Jay-Z’s words at different points in my life,” said Obama. “Whether I was brushing dirt off my shoulder on the campaign trail, or sampling his lyrics on the Edmund Pettus Bridge on the 50th anniversary of the Selma march to Montgomery…Today Jay-Z is one of the most renowned artists in history and an embodiment of the American dream, a dream he has helped make real for other young people like him. So let me be one of the first to welcome home the kid from Marcy houses … as an official Rock and Roll Hall of Famer,” he continued.
Carter may have also succeeded in ending his 20-year feud with Damon Dash. The rapper gave Damon a shout-out during his speech, and it would seem that Dash was moved by the olive branch.
“Shout out to Dame,” Carter said. “I know we don’t see eye to eye, but I can never erase your accomplishments. And I appreciate you and I thank you for that.”
Dash later said that he was surprised to hear Carter reach out.
“It was beautiful,” said Dash. “I’m glad he said it for the culture. We need to squash everything. So hopefully if that was an extended olive branch, I’ll spin one back. I have no beef with him if he has no beef with me,” he added. “Let’s get the lawyers out of it then. Let’s talk like men, but I definitely appreciate it.”
Dash went on to congratulate Carter and thanked him for keeping his name alive.
The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame airs on Nov. 20 on HBO.
