Rza Wants Former President Barack Obama To Deliver Wu-Tang Clan’s Rock Hall Induction

RZA, whose foundational hip-hop group Wu-Tang Clan is part of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame's 2026 induction class, poses for a portrait. RZA publicly campaigned Friday for former President Barack Obama to deliver the group's induction honors this fall. (Courtesy Photo)

The Wu-Tang Clan has already secured its place in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame's 2026 class, but the Staten Island collective's de facto leader has his sights set on making the induction ceremony truly historic.

Following initial remarks made earlier this month, RZA has escalated his campaign to have former President Barack Obama officially induct the pioneering hip-hop group this fall. In an interview published Friday by Consequence, the producer and rapper made a direct, public pitch to the 44th president, emphasizing the unique cultural energy of the upcoming Cleveland ceremony.

"I don't have a lot of heroes, but Barack Obama is one of them," RZA said, noting that he hasn't formally reached out to the former president's team yet but is highly optimistic about the prospect.

He even imagined how Obama might pitch the unprecedented trip to the former first lady.

The push for Obama is not a sudden pivot for RZA. During a separate interview with Rolling Stone last week, he revealed that Obama is the only person he is a "superfan" of that he has never actually met.

"I don't have a lot of peoples' pictures on my wall," RZA explained. "I got the legends — Jimi Hendrix, Bruce Lee. And I had [Obama's] picture on my wall for a long time and my children watched that from the time of his presidency to today — watched that growth and watched that image. So I'm genuinely a fan."

If the campaign proves successful, it would not be Obama's first time acknowledging the global impact of hip-hop on the Rock Hall stage. In 2021, he inducted Jay-Z into the institution via a pre-recorded video message, cementing the genre's permanent place within the establishment.

The Wu-Tang Clan, universally recognized for fundamentally altering the business and sonic landscape of hip-hop with their 1993 debut album, "Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)," joins a diverse 2026 induction class. Alongside the hip-hop icons, the fall ceremony will honor R&B legend Luther Vandross, Sade, Phil Collins, Iron Maiden, and Oasis.

Whether the 44th president will take the podium to welcome the Nine Generals into the Hall remains to be seen, but the public invitation has already elevated the anticipation for the induction ceremony.

‘Drink Champs’ Host Reveals Diddy’s Behind-The-Scenes Involvement in Viral 2022 Kanye West Episode

Host Jason Lee, left, speaks with rapper and "Drink Champs" host N.O.R.E. during an episode of "The Jason Lee Show" in Los Angeles. During the interview, released April 15, N.O.R.E. revealed that Sean "Diddy" Combs personally reviewed Kanye West's controversial 2022 podcast appearance before it was published. (Screengrab: BET Networks)

As Sean "Diddy" Combs continues to fight his federal conviction, new details are emerging about the disgraced mogul's behind-the-scenes influence over one of hip-hop media's most controversial moments.

During a recent interview with Jason Lee, "Drink Champs" host N.O.R.E. revealed that Combs — who was the head of the Revolt network at the time — personally reviewed Kanye West's viral and highly inflammatory 2022 interview before it ever hit the internet.

According to the Queens rapper, Combs called him while the episode was still in the editing bay to share his thoughts on the cut. The revelation adds a heavy layer of context to the broadcast, which ultimately led to West being dropped by Adidas, Balenciaga, and CAA after he made several antisemitic remarks and inflammatory statements regarding the death of George Floyd.

Looking back at the fallout, N.O.R.E. expressed deep regret over how the final edit was handled.

"I feel like I should've took out a lot more with the Ye interview," N.O.R.E. explained. "Because Ye — at the end of the day, I felt like me and Ye was friends... I just wish I was in on the conversation a little more."

The disclosure arrives during a turbulent legal week for Combs. The Bad Boy Records founder’s legal team is currently back in court appealing his 50-month prison sentence. Combs, who was convicted last fall on prostitution-related charges, was recently transferred to FCI Fort Dix in New Jersey. According to his attorneys, the facility was specifically requested because it offers a residential drug treatment program to address the mogul's ongoing substance abuse issues.

While Combs' expected release date is currently set for April 2028, the ongoing appeals and the constant unearthing of his past industry dealings ensure his name remains at the center of the daily news cycle.

Hip-Hop Trailblazer Gwendolyn ‘Blondy’ Chisolm Passes Away in Atlanta at Age 66

FILE - In this 1980 promotional photo, members of the pioneering hip-hop group The Sequence pose for a portrait. Pictured from left to right are Cheryl "The Pearl" Cook, Gwendolyn "Blondy" Chisolm, and Angela "Angie B." Brown, later known as Angie Stone. Chisolm, who co-founded the group and helped lay the foundation for women in rap, died April 6, 2026, at age 66. (Photo: Sugar Hill Records)

Gwendolyn "Blondy" Chisolm, a pioneering force who co-founded hip-hop's first all-female rap group, The Sequence, passed away in Atlanta on April 6. She was 66.

According to her family, Chisolm died peacefully following a brief illness on Easter Sunday that led to septic shock. For readers who revere the explosive female rap dominance of the '90s and '00s, the DNA of Chisolm's work is inescapable. Long before the industry recognized the commercial viability of women on the mic, Chisolm laid the blueprint. She teamed up with her C.A. Johnson High School cheerleading friends — Cheryl "The Pearl" Cook and Angela Brown, who would later achieve massive solo fame as neo-soul powerhouse Angie Stone — to form The Sequence.

Their entry into the industry is the stuff of rap lore. After finessing their way backstage in Columbia, South Carolina, the trio delivered an impromptu, a cappella audition for label executive Sylvia Robinson. They were signed to Sugar Hill Records on the spot. Weeks later, they released "Funk You Up." The gold-certified record became the first rap hit performed by women and the first hip-hop vinyl released by an all-female act. The track became a foundational text, heavily sampled and interpolated throughout the '90s and '00s by artists ranging from Dr. Dre and Trina to Erykah Badu and En Vogue.

RIP Gwendolyn 'Blondy' Chisolm, Hip Hop Musician
The Sequence
Sugarhill presents The Sequence: "Funk You Up"
Sampled by Dr. Dre, En Vogue, Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars#InMemoriam #RIP pic.twitter.com/Wp2XA0rYaO

— LegacyTributes (@InMemoriamX) April 9, 2026

"My sister gave a lot of herself to the music industry," Chisolm's sister, Monica Scott, noted in a statement following her passing. "Everyone knows her famous lyrics and melodies, which continue to bring joy to millions of people. She was a creative force who touched countless hearts."

Beyond her early triumphs, Chisolm remained a vibrant creative presence. At the time of her death, she was finalizing edits on her upcoming memoir, "The First Blonde in the Hip Hop Game," promising an unfiltered look at navigating the rugged early days of the industry. Artist Raymond R. Burton, a close collaborator, mourned the unfinished project online, sharing, "We just talked and discussed doing artwork for your book and we both were so excited to reconnect and bring your story to the world."

The loss of Chisolm compounds a heavy period of mourning for fans of the pioneering trio. Her passing comes just over a year after the tragic death of Angie Stone, who was killed in a sprinter van crash near Montgomery, Alabama, in March 2025. With Chisolm's passing, Cheryl Cook now stands as the lone surviving member of the group that built the framework for women in the culture.

Before her passing, Chisolm was actively collaborating with the National Museum of African American Music in Nashville for an upcoming exhibit honoring The Sequence. While she will not be there to see it open, her indelible impact ensures her voice will never be erased from the history she helped write.