Blige is credited with creating a completely new category of music — hip-hop soul. The nine-time Grammy-winner’s best-known song is ”Family Affair″ from her triple-platinum 2001 album “No More Drama.” “When you listen to Mary, you understand you’re not alone in heartbreak,” Dre said. Wearing a shiny black hat, a sparkly dress and long black gloves and boots, Blige sang a mix of her hits, including “Love No Limit,” “Be Happy” and “Family Affair.” At the end of her set, a dancer brought up a cloak to wrap around her, in an echo of James Brown. “Move with grace. Trust the journey,” she advised. “You are worthy.”
AP News reports Hollywood stars Julia Roberts and Zendaya hosted Saturday’s inductions into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, an eclectic lineup that included Blige, pop icon Cher, heavy metal’s Ozzy Osbourne, soft rockers Foreigner and 83-year-old soul icon Dionne Warwick.
It was a five-hour-plus show that also honored hip-hop trailblazers A Tribe Called Quest, punk pioneers the MC5, the effortless dance music of Kool & the Gang, the soft rock of Foreigner, the beach bum tunes of Jimmy Buffett and the jam band fusion of Dave Matthews Band.
Dua Lipa opened the show singing Cher’s “Believe” before the 78-year-old icon joined her onstage, giving way to Zendaya who noted that Cher is the only woman to have a No. 1 hit on a Billboard chart in each of the past seven decades. “Cher has got the goods,” Zendaya said before Cher performed a rocking version of “If I Could Turn Back Time.”
In her speech, Cher thanked her mother for instilling in her to always get back up after defeat. “I never give up,” she said. “I’m talking to the women — down and out, we keep going.”
Roberts helped induct Dave Matthews Band — she’s a self-avowed superfan and she appeared in the band’s video for the 2005 single, “Dreamgirl.” Roberts, wearing a band T-shirt, said the appeal of the group is “spontaneous abandon,” adding the first time she danced with her husband was to one of their songs.
The jam band, with their mix of funk, folk-rock, jazz, blues and pop, then played “Ants Marching” — asking the crowd to sing the chorus — “Crash” and “So Much to Say.” The arena was still full when they hit the stage after midnight, with the crowd singing along and swaying.
Matthews hugged Roberts, handed out the trophies to his bandmates, and called the class of 2024 impressive. “We’re swimming in very deep water here,” he said. He thanked the current and former band members and the bar owner who gave them a home in Charlottesville, Virginia. When he thanked the fans, they roared back.
Chuck D inducted Kool & the Gang, saying “This is a long-due celebration.” The band had 12 Top 10 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 including the 1980 chart-topper “Celebration” as well as “Cherish,” “Get Down On It,” “Jungle Boogie,” “Ladies Night” and “Joanna.” They’ve been eligible for the hall since 1994.
The Roots helped the band do a medley of hits that got the crowd grooving led by Robert “Kool” Bell — bass guitarist, co-founder and last original member — and longtime singer James “JT” Taylor. Confetti shot into the arena and Taylor asked the crowd to use their cellphone lights as he read off the names of 10 members who were critical to the band’s success.
Warwick arrived at the ceremony only a few days after attending a memorial to her longtime friend and collaborator, Cissy Houston. Teyana Taylor called her “truly one of a kind” as well as telling off the teleprompter operator for not putting “Ms.” before her name. Jennifer Hudson sang “I’ll Never Love This Way Again” and was joined by Warwick, who also sang “Walk On By.”
Warwick said this year was the third time she was nominated for the Hall. “I am so pleased to be here,” she said. “I’m just going to say this and get off the stage: Thank you, thank you, thank you.”
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