Rage Against the Machine was inducted into the 2023 class of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame by Ice-T. It was a fitting choice for one notorious hell-raiser to induct a group of notorious hell-raisers.
“Rage broke every rule they could to let you know they were in the building,” noted the rapper/actor during his colorful speech. (Editor’s note: Ice-T’s speech and plenty of others will likely give pause to Disney+ from ever hosting the Rock Hall induction live ever again.) On top of that, he made sure to note the band is responsible for what he called the best rock lyric: “F— you, I won’t do what you tell me,” which is from their debut single “Killing in the Name.”
Ice-T also made sure to mention some of Rage’s surprising actions over the years.
“You can’t impress me with normal stuff,” said Ice-T. “You gotta impress me with stuff like suing the U.S. State Department for using their music at Guantanamo Bay for torturing. Who does that? Rage does that! How about 1993, pulling up in Lollapalooza, butt naked with duct tape. Protesting against the PMRC, who does that? Rage Against the Machine does; I respect the hell out of his band.”
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When it came time for Rage to accept their award, only guitarist Tom Morello was in attendance. Morello noted, “I am deeply grateful for the musical chemistry I’ve had the good fortune to share with Brad Wilk, Tim Commerford and Zach de la Rocha. Like most bands, we have differing perspectives on a lot of things, including about being inducted into the Rock Hall.”
Despite being the lone representative for Rage, Morello’s speech didn’t disappoint. (This isn’t a surprise if you saw him induct KISS into the Rock Hall back in 2014.)
“The reason we are here and the best way to celebrate this music is for you to carry on that mission and that message,” he said. “The lesson I’ve learned from Rage fans is that music can change the world daily.”
Morello added, “Can music change the world? The whole f—ing aim is to change the world, or, at a bare minimum, to stir up a s—load of trouble.”
It’s pretty safe to say that Rage, at a bare minimum, has at least done the latter.
“Who’s to say what musicians might or might not be able to achieve with revolutionary intent?” – @tmorello of @RATMOfficial on the power of music #RockHall2023 pic.twitter.com/oxbf5wZwgP
— Rock Hall (@rockhall) November 4, 2023