Salt-N-Pepa on the red carpet of the 2025 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony (Disney/Cristian Lopez)
The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame paid homage to Sly Stone Saturday during its 2025 induction ceremony with a musical tribute featuring Stevie Wonder, Maxwell, Leon Thomas and Jennifer Hudson. They performed Stone songs “Everyday People,” “Thank You” and “Higher,” with Questlove on drums, Flea of Red Hot Chili Peppers on bass, and Beck on guitar and backing vocals.
The tribute kicked off a night that saw many artists celebrated for their musical contributions, including Salt-N-Pepa and Outkast.
Missy Elliott inducted Salt-N-Pepa, calling them “one of the greatest teachers in hip-hop,” before they performed “My Mic Sounds Nice,” “Shoop,” “Let’s Talk About Sex,” “Push It” and “Whatta Man,” featuring a special appearance from En Vogue and DJ Spinderella on the 1s and 2s. Their acceptance speech addressed their ongoing fight with Universal Music Group for ownership of their master recordings.
“As we celebrate this moment, fans can’t even stream our music … because the industry still doesn’t want to play fair,” Cheryl “Salt” James said. “Salt-N-Pepa have never been afraid of a fight. This is the Influence Award. We have to keep using our influence until the industry honors creativity the way the audience does — with love, respect and fairness.”
Donald Glover inducted Outkast into the Rock Hall and credited the duo for teaching him that “you don’t have to scream, you don’t have to yell. You just have to be undeniable.”
André 3000 shed tears in an acceptance speech as he reflected on Outkast’s success. “Great things start in little rooms,” he said.
The Outkast reunion, however, didn’t go beyond the speech. Instead, Big Boi performed a medley of “Ms. Jackson,” “Hey Ya!,” “The Whole World,” “ATLiens,” “The Way You Move” and “B.O.B. (Bombs Over Baghdad)” with, respectively, Doja Cat, Janelle Monáe, Killer Mike, J.I.D., Sleepy Brown and Tyler, The Creator.
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