Jay-Z to Induct Grandmaster Flash and The Furious Five Into Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on March 12

Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five will become the first hip-hop artists to be accepted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on March 12. Billboard.com reports that Def Jam president Jay-Z will induct the group at the ceremony which will air live on VH1. Flash and Furious Five members Melle Mel, Cowboy, Kid Creole, Scorpio and Raheim are being honored for their early contributions to hip-hop, including their groundbreaking song “The Message” and pioneering the use of two turntables and a mixer. The group was snubbed by the Hall of Fame twice before, in 2005 and 2006.