Jay-Z becomes first rapper nominated for Songwriters Hall Of Fame

(EURWeb) — Jay-Z made history last week as the first rapper to be nominated for the Songwriters Hall of Fame.

Sylvester “Sly Stone” Stewart and Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds are also among the 24 nominees for the 2017 cycle. Madonna, Bryan Adams, George Michael, Gloria Estefan, Cat Stevens and Max Martin have also been nominated.

PF Sloan, who passed away in 2015, received a posthumous nod.

Songwriters become eligible for induction into the organization after having a songwriting career that spans at least 20 years.

Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter released his debut album “Reasonable Doubt” in 1996. He has since piled up credits through such hits as “Hard Knock Life,” “Empire State of Mind,” and “03 Bonnie & Clyde,” his duet with wife Beyoncé. His most recent album, “Magna Carta Holy Grail,” was released in 2013.

Eligible members can vote for two performing songwriters and three non-performing ones through to Dec. 16. The chosen group of five individual writers or writing teams will be inducted in a ceremony in June.

Former inductees include Stevie Wonder, Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber, Keith Richards and Dolly Parton.

This article originally published in the October 24, 2016 print edition of The Louisiana Weekly newspaper.