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Two of the most iconic artists that help defined our culture are receiving historical respect on their names. Nas and Janet Jackson are officially being added to the record books.
As spotted on Hype Beast the two legendary performers will be getting one of the most special distinctions for music artists. On Wednesday, March 24 the Library of Congress announced it will be adding Illmatic and Rhythm Nation 1814 to the National Recording Registry. Representative Carla Hayden named the 2020 roster of “25 recordings as audio treasures worthy of preservation for all time based on their cultural, historical or aesthetic importance in the nation’s recorded sound heritage.”
“The National Recording Registry will preserve our history through these vibrant recordings of music and voices that have reflected our humanity and shaped our culture from the past 143 years,” Hayden said in a formal statement. “We received about 900 public nominations this year for recordings to add to the registry, and we welcome the public’s input as the Library of Congress and its partners preserve the diverse sounds of history and culture.”
While the “Represent” rapper has yet to acknowledge the honor Ms. Jackson took to her Instagram to express her excitement. With a screenshot of the announcement as the visual she simply wrote “I’M SPEECHLESS !”.
The latest selections named to the registry, spanning from 1878 to 2008, range from pop, hip-hop and country to Latin, Hawaiian, jazz, blues, gospel, classical and children’s music. In addition to the musical selections, the new class showcases one of the earliest recordings of an American voice by Thomas Edison, as well as sports history, voices of world leaders during World War II, a soap opera’s roots in radio, and even the first podcast to join the registry, with “This American Life” following its success in radio.
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Nas’ ‘Illmatic’ & Janet Jackson’s ‘Rhythm Nation 1814’ Will Be Added To Library of Congress was originally published on hiphopwired.com
