Eric B. & Rakim

There must of been a whole lotta people besides me that were surprised that Eric B.& Rakim got nominated first year eligible.  It was most likely NomCom member Reginald Dennis who got them on the ballot.  It was he who pushed for Grandmaster Flash's nomination.    If not Dennis, then it had to be Toure.  Dennis was on Dave Marsh's Sirius radio show Oct. 23 talking a whole lot about the duo.
It will be even more of a shock if they get in.  I doubt that most critics getting a ballot know many of their songs. And will fellow Hall voters give them a chance?    Their influence on their genre is high, though.  But is that enough?
The 2013 ballot bring us Public Enemy, who nobody will have to push to get on the ballot,  because they will get there without  help.  But if no Rap act gets in this year, then the backlog of Hip-Hop names could start building, slowly each year.