Chaka Khan received the Musical Excellence Award at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame ceremony tonight. The queen of funk, R&B, and disco was recognized both for her solo catalog and as part of synth-funk trailblazers Rufus. Jazmine Sullivan gave the introduction speech through tears, recounting Khan’s selflessness in reaching out to Sullivan’s mother as she went through cancer. Khan performed “I Feel for You” with Common, “Sweet Thing” with H.E.R., “Ain’t Nobody,” and “I’m Every Woman” with Sia. Khan gave a brief acceptance speech after the performance. Watch the highlights below.
Khan’s fellow Musical Excellence Award winners are Al Kooper and Elton John’s songwriter Bernie Taupin. The class of 2023 inductees are Kate Bush, Missy Elliott, Willie Nelson, Rage Against the Machine, Sheryl Crow, the Spinners, and George Michael. This year’s Musical Influence Awards went to hip-hop legend DJ Kool Herc and the late Link Wray. The Ahmet Ertegun Award was posthumously awarded to Don Cornelius, the creator of Soul Train.
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