The Red Hot Chili Peppers honored 2026 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Musical Excellence Award recipient Rick Rubin by playing one of the biggest songs they made together, and dressing up like the legendary producer.
Taking the concept of “imitation is the sincerest
form of flattery” to its funniest possible conclusion, all four members of RHCP took the stage at Saturday night’s Induction Ceremony in Los Angeles wearing ludicrously big, bushy white beards and wigs. They also all sported some very Rubin-esque orange-tinted sunglasses, while drummer Chad Smith played a special drum kit with a portrait of Rubin emblazoned on his bass drum.
For the performance, the Chili Peppers ripped through “Give It Away,” off 1991’s Blood Sugar Sex Magik, the first album Rubin produced for the band. (Since then, he’s produced all the band’s albums except 2016’s The Getaway, which Danger Mouse helmed.) Some technical difficulties with Flea’s bass caused an initial hiccup, but the band easily recovered after starting the song over, their fake beards bouncing wildly as they ran around the stage.
As for Rubin, he accepted his Musical Excellence Award with a short, but powerful speech. Taking the stage, he held up his prize and stated simply, “Can’t kill rock & roll.”
Along with Rubin, the Rock Hall’s 2026 Musical Excellence Award was given to Philly soul songwriter Linda Creed, producer Arif Mardin and producer Jimmy Miller. In the performer category, the 2026 class boasted Phil Collins, Billy Idol, Iron Maiden, Joy Division/New Order, Oasis, Sade, Luther Vandross, and Wu-Tang Clan. Meanwhile, Celia Cruz, Fela Kuti, Queen Latifah, MC Lyte, and Gram Parsons received the Early Influence Award, while Ed Sullivan was honored with the Ahmet Ertegun Award.
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