美国说唱音乐人Jay-Z入选创作人名人堂，成为历史上第一位获得这一荣誉的说唱歌手。Chic乐队的尼尔•罗杰斯（Nile Rodgers）通过CBS电视台的《This Morning》节目公布了这一消息。他称，“Jay-Z以说唱音乐的形式发行了很多受欢迎的唱片，他的音乐影响很大，改变了很多人听音乐的方式，甚至改变了我们享受快乐的方式。”

 

Jay-Z has several reasons to be happy right now.
Jay-Z最近可谓“多喜临门”。

 

Less than a month after it was announced he and his wife Beyonce are expecting twins - he is to receive a top songwriting honour.
在宣布妻子碧昂斯怀了双胞胎之后不到一个月，他又将收获创作人的最高荣誉。

 

Jay-Z is to become the first rapper ever inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in the US.
Jay-Z将成为首位入选美国创作人名人堂的说唱歌手。

 

A handful of artists who are considered to have "enriched the world's culture" with their songwriting and music are selected for induction every year.
每年都有一些艺术家入选创作人名人堂，人们认为他们凭借自己的创作和音乐“丰富了世界文化”。

 

Joining the hall of fame is a huge deal - previous inductees include Marvin Gaye, Bob Dylan, Dolly Parton, Bruce Springsteen and Michael Jackson.
入选名人堂是非常了不起的事情——此前的入选者包括马文•盖伊、鲍勃•迪伦、多莉•帕顿、布鲁斯•斯普林斯汀以及迈克尔•杰克逊。

 

But no rapper has ever made the cut before.
但之前从没有说唱歌手被选中。

 

Jay-Z will be inducted as part of the hall's class of 2017 alongside Max Martin, who has written songs for Taylor Swift, Katy Perry and Ariana Grande.
和Jay-Z一同入选2017年名人堂的还有马克斯•马丁，他曾为泰勒•斯威夫特、凯蒂•派瑞以及爱莉安娜•格兰德创作过歌曲。

 

Other inductees this year will include Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. The duo have written and produced number one singles for Janet Jackson, Mariah Carey and Usher, among many others.
今年的其他入选者还包括吉米•杰姆和特里•刘易斯。他们曾为珍妮•杰克逊、玛利亚•凯利以及亚瑟小子等歌手编写制作过冠军单曲。

 

Songwriters are eligible for induction after writing hit tracks for at least 20 years.
作曲家们至少要拥有20年的热门歌曲创作经历才有资格入选名人堂。

 

This explains why Jay-Z is being inducted now - as he recently passed the 20th anniversary of his debut album Reasonable Doubt, released in 1996.
这就是Jay-z现在被选中的原因，近日Jay-Z的首张专辑《合理质疑》刚好面世二十周年，该专辑是1996年发行的。

 

Chic guitarist Nile Rodgers, who was one of last year's inductees, said Jay-Z had "changed the way we listen to music".
去年的入选者、Chic乐团的吉他手尼尔•罗杰斯称，Jay-Z已经“改变了我们聆听音乐的方式”。

 

Madonna and George Michael were both nominated this year as well but weren't chosen this time.
今年麦当娜和乔治•迈克尔也获得了提名，但是这次并没有被选中。