Chaka Khan to be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame at last

Chicago musician Chaka Khan has finally ascended to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. And it's about damn time.

• The longtime R&B singer and frontwoman of the band Rufus has been eligible for the honor for 25 years and nominated several times.

State of play: Khan will be inducted as a solo artist, but she will also be recognized for work with her funk band Rufus.

• This year marks her 50th in the music industry.

Context: Khan currently lives in Los Angeles but was born in Great Lakes, Illinois, and grew up on the South Side.

• "Those are some of the most vivid memories of my whole life," she told VladTV in 2020 about Chicago.

Fun facts about "The Queen of Funk":

• Khan was born Yvette Marie Stevens.
• When she was 11, she formed a girl group with her sister (Taka Boom) called The Crystalettes.
• The singer attended Kenwood Academy but dropped out.
• During that time, Khan joined the Black Panther Party and became friends with Fred Hampton.

Want more? I could go on and on about my favorite artist:

• In the late '60s, Khan got her big break replacing the lead singer in Baby Huey & The Babysitters, which gained the attention of Curtis Mayfield and Ike Turner.
• Her biggest Rufus song, "Tell Me Something Good," was written by Stevie Wonder.
• Her first big solo hit "I Feel For You" was originally written by Prince.

Tasty fact: She had a line of gourmet chocolates, called Chakalates.

The bottom line: Sitting in the lawn of the Petrillo Music Shell listening to the first bars of "Ain't Nobody" reminds me why Chicago is the best city in the world.

• Congratulations, Chaka.