SZA joins New Jersey Hall of Fame, inducted by Danny DeVito
Danny DeVito inducted SZA into the New Jersey Hall of Fame on 24 September. The presentation took place at the Dream Live Performing Arts Center at American Dream, where DeVito also hosted the induction ceremony.
DeVito handled double duty as host and presenter, Rolling Stone reported. He knows the honour from the inside. He was inducted into the Hall himself in 2010. That gave the evening a direct link between an earlier class and the new one.
SZA was born in St. Louis and raised in Maplewood, New Jersey. The Maplewood childhood provides the New Jersey tie behind the honour. She now sits in the incoming 2026 class recognised by the state Hall.
The New Jersey Hall of Fame describes her as a Grammy award-winning recording artist. The 2026 inductees were honoured at the 18th Annual NJHOF Induction Ceremony. The Hall had scheduled that ceremony for 24 September 2026 at 7:00 pm, fixing the celebration in the autumn calendar.
The class emerged from a public vote process that began months earlier. The Hall announced 60 nominees for the 2026 public vote in the spring. That long April ballot spanned music, film, comedy and the live entertainment business. It included concert promoter John Scher, actor Michael B. Jordan and the late comedian Uncle Floyd, according to NJ Arts. SZA moved from that crowded field of nominees to the final group honoured in September.
SZA is an American singer-songwriter. Her musical style combines elements of rhythm and blues, hip-hop and soul. She rose to prominence with her debut studio album Ctrl in 2017. Her music often explores themes of heartbreak, sexuality and self-image, Britannica notes. Those four points trace the path from a Maplewood upbringing to national chart success.
What makes this stand out is the pairing on stage. A screen actor with his own Hall place since 2010 welcomed a Maplewood-raised singer now carrying Grammy wins. For fans, this means a home-state honour now sits alongside those national awards on her record.
