(AllHipHop Editorial) Anytime an artist wins Album of the Year and utilizes her acceptance speech time to acknowledgment that she doesn’t deserve it (trust me artists know), that’s a reasonable sign that the awards are rigged, or at the least the awards committee is incompetent, and the producers of such award show need to be kicked out of the industry head first.
For years (since I was a small kid), I watched deserving entertainers get skipped over at award shows in favor of others, who while their worked may have been good (Adele’s was very good in 2016), it just didn’t have the creative authority of said entertainer’s work, in this case (Beyoncé). The Grammy’s isn’t alone in their flawed judgement, and bias. They join a long list of award shows put in place decades ago, that stack the deck against Blacks, and marginalize their work. The Emmy’s, The Oscars, the American Music Awards, Billboard Music Awards, and a host of others, are guilty as charged. But they are the first to promote that diversity, inclusive talk.
I hate bringing race (ethnicity) into the discussion, because as soon as you do, people throw up their guards, and start attacking one another, rather than focusing on the issue. But it is what it is, so, let’s keep it real. Do you know when the last Black female was awarded a Grammy for Album of the Year? It was Lauryn Hill, in 1999. Let that marinate for a moment. Do you know when the last Black artist won the award? In 2008 Herbie Hancock won for his cover album of Joni Mitchell songs. For perspective, Joni Mitchell is White. Think about what I’m saying people. I respect the concept of making music for the people, not awards. But I just find it peculiar how when in direct competition, artists of different groups, especially White, can be influenced by our creatives, and be recognized for being more creative than us.
As an artist myself, I’ve been blessed to be a member of a group that both pundits, and fans consider to be one of the greatest of all time, rap or otherwise, the Geto Boys. But guess what, we’ve released 7 studio albums, and have never been nominated for a Grammy, let alone won one. I stopped caring after we released our second album that included our first hit, “My Mind’s Playin Tricks On Me.” Last night, Beyoncé got robbed without a gun. It was a stark reminder of why I stopped caring – and watching.
Beyonce performs at the 59th Annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles, California, U.S. , February 12, 2017. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson