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A30 PEOPLE & ARTS
Thursday 18 June 2020
The special secret sauce in John Legend's album: the Grammys

NEW YORK (AP) — At the ing the uncertainty and the
2020 Grammy Awards, turmoil of this time," he said.
John Legend excitedly "Some of those songs feel
walked around with "a spe- more poignant now than
cial secret," as he puts it: He they would have were we
had just finished recording not going through these cri-
a batch of songs and felt ses in America."
like his new album was near Like the rest of the world,
done. Legend has been home-
And though he performed bound since the pandem-
and won his 11th gramo- ic, which has slowed down
phone at the show, he pro- some of his projects outside
ductively used the week of music. "We produce a lot
where most of the music of shows that had to pause
industry flocks to Los Ange- production," said Legend,
les to add new flavor to his an EGOT holder who won
album. his Emmy and Tony as a
At the Grammys he met producer.
Koffee, who made history But he's still getting major
when she became the work done. He finished the
youngest artist to win the mixing and mastering pro-
best reggae album Gram- cess of his album remotely,
my, eventually collaborat- In this June 13, 2020 photo, singer-songwriter John Legend appears during a photo session at The he filmed the rest of "The
ing with her on a song for Bel Air Hotel in Beverly Hills, Calif., to promote his latest album "Bigger Love." Voice" from his couch, and
"Bigger Love," his seventh Associated Press he taped the ABC vari-
album out Friday. And a ety special "John Legend
day before the awards DJ Khaled and others. "I re- including Charlie Puth, An- much to bring hope and and Family: A Bigger Love
show at the white-hot an- member how emotional I derson Paak, Ryan Tedder, jobs and education to the Father's Day," to premiere
nual Roc Nation brunch, he was the day of the Gram- Ester Dean, Teddy Geiger, community." Sunday.
sought out rapper Rapsody mys when Kobe passed Tayla Parx and Raphael "We made a record with And thanks to Instagram
— who is signed to Jay-Z's away. It was such a crazy Saadiq, who executive Nipsey that will last forever," Live, he'll be able to go
company — and asked her time." produced the album. he said. "That's a beautiful head-to-head with Alicia
to rap on one of his songs. Legend said Rapsody wrote But Legend's collabora- thing that's come from it." Keys in the latest "Verzuz"
Legend said listening to two verses for his song, ask- tion with Hussle is still get- Legend, 41, said the some battle series Friday.
Rapsody's verse on "Re- ing him which he preferred. ting love a year after its re- of the songs on "Bigger "It's really a celebration of
member Us" brings him to "This was the one that just lease. On Monday "Higher" Love" have a strong and music and our mutual love
tears, especially when the immediately hit me. I loved earned two nominations at resilient impact in a similar and respect for each other.
skilled lyricist name-drops her referring to Kobe and the BET Awards, including vein of "Higher." Though he I consider her my sister," said
Kobe Bryant, who died on Nipsey and Biggie and video of the year. The clip created the album before Legend, who sang back-
the day of the Grammys, some of the other artists was filmed not long before the coronavirus pandemic ground vocals for Keys'
and Nipsey Hussle, who we lost, but also some art- Hussle died. and the protests advocat- 2003 hit "You Don't Know
Legend won his most re- ists that are still with us that "What a video to go out ing for black lives that have My Name" and opened
cent Grammy with for their made records that were on — in his neighborhood, erupted around the world, for the songstress on his first
song "Higher." important to us." elevated above the neigh- he said the songs still reso- major tour.
"It's so epic. It makes me cry. Legend's album also fea- borhood, looking down on nate. "We're going to have fun
I listen to it sometimes and tures collaborations with it," Legend said. "He was so "It wasn't written in response and celebrate music, cel-
it makes me tear up," said Jhené Aiko and Gary Clark proud of his neighborhood to exactly what's happen- ebrate black music, cel-
Legend, who performed Jr., while a pack of all-star and his community. He had ing in this moment, but I ebrate Juneteenth togeth-
"Higher" at the Grammys in producers and songwriters invested so much in the feel like it could be a lift for er," he added. "It is a battle,
tribute to Hussle alongside also help on the project, community and done so people who are experienc- but it's not."q

'30 Rock' cast reuniting to tout new NBC, cable schedules

By LYNN ELBER Bravo and Oxygen. work together again for
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Tina It's a special born of the NBC," series executive pro-
Fey, Alec Baldwin, Tracy coronavirus pandemic, ducers Fey and Robert Car-
Morgan and other "30 which kept NBCUniversal lock said in a statement. "To
Rock" stars are reuniting for and other media com- quote Kenneth the page,
a corporate cause: to pro- panies from the mid-May there are only two things
mote the shows and stars tradition of presenting we love in this world, televi-
that will be part of the new their 2020-21 schedules to sion and everyone."
season for NBC and its NB- crowds of ad buyers in New The mid-season will bring
CUniversal cable siblings. York City. freshman series including
Described as a "one-time, The cast of the Emmy-win- "Mr. Mayor," a Fey-Carlock
commercial-free event" — ning, 2006-13 sitcom will sitcom starring Ted Dan-
other than the extended be in character, including son and Holly Hunter, and
ad it represents for NBCU- Jack McBrayer's enthusias- "Young Rock," inspired by
niversal — the reunion will tic network page, the com- Dwayne Johnson's life and
air July 16 on NBC and be pany said Tuesday. produced by and starring
In this April 18, 2018 file photo, Tina Fey attends the Tribeca Film shown on cable channels "We're all happy to have the pro wrestler-turned-ac-
Festival world premiere of "Love, Gilda" in New York. including USA Network, this excuse to (remotely) tor. q