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PEOPLE & ARTS Tuesday 12 February 2019
Rap artists and women take center stage at Grammys

By DAVID BAUDER record executives them-
Associated Press selves. They completely
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Rap controlled the airwaves.
artists and women have They were on the radio.
felt shunned by the Gram- And to watch that back-
my Awards in recent years. slide for the last 20 years
But this year, they both took has been heartbreaking.
center stage. Tonight, it gives me hope
Childish Gambino's disturb- as a mother of two young
ing look at race relations, daughters."
"This is America," won re- When she accepted her
cord and song of the year best new artist award, Dua
on Sunday's telecast. It was Lipa pointedly said, "I guess
the first time a rap-based this year we really stepped
song won both of those up."
awards, considered — with That was a reference to
album of the year — the outgoing Recording Acad-
recording industry's most emy CEO Neil Portnow,
prestigious. who said women needed
Kacey Musgraves won to "step up" when he was
top album and matched asked about the lack of
Childish Gambino with four women in top categories
Grammys total. A year after Brandi Carlile performs "The Joke" at the 61st annual Grammy Awards on Sunday, Feb. 10, 2019, in 2018. He later acknowl-
many women felt left out of in Los Angeles. edged it was a poor choice
the Grammy telecast, they Associated Press of words and delivered an-
delivered the night's most other mea culpa on Sun-
memorable performances. show. Some rap artists feel Cardi B became the first Dua Lipa's duet on "Masse- day's show.
The best new artist winner, the Grammys have been solo woman to win best duction" was steamy; H.E.R. Yet Dua Lipa was rewarded
British singer Dua Lipa, also slow to recognize how the rap album , although Lau- turned heads with "Hard by having her acceptance
cast major shade on the genre now dominates pop- ryn Hill was the lead singer Place"; and Carlile sang an speech cut off mid-sen-
outgoing recording acad- ular music. of the Fugees, which won inspired version of her hit tence. She wasn't alone,
emy president. Ludwig Goransson, a song- the same award at the "The Joke." however, as a handful of
Lady Gaga and Brandi writer and producer on 1997 Grammys. Cardi B Being part of a big night for other artists were also hus-
Carlile won three Grammys "This is America," said back- was so nervous accepting women was huge to her, tled off the stage, and the
apiece, and former first stage that he was surprised the award that she joked, Carlile said backstage after show seemed disjointed at
lady Michelle Obama was the victories were so his- "Maybe I need to start the show. the end, rushing through
a surprise guest at the top toric. Just listening to the smoking weed." "I'm a kid from the '90s and its final awards. Under the
of the show on CBS. radio, watching the culture She looked anything but Lilith Fair, you know, and circumstances, having a
Childish Gambino, the and seeing how many rap rattled earlier, when her those women were just lengthy tribute to Portnow
stage name of actor Don- songs are downloaded is rendition of "Money" was dominating those plat- before he gave his own
ald Glover, and another evidence of rap's impact. among the night's perfor- forms," she said. "They were speech seemed tone-deaf.
prominent rap nominee, "It's about time something mance highlights. Janelle dominating those arena Lipa said later she would
Kendrick Lamar, both de- like this happened with the Monae delivered a smok- and amphitheater stages. have thanked her fans, her
clined invitations to per- Grammys as well," Gorans- ing version of her hit "Make They were getting record inspirations and team if she
form or attend Sunday's son said. Me Feel"; St. Vincent and deals. They were becoming had more time.q

Jennifer Lopez turns Motown tribute into own zesty show

By JONATHAN LANDRUM Jr. but she received support night. music artists including Rob- vin Gaye, Michael Jackson
Associated Press from Smokey Robinson, Lopez said she dedicated inson, Stevie Wonder, Mar- and Diana Ross.q
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Jen- who joined her in a duet to her performance to her
nifer Lopez turned the Mo- perform "My Girl," a song he mother. The 49-year-old
town tribute into the J-Lo co-wrote. She then brief- singer said she grew up on
show. ly teamed up with Alicia Motown music through her
The Latin singer-actress hit Keys on "Papa Was a Rol- mom, listening to different
the Grammys stage on lin' Stone" and sang "An- artists such as The Tempta-
Sunday inserting her en- other Star" with Ne-Yo, who tions and The Supremes.
ergetic dance-pop flavor played the piano. Her performance comes
into memorable Motown Lopez performed "Please days ahead of Motown's
melodies such as "Dancing Mr. Postman" while wear- tribute concert to cele-
Machine" and "Dancing in ing a black ensemble with brate the label's 60th an-
the Street." white feathers and ac- niversary. The tribute takes
She faced backlash on so- companied by a group of place Tuesday at the Mi-
cial media for her lead par- dancers. She also sported crosoft Theater in Los An-
ticipation in a tribute rec- a sparkling bodysuit dur- geles.
ognizing a historic African- ing "Money (That's What I Berry Gordy, who stood dur-
American record label. Want)." ing Lopez's performance, Jennifer Lopez performs a medley during a tribute to Motown's
Some online questioned After she finished, she told founded Motown Records 60th anniversary at the 61st annual Grammy Awards on Sunday,
why a black artist wasn't the crowd that she was in 1959. The record label Feb. 10, 2019, in Los Angeles.
chosen instead of Lopez, "grateful" to be here to- was home to numerous Associated Press