Sunday, January 26, 2020

Grammy Awards 2020 highlights: Lizzo, Alicia Keys pay tribute to Kobe Byrant; Diddy calls out Academy over representation issues

Drama over fairness and inclusion at the Grammy Awards carried over to music’s big night Sunday as newcomers and mainstays in the industry supported Sean “Diddy” Combs and his powerful speech putting the Recording Academy on a clock to fix the nomination process when it comes to rap and R&B in major categories.

Lizzo garnered the most nominations this year, but Billie Eilish took home the coveted awards for record, song and album of the year, along with Best New Artist. Eilish and fellow fresh faces Lizzo and Lil Nas X dominated the early awards in a live show that was dedicated to basketball star Kobe Bryant, who died in a helicopter accident earlier in the day.

Here are some of the major highlights from 2020 Grammy Awards

Alicia Keys, Lizzo pay tribute to late NBA player Kobe Byrant

Bryant’s death in a helicopter crash earlier in the day was acknowledged in the opening minutes of the Grammys broadcast. “Tonight is for Kobe,” pop star Lizzo announced as she took the stage to open the Grammy Awards before performing exuberant versions of her hits 'Cuz I Love You' and 'Truth Hurts' to a standing ovation. “We are all feeling crazy sadness right now, because earlier today Los Angeles, America and the whole wide world lost a hero and we’re literally standing here, heartbroken, in the house that Kobe Bryant built,” the show’s host, Alicia Keys, said in remarks to open the show. Music artists including Billy Ray Cyrus, Rick Ross and Kirk Franklin paid tribute to Bryant, the 18-time NBA All-Star and five-time champion. Bryant, his 13-year-old daughter and seven others were killed in the crash on a steep hillside in dense morning fog in Southern California. He was 41 and had retired from the Lakers in 2016.

Sean “Diddy” Combs calls out Grammys and demands change in fiery speech

Sean “Diddy” Combs called out the Grammy Awards for dissing rap and R&B stars in its major categories in a blazing speech that earned him a standing ovation from Beyoncé, Jay-Z and several other music industry players.

At the end of his 50-minute speech Saturday night at Clive Davis’  pre-Grammysgala, where Combs was honored, the music mogul demanded change and said he was happy to be involved in making a difference.

“So I say this with love to the Grammys, because you really need to know this, every year y’all be killing us man. Man, I’m talking about the pain. I’m speaking for all these artists here, the producers, the executives,” he said. “The amount of time it takes to make these records, to pour your heart into it, and you just want an even playing field.”

Combs continued, “Truth be told, hip-hop has never been respected by the Grammys. Black music has never been respected by the Grammys to the point that it should be. So right now with this current situation, it’s not a revelation. This thing been going on, and it’s not just going on in music, it’s going on in film, it’s going on in sports, it’s going around the word,” Combs said. “And for years we’ve allowed institutions that have never had our best interest at heart to judge us. And that stops right now.”

DJ Khaled, John Legend and Meek Mill pay tribute to Nipsey Hussle at the 2020 Grammys

Nispey Hussle won a posthumous award at the 62nd annual Grammy Awards on Sunday.The honor was accepted by his family including his grandmother who thanked those in attendance for “showing all the love” for her grandson “that I have felt for him all of his life and will always live in my heart, so thank you.” Artists John Legend, YG and DJ Khaled later performed a medley of Nipsey songs alongside Meek Mill, Roddy Ricch and Kirk Franklin as part of the Grammys’ tribute to the rapper.

Usher, FKA Twigs team up for Prince tribute

Singer Usher hit the Grammys stage on Sunday night to perform a medley of classics of the late singer Prince to pay tribute to the iconic artist. Usher was well assisted by singer FKA Twigs, who showed off her dancing skills on stage. Usher, wearing a blue-green suit, opened the performance with 'Little red corvette'. As the band moved on to 'When doves cry', FKA Twigs took the stage, performing an elegant pole dance.

Jonas Brothers debut new song 'Five More Minutes' at Grammys

The Jonas Brothers hit the Grammys stage for the first time in over a decade on Sunday night. The brothers, who were up for best pop duo/group performance, sang a new track titled 'Five More Minutes' before performing their recently released 'What a Man Gotta Do'.

 

Lizzo shares an empowering message in her acceptance speech

Lizzo, who opened the 62nd annual ceremony with a tribute to the late Kobe Bryan, took home the trophy for Best Solo Pop Performance for her first hit single 'Truth Hurts'. The 31-year-old was stunned to win the stacked category, which included Beyoncé's Spirit', Billie Eilish's 'Bad Guy', Ariana Grande's '7 Rings' and Taylor Swift's You Need to Calm Down.

"Thank you, thank you to the academy, first of all, unexpected, really cool, but I just, I want to say this whole week, you know, I've been lost in my problems, stressed out and then in an instant all of that can go away," she began, "and your priorities really shift. And today all of my little problems are, I thought, were as big as the world were gone.

And I realized that there is people hurting right now. You guys create beautiful music. You guys create connectivity and as I'm speaking to all of y'all in this room, we need to continue to reach out," she continued. "This is the beginning of making music that moves people again. making music that feels really f--king good, that liberates people." Lizzo then took a moment to talk about all of the friends and concluded with an empowering message, "Let's continue to reach out. Hold each other down and lift each other up."

(With inputs from agencies)



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