While the Grammy’s might have come and gone, it’s obvious that it left an everlasting impact on some of the industry’s most elite – namely in the Hip-Hop and R&B categories. With the numerous wins from Macklemore & Ryan Lewis also came a large amount of snubs towards artists whom some may have felt deserved to win in their respective categories.
Kendrick Lamar’s snub, who many artists and fans have voiced their opinion, has made one artist in particular feel some type of way. Indie.Arie, the soul singer responsible for making women feel comfortable in their own skin, has taken the time to pen an open letter revealing her thoughts on this year’s Grammy outcome.
Stating that she feels as if the music industry’s biggest night is in fact “NOT about the music”, the 38-year-old was visibly upset at the lack of support shown to the Hip-Hop and R&B community. Although the letter is a clear expression of her aggravation and disappointment in the Grammy committee, the “Cocoa Butter” songstress does end the letter on a positive note by giving applause to her personal favorites on their wins.
Take a look at the full letter after the jump!
Via India.Arie:
@Kendricklamar WAS robbed, BUT he was not the only one who was robbed. Personally, I was pleased he was able to perform and they KILLED! IT! One of the FEW moving moments of the night for ME.
Though it’s called “Music industries biggest night” the #Grammys are NOT about the music, it’s a popularity contest. The voting process allows people, to vote on name recognition alone – the music industry politics is a whole NUTHER conversation. Too much to go into here.
The American Music Awards is a show that awards sales and popularity – the #Grammys are SAID to be about the music.
If the hip hop community voted on hip hop – r&b COMMUNITY the same – same for each category – we’d see winners that reflect the MUSIC ITSELF. We all know that’s just not the way it goes.
NOW the BIGGER losers, are ALL of black music. Where was the black music community represented in last nights #Grammy show? Performers and Winners (or not) … Where were the black artists?
And this isn’t the first time the #Grammy’s has had a show all but excluding young black America and black artists in general, although we set the worlds musical trends. Why NOT televise the lifetime achievement awards of the Isley Brothers? SURELY they deserved to be on televised stage LAST NIGHT! While other artists were on stage TWICE?
The truth is in a perfect world diversity would matter, and respect would be rampant, but the TRUTH is, The #Grammys is a television show, and in THAT world ratings reign supreme. So, in general, bigger names take the stage, and sadly the biggest names often times ARE BIGGER drawn along racial lines from the release of an album. i.e. marketing dollars, and just general support. It’s unfortunate.
I don’t even get surprised any more, but, it still hits my sense of fairness, because I KNOW many of the artists who are overlooked. I LIVE in that world. We keep showing up and subjecting ourselves to the game, hoping MAYBE we’ll win. I was so HAPPY to see @Kendricklamar take that stage – because it is a FORM of winning, at LEAST, he was SEEN.
Speaking of diversity, congratulations to my PERSONAL favorite albums of the year – @I_GregoryPorter #LiquidSpirit @Realsnarkypuppy and @lalahhathaway on your win and THANK YOU! @pharrell for acting RIGHT in the presence of the greatness that is @Nilerodgers and #StevieWonder
Love to all #SoulBirdsWorldWide
How do you feel about India’s letter? Thoughts?
Very well said