Politics and social issues have been talked about a lot in Hollywood recently, almost ever since Trump’s inauguration. It seems like every celebrity is speaking up about how they disagree with his politics and viewpoints. Although the topic is very controversial, it doesn’t stop people from speaking their mind about what they think is right. This is a very important issue, but it is starting to take over award shows.
In this year’s Grammy Awards politics were extremely present, so much so that it almost took away from the entire show. It started to seem like a human rights rally, rather than an award show. I do agree that people have to speak up about issues that are affecting our country, but there is a line that has to be drawn before an award show loses its entertainment value. The Grammys were packed with fiery performances and a somber reflection on The World Today, which made it confusing. It’s hard to fully enjoy yourself watching these performances if there are constant reminders of how horrible the world is today. I thought music was supposed to take you away from your problems?
Some people didn’t feel like it was appropriate to have on an award show:
I have always loved the Grammys but to have artists read the Fire and Fury book killed it. Don’t ruin great music with trash. Some of us love music without the politics thrown in it.
— Archive: Ambassador Nikki Haley (@AmbNikkiHaley) January 29, 2018
So was the sketch too controversial? I personally believe that he should have just thrown it out. Award shows are based on music and not politics. If a star wants to state their views, they should do so but it shouldn’t take up the theme of the entire night because it detracts from the real reason these artists are all here- for their love of music. Creating this divide between liberals and conservatives only isolates both sides. This controversy only took away from the show, but I know that it will happen again on the next big award show. I would love to see future shows not turn into a political rally, but that might be too much to hope for.
The 60th annual Grammy awards happened this Sunday on January 28th, 2018, and there were some big winners of the night. Bruno Mars was the huge star of the night as he won six awards, including song, record, and album of the year. These all were the Grammys’ top honors so Bruno Mars must be feeling pretty powerful right now.
Bruno was certainly the big winner of the night and his countless awards were all rightly deserved, his album 24k Magic was an album before it’s time. It mixed contemporary R&B and funk to give off a Michael Jackson vibe. This music wasn’t just made for the radio to be recycled, but it was made to be remembered. Regardless if you like Bruno Mars or not, you definitely have to respect him.
This was a statement that was somewhat true. Hip-hop and rap are becoming the new rock stars of this generation. But I wouldn’t say that Lil Uzi Vert is the new Blink 182. He is saying that rappers are placed in a position of popularity that they haven’t exactly seen before, but I would label Lil Uzi Vert as something different. He definitely has some punk influences, and a septum ring to match his style but his rapping style isn’t exactly punk. He actually reminds me of Yung Thug and popular groups like The Migos. Blink 182’s songs usually revolve around growing up, losing love and having fun in your youth. In Lil Uzi Vert’s song, “XO Tour Llif3” he sings, “Push me to the edge, All my friends are dead” hit a little harder than Blink 182’s lyrics. If we are comparing genres, I would say that he leans more towards A Day To Remember, due to the visuals in the music videos, and also a constant theme of being displeased with life. For example in their song “The Downfall of Us All” they sing, “I sold my soul to the open road
I’ll live my life alone.”
ASAP probably didn’t mean to have a lot of weight to his statement when he said it, but I can get very defensive about Blink 182. So what do you think? Is Lil Uzi Vert the new Blink 182 or is ASAP Ferg way off?
With the Grammys happening this Sunday, January 28th, 2018, it’s all people can talk about. The best part about the Grammys is the all-star performances by the most acclaimed stars in the industry today. So which performances should you look out for?
The Recording Academy has also revealed multiple paired acts: Miley Cyrus and Elton John are going to perform together, which excites the hell out of me. Miley Cryus’ album “Younger Now” has a lot of country influences, as well as pop. Her best songs on the album include, “A Week Without You” and “Bad Mood” that show her growth as an artist and the extreme vocal talent she has. Pairing up with Elton John, one of the biggest artists in history, it is bound to be beautiful.
Check out Miley’s vocal talent here:
Bruno Mars and Cardi B will also be performing their latest remix, “Finesse.” I am really excited to see the visuals, lighting and artistic choices that they bring to the stage. I predict that this will be the biggest performance of the night since it has racked up about 135 million views in under a month. Hopefully, Cardi will break into “Bodack Yellow” after the collab with Bruno. It’s crazy how Cardi B went from performing “Bodack Yellow” at the MTV Video Music Awards pre-show to sharing the Grammy stage with one of the biggest artists currently.
Watch Cardi’s performance at the MTV pre-show here:
There will also be a performance of DJ Khaled’s “Wild Thoughts” which will be accompanied by pop star Rihanna and Bryson Tiller. Since this song was so popular, and a great track to put out after DJ Khaled’s huge success with, “I’m the One” ft. Justin Bieber, Quavo, Chance the Rapper, Lil Wayne. Rihanna has been huge this year, especially since her recent release, “Lemon” so I’m sure her fashion during the performance will be something to remember.
Since it’s been about 15 years since the Grammys were held in New York it is bound to be a crazy night, and I am predicting that it will be one of the best Grammys to happen in the last 10 years. The quality of music has been at an all-time high this year, and new genres and styles of rap and hip-hop are appearing. Expect everyone to be dressed to the 10s and giving their best performance. After researching the performers I am definitely tuning into the Grammys this year.
The 60th Annual Grammy Awards will be at 7:30 PM – 11:00 PM on Sunday, January 28, 2018, which means it is this week. Everyone is thinking about how the turnout will be and who will win the awards for their efforts in 2017. The radio this year was primarily rap, and new artists appeared out of nowhere and took the throne. There has really been a shift in the music industry where the rappers are the new rock stars. There was a lot of songs to choose from, but who do you think will win the best rap song at the Grammys?
And the nominees are…
Bodak Yellow by Cardi B:
Chase Me by Danger Mouse Featuring Run The Jewels & Big Boi:
Humble by Kendrick Lamar:
Sassy by Rapsody:
The Story Of O.J by Jay-Z:
It seems like “Bodak Yellow”, “Humble” and “The Story of O.J” are the frontrunners based on the extreme popularity and airplay. I haven’t even heard of “Chase me” and “Sassy” until I looked up the nominations. They are good songs, but it doesn’t match the cultural phenomenon of these songs. I would predict that “Humble” by Kendrick Lamar will win since the song literally sent the whole world in a state of shock when he put out his record “DAMN” on April 14, 2017, by Top Dawg Entertainment, Aftermath Entertainment, and Interscope Records. I am surprised that his other single “DNA” wasn’t nominated as well. Kendrick completely changed the game and told every rapper to “Sit Down” as he claimed his throne as one of the best rappers in this generation. But with that being said, “Bodak Yellow” also had extreme cultural importance. It flooded the radios and set a standard for females in rap. This was one of the first huge songs from a female rapper besides Nicki Minaj, so it definitely made an impact not only on music but also as a statement to the world. But overall I feel like Jay-Z is bound to win just because he has had decades of dominance and is a true icon. And who doesn’t love Jay-Z?
