India.Arie isn’t afraid to speak her mind. The “Brown Skin” singer recently shared an open letter to The Recording Academy with her questions and concerns about the 2104 Grammy Awards, which aired on Sunday night.
Read her open letter below:
@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@IndiaArieP.S. No mention of Nelson Mandela at ALL? … and THIS is why we NEED the Image Awards AND the BET awards.
Do you agree with India.Arie?
Quit whining about “black people” not getting their “fair share”.
i don’t belive for a second that the Grammy organizers select artists based on the pigmentation of the skin… And even if that were to be true, so what ? You’re not happy about it ? Then yall make your own damn show with your own damn characteristics, isn’t that the answer, instead of whining about how other people’s tastes are not the same as yours.
Cordially
hahaha you totally don’t even get it. you’re ignorance is ridiculous.
Yes, i’m ignorant
Quote: “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”
The hilarious part about your post is your name. It says it all.
It says i’m a fan of RnB, Soul, Gospel, and Jazz, so what ?
oh good grief…. KENDRICK LAMAR WAS NOT ROBBED.. he lost… live with it.. Macklemore are great artist … there could only be 1 winner.. and they won…. India is still upset that Alicia Keys beat her that year winning the Grammy.. an Alicia is BLACK.. so what does this chick say…. oh she base it on skin complexion an say only light skin blacks win… Ok so explain why all those years Aretha Franklin dominated the Grammy awards and then Natalie Cole…. neither of them are light skin…. GIRL HAVE 3 SEATS AND STFU
you sound a bit angry … not her but you …
SMH!!!!
get out here crixus minagualt aretha franklin and natalie cole was way back in the 60s and 80s this is 2014 its a different time
The Grammys is not simply about vocal ability. There is a whole package that comes with a successful artist in the music industry. Labels need to spend more on promoting their acts if they want to stay competitive. I agree with Crixus that you are still bitter that Alicia Keys swept you at the Grammys. Get over it. You have to do something different if you expect different results.
…..and why were they to mention Nelson Mandela ?
The grammys is NOT a popularity contest! If it was then a LOT of people wouldn’t get an award! Remember that artist who sold less than 10k albums, but won a grammy over bigger celebs? Social media became irrate, but somehow she believes its a popularity contest? They don’t look at record sales, itunes, twitter/ig follower count, concert sales, etc. I must admitt, I wanted Mac to win…. yea I said it. His music is on a level of its on, and it goes against the grain of what rap is. Now people don’t want to call him a rapper… he surely isn’t a singer!! I’m sorry, but I disagree with this article. People don’t just vote on the grammys, but they have a board of people who discuss the art of the song then take a vote. Its not as if the fans get to vote. I do; however, agree that each genre should be voted on by a group of ppl in that genre. She should first do research on how a grammy winner is nominated and goes on to be the winner
She has a few valid points & she also sounds like she is still holding a grudge. I wish Kendrick Lamar would have won at least 1 Grammy, but I’m happy for Mackelmore (he’s a good artist, too). BUT, one point I agree with her wholeheartedly about is the Grammys not mentioning Nelson Mandela. It would have been very nice if they would have had a tribute to him.
WTF mandela has to do with Music ?
she is so right cause they didnt even televise the R&B category on tv and plus how did rihanna win against Fantasia and Tamar Braxton shes not even rnb her music is pop so shes right its a popularity contest
Yes I agree with her 200% and I admire her for being the one to say something about it. I have been upset with the grammys for years. The winners usually are the ones with very little or no talent at all. Every now and then you see someone deserving. However for the most part it’s bullshit.