Controversy at the 61st Annual Grammy Awards

Also known as the music industry’s biggest night, this year’s event went down as one of the most controversial Grammy Awards in history. From flamboyant outfits to cutting acceptance speeches short, the 61st Grammy Awards has seen it all. 

One of the biggest controversies of the night was Jennifer Lopez’s Motown tribute. This is because Motown Records is an American record label primarily known for its African-American artists and soul music. However, Lopez is not a “black” artist, she is of Puerto Rican descent and therefore received a lot of backlash for representing the tribute to the record label. Her salsa dance and “twerks” during the performance were critiqued as a wrong and unfitting choice as many felt like she misrepresented the Motown tribute, some even say the performance was “embarrassing to watch”. This was also controversial as there were many Motown artists at the event that could have performed instead of JLo. What most people do not realize is that the Grammy Awards asked Lopez to perform and that it was not her idea to do so; unfortunately, she is receiving most of the backlash that she does not deserve. 

Drake’s acceptance speech for “Best Rap Song” was cut off when his microphone was muted midway. One side of the controversy states that his speech was unintentionally cut short, as the producers of the show believed that the natural pause meant that his speech was done. However, these producers gave Drake another chance to complete the speech once they had realized their mistake, but Drake actually declined the offer and said that he was happy with what he had said. 

Another one of the most notable controversies of the evening was Cardi B winning “Best Rap Album”. Many believed that other albums, such as those from Mac Miller and Travis Scott, deserved to win. This wasn’t the only controversy Cardi B was a part of; many were also confused as to why Offset (Cardi’s husband, although they announced that they were getting a divorce) was on stage with her during her acceptance speech. Even other artists at the event felt like Offset was stealing Cardi’s spotlight and publicly expressed this opinion on social media. 

While there were many controversial moments that arose throughout the evening, there were many breathtaking and sensational performances from artists. There was also a strong sense of “girl power”. From an opening by Michelle Obama, Lady Gaga, Jennifer Lopez, Jada Pinkett Smith, and Alicia Keys, to female artists wining numerous awards, this controversial night also expressed the importance of feminism in our society today.