Jesse Jackson enters fray over Grammy cuts
NEW YORK — The Rev. Jesse Jackson is entering the fray over The Recording Academy's cuts to its Grammy categories: He's asking to meet with the president of the organization and has raised the possibility of protests with the awards less than two weeks away.
The civil rights activist sent a letter to Neil Portnow, the president and CEO of the Academy, and expressed his dismay over the Academy's decision last April to cut its categories from 109 to 78, the biggest overhaul in its then 53-year history. In the letter, Jackson said he had been talking to members of the entertainment community and asked that his organization, the Rainbow Push Coalition, "meet with you urgently to express our concerns and to see if we might help resolve this conflict ... and allow the Grammys to do what they do best."
In a statement to The Associated Press on Friday, Portnow said he was willing to talk with Jackson.
"We are receptive to meeting with the Rev. Jackson to explain how our nomination process works and to show the resulting diverse group of nominees it produced for the 54th Grammys — many in the musical genres he cited in his letter," Portnow said. "We also agree with the Rev. Jackson that the Grammys are about music, not sales. They have, and always will, stand for excellence in music and celebrating the impact all music has on our culture."
In an interview with the AP on Thursday night, Jackson said he wanted "cooperation, not confrontation" with the Academy. However, he did raise the possibility of a protest of the Feb. 12 Grammys, to be held in Los Angeles, if his talks with the Academy did not go well.
"We are prepared to work with artists and ministers and activists to occupy at the Grammys so our appeal of consideration of mercy really might be heard," he said.
The Academy decided last year to shrink its voluminous categories after a yearlong examination of the awards structure. Among the changes: elimination of some of the instrumental categories in pop, rock and country; traditional gospel; children's spoken-word album; Zydeco or Cajun music album; and best classical crossover album. In addition, men and women compete head-to-head in vocal performance categories instead of separate categories for each sex.
Some musicians in the Latin jazz community have filed a lawsuit against the Academy, claiming the reductions in categories caused them irreparable harm. While there haven't been widespread protests against the cuts in the industry, there have been small but vocal protests, and artists including Carlos Santana have spoken against them.
The Academy contends the changes simply make the awards more competitive but don't prevent people from entering into competition.
But Jackson said he's concerned that they limit participation of those who have been disenfranchised.
"Music of all arts should be expansive and inclusive," he said. "So much talent comes from the base of poverty and those in the margins. You limit the base, you miss too much talent."
Jackson said he became involved because he had been contacted by people in the music industry, though he would not name them. He said he became involved after hearing concerns of those affected.
Princeton professor and activist Cornel West also expressed his concerns in a statement on Friday, saying: "I believe the
elimination of the ethnic Grammy categories is unjust and unfair."
Jackson has confronted the entertainment industry over concerns over diversity before: In 1996, he urged a boycott of the Academy Awards because of the industry's treatment of minorities.
While some have gone so far as to call the Grammy cuts racist, Jackson said he did not believe that.
"I don't think that we have to prove that to make our point," he said. "We're talking about expansion."
He added: "Sometimes inclusion is inconvenient but it's the right thing to do." -- (AP)
LL Cool J to host Grammys
Cool, charismatic and completely comfortable with a microphone in his hand, LL Cool J is perhaps the perfect choice to host the 54th Annual Grammy Awards,” airing live from the Staples Center in Los Angeles at 8 p.m. Sunday on CBS.
“I’m thrilled to be a part of music’s biggest night,” says LL Cool J, co-star of the CBS drama “NCIS: Los Angeles.” “I will always have fond memories of my first Grammy Awards and to now be hosting the Grammy show, in the company of so many other incredible artists, is a dream come true. Great performances and great music — it’s going to be a great night,” he added.
LL Cool J has hosted “The Grammy Nominations Concert Live! — Countdown to Music’s Biggest Night” since its inception in December 2008, and this is his first time hosting the annual Grammy Awards broadcast. Past hosts include Queen Latifah at “The 47th Annual Grammy Awards” and Jon Stewart for “The 43rd Annual Grammy Awards” and “The 44th Annual Grammy Awards” broadcasts. Over the years, other Grammy hosts have included Billy Crystal, Ellen DeGeneres and Rosie O’Donnell.
Adele, Jason Aldean, The Beach Boys, Glen Campbell with The Band Perry and Blake Shelton, Coldplay and Rihanna, Kelly Clarkson, Diana Krall, Foo Fighters, Foster the People, Maroon 5, Bruno Mars, Paul McCartney, Nicki Minaj, Katy Perry, Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, Taylor Swift, Tony Bennett, The Civil Wars, Carrie Underwood, Alicia Keys, Maceo Parker, Bonnie Raitt and Joe Walsh are all scheduled to perform, as well as Chris Brown, who has three nominations, including Best R&B Album for “F.A.M.E., Best Rap Performance (with Lil Wayne and Busta Rhymes) and Best Rap Song for “Look At Me Now.”
Nicki Minaj has four nominations, including Best New Artist, Best Rap Performance for “Moment 4 Life,” (with Drake), Best Rap Album for “Pink Friday,” and Album of the Year (as a featured artist on Rihanna’s “Loud”).
Highlights of the evening include a tribute to the late Etta James, performed by 14-time Grammy winner Alicia Keys and nine-time Grammy winner Bonnie Raitt. In addition, Grammy nominees Chris Brown, Deadmaus, Foo Fighters, David Guetta and Lil Wayne will perform together as part of a special segment spotlighting Dance/Electronica music for the first time ever.
Presenters include Diana Ross, Taraji P. Henson, Marc Anthony, Common, Lady Antebellum, Reba McEntire, Ryan Seacrest, Dierks Bentley, Jack Black, Drake, Fergie, Miranda Lambert, Gwyneth Paltrow, Ahmir “?uestlove” Thompson and Ringo Starr.
CBS and the Recording Academy recently announced the launch of Grammy Live on Grammy.com, beginning Friday, February 10 at 5 p.m. ET. The Grammy Live Mobile App (http://itunes.app.com/us/app/grammy-live-/id494727531?mt=8), available now for iPad, iPhone and iPod touch users, provides a complete backstage pass to “Music Biggest Night.” For the third year in a row, music fans worldwide will have “unprecedented access” to all the VIP and backstage events leading up to and throughout the 54th Annual Grammy Awards.
“We’re giving music fans the ultimate Grammy experience this year through Grammy Live,” said Evan Greene, chief marketing officer for the Recording Academy. “We connect with music in very personal ways, and through shared, social experiences, fans are more eager than ever to support and follow their favorite artists in new and exciting ways.”
Gayle King of “CBS This Morning” will broadcast live Friday from the Staples Center, joined by industry notables previewing the upcoming awards. On Monday she will broadcast live from the Four Seasons Los Angeles with a Grammy wrap-up, including backstage interviews with the winners.
Contact entertainment reporter Kimberly C. Roberts at (215) 893-5753 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
Chris Brown set to take stage at Grammys
NEW YORK — Chris Brown will perform at this year’s Grammy Awards, the event where his career almost ended three years ago.
Brown admitted assaulting then-girlfriend Rihanna at a pre-Grammy party in 2009 and is serving five years of probation for the felony attack. The Recording Academy announced Tuesday that Brown will take the Grammy stage on Sunday.
After the attack, Brown’s reputation plummeted, but he has since bounced back, releasing multiple mixtapes and the multi-hit album, “F.A.M.E. (Forgiving All My Enemies).” He is nominated for three Grammys, including best R&B album.
Rihanna will also perform at the show. She’s nominated for four awards, including the top prize — album of the year — for her platinum effort “Loud.”
Carrie Underwood and Tony Bennett were also announced as performers, as were Alicia Keys and Bonnie Raitt, who will pay tribute to blues singer Etta James, who died last month.
Brown and Rihanna were supposed to perform at the 2009 Grammys, but that changed after Brown attacked the pop singer in the early morning hours before the awards show. Since then, Brown hasn’t attended the Grammys, though he was nominated for three awards last year.
A judge eased a restraining order last February after an attorney for Rihanna said she didn’t object to removing the stay-away provisions. The former order required Brown to stay 50 yards away from 23-year-old Rihanna, but the restriction was reduced to 10 yards if they were at a music industry event.
Brown, 22, has been nominated for Grammys in five of the last six years, though he has never picked up the top prize in music. His song “Look at Me Now,” which features Lil Wayne and Busta Rhymes, is nominated for best rap song and best rap performance.
Rihanna is the owner of four Grammys, three with Jay-Z. She won a Grammy last year for her No. 1 smash, “Only Girl (In the World)” for best dance recording. In addition to album of the year, her fifth CD “Loud” is up for best pop vocal album. Rihanna is also nominated twice for best rap/sung collaboration for another No.1 jam — the Drake-assisted “What’s My Name?” — and for her guest appearance on Kanye West’s “All of the Lights.”
The Grammys will air live on CBS from the Staples Center in Los Angeles. — (AP)