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Verge: Kendrick Lamar and the Grammys hip-hop problem
- Thread starter GK86
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Angelus Errare
Banned
I mean the fact 1989 won says it all. It was YATSA in every sense of the word that really did nothing different outside of finally getting rid of any hit of country-ness for full blown bubble gum pop.
soul creator
Member
Yet Another Taylor Swift Album?
I feel weird that I somehow immediately picked up on that, haha
assuming I'm actually right
Hasphat'sAnts
Member
It's okay we had Pharell up there with those robots we ain't got no race problems no more.
Angelus Errare
Banned
Yet Another Taylor Swift Album
StylesClash
Member
Please let this thread be civil.
The article writer was shook!
mmazurkiewicz
Member
who should have won?
SimpleGamer
Member
enigmatic_alex44
Whenever a game uses "middleware," I expect mediocrity. Just see how poor TLOU looks.
You know what the real tragedy is?
The fact that 1989 won, yet the far superior E.MO.TION by Carly Rae wasn't even nominated! The Grammy Awards are a useless mess!
The fact that 1989 won, yet the far superior E.MO.TION by Carly Rae wasn't even nominated! The Grammy Awards are a useless mess!
Angelus Errare
Banned
Uh Kendrick easily?
I personally say it's Garden of Delete, but that's a whooole new wheelhouse.
Shit, you wanna give it to a singer songwriter? Joanna Newsom's Divers was out in 2015!
Being realistic? Yeah, Kendrick should have won.
Marauder Shields
Member
I thought 1989 was a pretty good album, and I'm no Taylor Swift fan. Nice to see it winning.
CreeperBlocks
Banned
You know what the real tragedy is?
The fact that 1989 won, yet the far superior E.MO.TION by Carly Rae wasn't even nominated! The Grammy Awards are a useless mess!
There's always the Junos.... In Canada
Killer Queen
Banned
Perfect.
Mammoth Jones
Member
I mean, it's not unexpected. I personally don't expect to see hip hop validated by "mainstream" America. It ain't something they will ever give a shit about.
That new Black!
That new Black!
When has the grammy's been about 'better'.
As good as 1989 has been praised, you aren't going to find an album that combines critical acclaim AND record sales. It mined traditional 'music focused' artforms like jazz, was as cutting edge hip-hop (and by extension pop) in 2015 and provided the unofficial slogan for a political movement.
Basically, shit that most music critics would be creaming themselves over and a no-brainer...except not in this case.
Oh c'mon that's not how art works. If you're old enough to listen to the album your old enough to know his
bad bad bad
Yeah well you have people on GAF who honestly believe 1989 is a more iconic album than TPAB. And you expect the grammys to take risks ?
lol.
Grammys have always been a popularity contest. At least we know that shitty Taylor Swift pop music will be forgotten in 10 years while Kendrick's album will be remembered for ages.
lol.
Grammys have always been a popularity contest. At least we know that shitty Taylor Swift pop music will be forgotten in 10 years while Kendrick's album will be remembered for ages.
I thought either Sound and Color or TPAB should have won. Would have been great to see Kendrick take home AOTY. Still, 5 Grammy's and 11 nominations is a tremendous achievement (even if it stings a little without AOTY). I almost think there shouldn't be an overall AOTY category since it's very difficult to compare genres of music (for example I couldn't pick between the Alabama Shakes and Kendrick this year).
Hasphat'sAnts
Member
At least give it to a better pop record. Like In Colour or something.
Mushroomer25
Member
The Grammy's have predominantly given their top awards to popular acts with the year's big hit, over conceptual stuff that powerfully speaks to a smaller audience. Like most complaints about award shows, the blame can really be put on the larger industry and what sees the highest amount of popularity. If anything the Grammy's have an edge over most awards shows in terms of representation, since they give awards to individual genres.
That is absolutely not a possibility
You are smarter than me.
Seems like a random acronym to throw out there. TPAB was YAKLA, it was great though. Not quite up to par with GKMC but still better than MOARLY. This is kind of fun.
Also FTGs! Sucks that they take advantage of AA artists but we really shouldn't be investing anything in them anyway.
The numbers presented as 'the problem' don't support the articles conclusions.
There is no under-representation present, from nominations to wins. Arguing over individual decisions is one thing, but to imply there is systemic racism at the Grammys (ala the Academy) is debunked by the statistics.
There is no under-representation present, from nominations to wins. Arguing over individual decisions is one thing, but to imply there is systemic racism at the Grammys (ala the Academy) is debunked by the statistics.
Like last year when Beck won?
It's music. "IMO" is understood.
SimpleGamer
Member
I really thought TPAB was going to win it all but I completely forgot Taylor was nominated.
Alex Stroud
Banned
Any other year I'd say give the trophy to Kendrick and call it a day, but he just happened to drop his album the same year as mah gurl Taylor's magnum opus.
diffusionx
Gold Member
Why do people expect the Grammys to do anything but present awards to the most safe pop culture stuff?
it's the fucking Grammys. The Simpsons was laughing at it 20 years ago.
it's the fucking Grammys. The Simpsons was laughing at it 20 years ago.
torre_avenue
Banned
It begins.
Thank goodness some is talking about this. I was really hoping more major sites would tackle this, but at least someone cared enough to write something about this.
On topic, it is frankly insulting that the Grammys continues to reject the idea of different genres being able to win Album of the Year. That feels like why areas like hip-hop and electronic music have their own containment awards so no one can say the Grammys don't recognize their genres. For an album of such critical appraise to lose to an album whose only claims to fame are slick videos, going platinum in music's weakest year, and talk about artist compensation, it feels like a slap in the face.
The fact that the Grammys continue to deny hip-hop and electronic, two of the most popular genres of the modern age, a fair shot at album of the year unless they blend R&B and mainstream pop sensibility is absolute horseshit. The fact that Nas, 2Pac, the Wu-Tang Clan as a whole and a whole bunch of essential genres don't have Grammys is absolute crap. But, if even David Bowie can end up only winning one Grammy for Best Video of all things and a Lifetime Grammy, then it only furthers the idea the Grammys shouldn't be marketed as a barometer for greatness.
Anyone who is a music fan knows the Grammys are bullshit, but still, an institution as off-the-pulse as the Grammys are need to be shown just how wrong they are. Maybe their ratings dive this year will do that, maybe I'm fucking kidding myself because the Grammys will see their diving ratings and think "Millenials like memes, right? More memes? Lolz, I can haz Grammy amirite? More EDM! More like the MTV Music Awards! Maybe Kevin Hart should host it! Anything but look at the value of our awards and make them more in touch with pop culture!"
As I've said before, the Grammys could be a force for good, incentivising the industry towards a balance between pop and music with a message. It could seal the divide between popular music and music made for art. It could become a barometer for quality and fucking mean something, but it seems content with letting slickly made synthetic products win over albums with social impact and meaning.
Thank goodness some is talking about this. I was really hoping more major sites would tackle this, but at least someone cared enough to write something about this.
On topic, it is frankly insulting that the Grammys continues to reject the idea of different genres being able to win Album of the Year. That feels like why areas like hip-hop and electronic music have their own containment awards so no one can say the Grammys don't recognize their genres. For an album of such critical appraise to lose to an album whose only claims to fame are slick videos, going platinum in music's weakest year, and talk about artist compensation, it feels like a slap in the face.
The fact that the Grammys continue to deny hip-hop and electronic, two of the most popular genres of the modern age, a fair shot at album of the year unless they blend R&B and mainstream pop sensibility is absolute horseshit. The fact that Nas, 2Pac, the Wu-Tang Clan as a whole and a whole bunch of essential genres don't have Grammys is absolute crap. But, if even David Bowie can end up only winning one Grammy for Best Video of all things and a Lifetime Grammy, then it only furthers the idea the Grammys shouldn't be marketed as a barometer for greatness.
Anyone who is a music fan knows the Grammys are bullshit, but still, an institution as off-the-pulse as the Grammys are need to be shown just how wrong they are. Maybe their ratings dive this year will do that, maybe I'm fucking kidding myself because the Grammys will see their diving ratings and think "Millenials like memes, right? More memes? Lolz, I can haz Grammy amirite? More EDM! More like the MTV Music Awards! Maybe Kevin Hart should host it! Anything but look at the value of our awards and make them more in touch with pop culture!"
As I've said before, the Grammys could be a force for good, incentivising the industry towards a balance between pop and music with a message. It could seal the divide between popular music and music made for art. It could become a barometer for quality and fucking mean something, but it seems content with letting slickly made synthetic products win over albums with social impact and meaning.
Complicated race issues aside, this brings home to me the fact that awards like "Album of the Year" or "Song of the Year" make no sense when there's so much variation within the category. The same goes with film; how do you look at, say, Inside Out and Mad Max and pick the "best film"? They're vastly different works.
Taking two or more equally excellent but totally different songs/albums and trying to pick the "best" one is just crazy IMO. Replace that crap with genre-specific awards and watch everyone get the recognition they deserve.
Taking two or more equally excellent but totally different songs/albums and trying to pick the "best" one is just crazy IMO. Replace that crap with genre-specific awards and watch everyone get the recognition they deserve.
Not a chance in hell of that happening lmao
Iconic to who? I guarantee you there are people out there who will see it as a more iconic album, why is that so wrong?
Hell, I loved 1989 and found it more enjoyable than TPAB. Am I wrong? What happened to being able to have opinions
I want to believe.
Angelus Errare
Banned
You are smarter than me.
Seems like a random acronym to throw out there. TPAB was YAKLA, it was great though. Not quite up to par with GKMC but still better than MOARLY. This is kind of fun.
Also FTGs! Sucks that they take advantage of AA artists but we really shouldn't be investing anything in them anyway.
Not really Yet Another XXX signifies something that has not evolved, by the numbers. Which is exactly what 1989, there is no real growth from Taylor unless you count dropping her fake twang and country based producers and even then it's sonically still in line with her other albums because the dropping of country aspects has been something she's steadily done over the course of her career, it was a smooth transition.
There's absolutely nothing wrong with this at all, but when compared to TPAB I just can't take anyone serious who says 1989 definitely should have won over TPAB.
TurboButts
Member
Maybe thing you like isn't as good as you think it is and other people like other thing more.
Personally I don't care for Taylor Swift's music, and I made it about 4 songs into To Pimp a Butterfly before turning it off. If you ask me, that Neon Indian album was the best thing I listened to all year.
Personally I don't care for Taylor Swift's music, and I made it about 4 songs into To Pimp a Butterfly before turning it off. If you ask me, that Neon Indian album was the best thing I listened to all year.
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