A righteous, loving, deeply wounded dis track in prose, disguised as a Grammys review: “The best new artist nominees are a gaudy cast of one-hit-wonders buoyed by TikTok virality, who would have been booed ferociously at the Apollo’s Amateur Night and escorted off stage by the Sandman, but there’s no Sandman assigned to the Grammys, just this flat affected lightskinned anchor named Trevor, full of limp charm, who makes me a little ashamed of my own high yellow for how he trades his unassailability for ratings.”
I really liked the part about Apollo's Amateur Night. But who is "Sandman?" It's a cynical review, and may be truly on target. I'm not an expert, but I enjoyed the review.
Sandman makes booing off the stage a little more lighthearted and Chaplainesque. Essential physically comedy to offset to auditory hyperstimulation. Thanks for reading.
You gracefully put into words the disturbing energy I felt as I watched that spectacle last night. I only stayed for the "tribute".
And WTF? Pharrell making off putting comments about "work, work" and "grind" culture - when we as Black people need to be moving differently to create...in our OWN space and time. Not grind for the "industry."
The palm colored people literally looked like corpses moving on the stage in garrish costumes with dissonant "music" that disturbed my spirit.
And did you catch the cutaway of Sabrina Carpenter's face during the "tribute?" It was giving "I'm bored or not feeling" the Black music and performers.
The whole thing was a very disturbing thing to witness. I wrote in a note earlier that they should have televised Durand Bernarr accepting his Grammy in the early ceremony. Now THAT was authentic...and he saaang one brief moment....the BEST music ALL night!
I adore you. I love these outliers. I'm gonna spare myself this year and not watch one ounce of this pageantry and now reading this, I feel affirmed in that decision.
"polyester music for the synthetic spirit of our time wherein too much substance is actually offensive, too confrontational in the face a peacefully hibernating population that rouses every four to six years to pantomime concern for itself and beg for more sedative music or the kind of crisis that feels like home."
Sharp cultural critque of spectacle over substance! Your observation that the Grammys felt like "letting the dead bury the dead" cuts straight through the hollow tribute performances. The juxtaposition between genuine artistic legacy and TikTok-driven mediocracy exposes how the industry has become more invested in maintaining its ceremonial apparatus than cultivating real musical innovation or honest reckoning.
That South African plant is nothing more than a remnant of Obama-era concessions. Hopefully he is relegated to fairgrounds and Bar Mitzvah's in coming years much like the Bush-era ones(e.g. Redneck Comedy Tour).
You are so real for this commentary. Also, I felt it was extremely disrespectful to simply flash the image of Angie Stone and others who passed over the last year in the last 5 seconds of the tribute. Surely, instead of the hodgepodge, they could’ve dedicated at least a verse to her.
Thank you for adding the video for context. This all just felt so rushed and allowed no time for any connection to any of D’Angelo’s work, vision, legendary collaborations…nothing. Like you said the only performance that had the time to even start to breathe was Bilal and right as he was taking us THERE it was cut short. Why do it at all? Why not record a whole performance to stream separately? But this? This was just lackluster and truly speaks to the lack of quality that the mainstream entertainment industry has defaulted to as of late. Thank you for your piece.
Why watch these specticles? There is something downright "evil" that happens to music at this level. To shoulder-to-shoulder with realitiy TV. I think the issue of authenticity is paramount and central.
I had no high expectations or realistic anticipations for the "Grimeys" anyway. Ever since the SOUL(love) was snatched out of it in the mid 90's when we started to discover that the entire industry was actually the new slave plantation. If you know you know.
Thank you for such an awesome and yet, sadly accurate article!
A righteous, loving, deeply wounded dis track in prose, disguised as a Grammys review: “The best new artist nominees are a gaudy cast of one-hit-wonders buoyed by TikTok virality, who would have been booed ferociously at the Apollo’s Amateur Night and escorted off stage by the Sandman, but there’s no Sandman assigned to the Grammys, just this flat affected lightskinned anchor named Trevor, full of limp charm, who makes me a little ashamed of my own high yellow for how he trades his unassailability for ratings.”
Thank you, Chris, grateful for your readership.
I really liked the part about Apollo's Amateur Night. But who is "Sandman?" It's a cynical review, and may be truly on target. I'm not an expert, but I enjoyed the review.
Sandman makes booing off the stage a little more lighthearted and Chaplainesque. Essential physically comedy to offset to auditory hyperstimulation. Thanks for reading.
He’s the guy with the hook.
Thanks. Got it.
You gracefully put into words the disturbing energy I felt as I watched that spectacle last night. I only stayed for the "tribute".
And WTF? Pharrell making off putting comments about "work, work" and "grind" culture - when we as Black people need to be moving differently to create...in our OWN space and time. Not grind for the "industry."
The palm colored people literally looked like corpses moving on the stage in garrish costumes with dissonant "music" that disturbed my spirit.
And did you catch the cutaway of Sabrina Carpenter's face during the "tribute?" It was giving "I'm bored or not feeling" the Black music and performers.
The whole thing was a very disturbing thing to witness. I wrote in a note earlier that they should have televised Durand Bernarr accepting his Grammy in the early ceremony. Now THAT was authentic...and he saaang one brief moment....the BEST music ALL night!
He’s mad annoying, consistently that, that happy song is a headache making psyop too
I adore you. I love these outliers. I'm gonna spare myself this year and not watch one ounce of this pageantry and now reading this, I feel affirmed in that decision.
"polyester music for the synthetic spirit of our time wherein too much substance is actually offensive, too confrontational in the face a peacefully hibernating population that rouses every four to six years to pantomime concern for itself and beg for more sedative music or the kind of crisis that feels like home."
You are a menace with that pen.
I adore you! And it takes one to know one
Sharp cultural critque of spectacle over substance! Your observation that the Grammys felt like "letting the dead bury the dead" cuts straight through the hollow tribute performances. The juxtaposition between genuine artistic legacy and TikTok-driven mediocracy exposes how the industry has become more invested in maintaining its ceremonial apparatus than cultivating real musical innovation or honest reckoning.
Love commentary that affirms me and my decision to never watch these awards shows. Thank you for your service.
That South African plant is nothing more than a remnant of Obama-era concessions. Hopefully he is relegated to fairgrounds and Bar Mitzvah's in coming years much like the Bush-era ones(e.g. Redneck Comedy Tour).
The grammys could just be 3 and a half hours of silence irdk
Still trying to figure out why I was moved by Beiber’s performance. What the hell. Thanks for always writing.
Thank you for the brilliantly written review. These award shows need to be read to filth.
You are so real for this commentary. Also, I felt it was extremely disrespectful to simply flash the image of Angie Stone and others who passed over the last year in the last 5 seconds of the tribute. Surely, instead of the hodgepodge, they could’ve dedicated at least a verse to her.
Thank you for adding the video for context. This all just felt so rushed and allowed no time for any connection to any of D’Angelo’s work, vision, legendary collaborations…nothing. Like you said the only performance that had the time to even start to breathe was Bilal and right as he was taking us THERE it was cut short. Why do it at all? Why not record a whole performance to stream separately? But this? This was just lackluster and truly speaks to the lack of quality that the mainstream entertainment industry has defaulted to as of late. Thank you for your piece.
Where is the hope? What is the hope?
I enjoyed this read and I agree when it came the tribute. It was rushed and messy
They pay tribute to D'Angelo and Roberta, but not Jerry Butler????
When the Grammys began, they were not broadcast on television. They should go back to that.
Why watch these specticles? There is something downright "evil" that happens to music at this level. To shoulder-to-shoulder with realitiy TV. I think the issue of authenticity is paramount and central.
I had no high expectations or realistic anticipations for the "Grimeys" anyway. Ever since the SOUL(love) was snatched out of it in the mid 90's when we started to discover that the entire industry was actually the new slave plantation. If you know you know.
Thank you for such an awesome and yet, sadly accurate article!
I shall share vigorously.