Entertainment Weekly - February 24 - March 3, 2017

14 EW.COM FEBRUARY 24/MARCH 3, 2017

two: Best Music Video and Best Urban

Contemporary Album. But the 35-year-

old’s Album of the Year loss—the third of

her career—reignited a long-standing

debate: Why don’t the Grammys recognize

more artists of color? Since 2013, white art-

ists (Mumford & Sons, Daft Punk, Beck,

Taylor Swift) have beaten out black artists

(Beyoncé, Kendrick Lamar, Frank Ocean)

widely believed to be more deserving of

Album of the Year. The last nonwhite artist

to receive that prize was Herbie Hancock, in

2008, for his album of Joni Mitchell covers.

Given this track record, executive producer

Ken Ehrlich had considered the possibility

of an Adele sweep, which is partially why

the Best Urban Contemporary Album cate-

gory was aired. “We have no idea who the

winners are.... [But] frankly yes, I wanted to

have something that maybe Beyoncé had a

better chance of winning. We put so few cat-

egories on air anymore, so they need to be

carefully scrutinized.”

One senior-level record-company execu-

tive does think the Grammys have a race

problem. “[The Recording Academy] is not

in touch with culture, and music is culture,”

the exec tells EW. “I was surprised, because

[Lemonade] was so culturally relevant. I can’t

name any album that was more impactful for

women, for black women, for music lovers.”

Pop culture expert and SiriusXM host Bevy

Smith agrees: “[Lemonade] held up a mirror

to America. It was a real movement. It’s sad

America rejected it in that way.”

Compounding the issue of race and the

Grammys even further: Artists of color are

always called upon to perform. Beyoncé’s

high-concept medley of “Love Drought” and

“Sandcastles” was, in fact, among this year’s

buzziest moments. And while Latin music is

recognized with its own Grammys event—in

addition to having awards categories at the

traditional ceremony—that genre is largely

ignored during the telecast.

“If [artists of color are] not going to be

given the respect from this organization, then

why even show up and entertain?” Smith

ESSENCE’S

GLAM GRAMMY

WARM-UP

•••
Essence, a sister publication to
EW, kicked off Grammy weekend
with its eighth annual Black
Women in Music gala on Feb. 9 in
L.A., celebrating Grammy winner
Erykah Badu and the 20th anniver-
sary of her albumBaduizm. Badu
joins the ranks of previous honor-
ees Mary J. Blige, Kelly Rowland,
and Janelle Monáe, and none
other than Solange Knowles pre-
sented her award. The empower-
ing evening showcased strength,
sisterhood, and, of course, striking
style.—Ruth Kinane Erykah Badu Janelle Monáe This Is Us star Susan Kelechi Watson

Adele, whose Album of the Year Grammy broke in two, said during her televised acceptance speech,

“I’m very humbled, and I’m very grateful and gracious, but the artist of my life is Beyoncé.”

(PREVIOUS PAGE) KEVIN MAZUR/GETTY IMAGES; (THIS PAGE) ADELE: KEVORK DJANSEZIAN/GETTY IMAGES; BADU: JERRITT CLARK/FILMMAGIC; MON

AE: DAVID LIVINGSTON/GETTY IMAGES; WATSON: J. COUNTESS/WIREIMAGE