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Writer: Marlize Duncan
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Photo Credit: Billboard
The Grammys are always filled with starstudded performances, but there was something different this year: the Grammys were unapologetically black! Read below for a recap of this year’s Grammy performances.
Alicia Keys was the host of this year’s Grammys (for the second year) and started the night with a tribute to the late Kobe Bryant who had passed earlier that same day. The unexpected tribute consisted of Alicia Keys and Boyz II Men singing the group’s “It’s So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday” starting the night on a somber, but necessary note.
Being host, Alicia Keys also entertained the audience with a parody of Lewis Capaldi’s “Someone You Loved” throwing in the names of noteworthy artists and funny tidbits.
Keys also had a performance of her own soulfully singing her newest song, “Underdog” with Britanny Howard, known by many as the lead singer of the Rascal Flats, on guitar.
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Photo Credit: Kevin Winter/Getty Images for The Recording Academy
The opening act of the night was Lizzo, who started off the night with a bang saying, “This is for Kobe!” before singing her Grammy-nominated songs “Cuz I Love You” and “Truth Hurts”. Her performance was energetic and lively as she was accompanied by an all-black female orchestra with black dancers and ballerinas! She also showed her musical talents off with a flute solo showing off her varying talents.
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Photo Credit: Emma McIntyre/Getty Images Entertainment
All-time number one record holder, Lil Nas X, also gave a much-anticipated performance of his song “Old Town Road” with the multiple artists he had remixed the song with including, Billy Ray Cyrus, B.T.S., Diplo, and Mason Ramsey. The stage was set on a rotating platform with different rooms that represented each remix he has done of the chart-topping song. Lil Nas X also brought out Nas for their song, “Rodeo” (which fans loved because of the resemblance between both artists’ names.)
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Photo Credit: Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images
With a beautiful introduction from Ava DuVernay, a tribute to Nipsey Hussle, who passed away March 31st of last year, began. Meek Mill started the tribute with words about how the late rapper impacted his own life and other rappers in the business. Then a host of artists, YG, Kirk Franklin, a gospel choir, and Roddy Ricch, joined DJ Khaled and John Legend to perform their song, “Higher” which they had recorded with Hussle prior. The performance echoed that of a church’s celebration of life which not only honored Hussle but also Kobe Bryant.
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Photo Credit: Matt Sayles/Invision/AP
As the Grammys do, an artist or group of Grammy acclaim come back to perform, this year it was Aerosmith! The rock legends performed, “Living on the Edge” with Steven Tyler’s stellar vocals opening up for an even better act. Aerosmith then went into their next song and with a sudden break in the music, renowned rap group Run D.M.C. joined the rockers on stage to rap their collab song “Walk This Way”.
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Photo Credit: Kevin Winter/Getty Images for The Recording Academy
Tyler the Creator also performed his songs “EARFQUAKE” and “NEW MAGIC WAND” from his album, “IGOR”, with Charlie Wilson (The Gap Band) and Boyz II Men. Tyler dawning his recognizable blonde bob wig and colorful suit, along with background dancers who had a keen resemblance to the artist, performed, but that wasn’t the only memorable aspect of that night for him. Tyler also called out the National Recording Academy on how they only put black artists in the Urban category, limiting the range that black artists encompass in their music. Tyler stated in his T.V./ Radio room interview "It sucks that whenever we — and I mean guys that look like me — do anything that's genre-bending or that's anything they always put it in rap or urban category. I don't like that 'urban' word — it's just a politically correct way to say the n-word to me."
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Photo Credit: Kevin Winter/Getty Images for The Recording Academy
Before the airing of the special, Let's Go Crazy: The Grammy Salute to Prince, another tribute occurred in the show. The Grammys had a commemoration of icon Prince with singers Usher and Sheila E. Usher started with the song, “Little Red Corvette” in a sparkly suit with Prince’s long-time friend Sheila E in a green sparkly dress on drums. He transitioned into “When Doves Cry” and was accompanied by FKA Twigs, who artfully danced on a pole before joining his side to dance during “Kiss”.
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Photo Credit: Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images
H.E.R. stunned the audience with her song, “Sometimes” with an all-black band silhouetted behind her. H.E.R. also displayed her musical abilities, not only singing her songs but while also effortlessly playing the piano.
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Photo Credit: Rob Latour/Shutterstock
This year’s Grammys showed audiences how multifaceted black artists are within the music industry. Black artists range from rap, country, r&b, and pop, and with a music award show this dynamic, it sets a precedent for many to come and only pushes artists of the black community to keep breaking the barriers of music, style, and entertainment.
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