African-American Culture Strives for More Recognition From The Grammys
Congratulations on the 62nd Grammy’s Award special aired on January 26th, 2020. The Grammys is one of the most annual prestigious awards for the recording industry and artists. The Grammy is to honor excellence in the recording arts and science. It’s known to honor awards by and to artists and technical professionals for their artistic crafts. It brings together thousands of creative and professionals in the recording industry from all over the world to celebrate their success. However, the Grammy’s lack of acknowledgment for people of color and the hip-hop industry has caused a backlash.
“I don’t like the urban word, it’s just the politically correct way to say the N-word to me” Tyler the Creator expressed as he accepted his award for best rap album after years of being nominated and losing. He won the best rap album for IGOR but he used his platform to deliberate the reception of black musicians during these awards ceremonies over the years. Tyler the Creator and many more African-American feel the same when it comes to the award ceremonies. Music involving African-Americans are automatically considered rap or an award strictly for people of color.
“Hip-hop has never been respected by the Grammy’s, not just in music but in film, sports, etc” P.Diddy stated at the Gala before the award. When you hear artists such as Tyler the Creator and P.diddy express their beliefs about the Grammys, consider thinking about the Harlem Renaissance in order words, the New Negro Movement.
The Harlem Renaissance was the development of the Harlem neighborhood in NYC as the focal point of black culture in the early 20th century and the subsequent social and artistic explosion. This era was designed for African American culture to have light shed on them, African-Americans to express themselves and show their importance to society through manifesting in literature, music, stage performance, and art. The Grammy’s was designed to give acknowledgment to artists all over the world but artists still struggle to attain recognition. However, that didn’t stop Hip-hop artists from growing. Rappers and artists such as Meek Mill, Beyonce, Jay-Z, Erykah Badu, etc continued to show off their art and worked hard to show people their music is their form of art, their love, and passion to share with the world of all race and color. These artists were moved by people all over the world such as Jay Z, who is a rapper, songwriter, producer, and record executive and is renowned as the greatest rapper. Hip pop culture continued to remind themselves of their just as important and their music and art will be acknowledged and appreciated by all races and colors. The Harlem Renaissance paved the way for African-American to strive for greatness and never give up no matter who is trying to stop you. Role models such as Paul Robeson, Josephine Baker, The Savoy club “Cotton Club ‘’ were all people of color changing the way white culture viewed them. They gave a cultural boom to society through their arts, music, clubs, writing, poetry, etc. They paved the way for artists such as Tyler the Creator to continue working on his craft and grow as an artist in the industry.
Each year the awards given by the Grammy’s are criticized when artists such as Beyonce, Meek Mill, Kanye West, Jay-Z get nominated in these big categories just to lose to their white counterpoint. Only two rap based albums have won album of the year before Beyonce did in 2012 which was Lauryn Hill and Outkast. As years pass by, the Grammys will continue to honor excellence all over the world and promote diversity in all cultures.
