‘This Is Insulting’ Grammy Viewers Slam Motown Tribute for Starring Jennifer Lopez and Not a Black Singer
Carl Greenwood, The Sun, February 11, 2019
The Waiting for Tonight singer hit the stage with a medley of huge Motown classics in a dramatic performance that saw her duet with Smokey Robinson and Alicia Keys.Robinson was the founder and frontman of The Miracles, the vocal group that came to define Motown’s sound.
But the performance was slammed by viewers at home for not being performed by a black artist with it being Black History Month.
They suggested the likes of Beyonce, Gladys Knight or Jennifer Hudson would be a more appropriate choice than popstar Lopez.
One furious viewer wrote: “Dear #GRAMMYs Out of Anita, Beyonce, Lalah, India, Kelly Rowland, Latoya, Keyshia, Mary, Rihanna, Toni, Mariah, Monica, Brandy, Jill, Thee Diana, Faith, Patti, Gladys, Jennifer Hud, Jasmine Sullivan, Fantasia, Tamar, Kelly Price you get Jennifer Lopez to do Motown? Insulting.”
A second said: “They got a good number of black songstress sitting in the Grammys and decided to us Jennifer Lopez to pay tribute to Motown during Black History Month.
“The ball was dropped. Dropped straight to hell.”
A third commented: “Think of all of the seniors 70 years and older that stayed up late to watch a Motown tribute.
“But then all they saw was Jennifer Lopez shaking her ass and dancing to salsa. Complete disrespect. #grammys”
Another added: “Jennifer Lopez can barely do a Jennifer Lopez tribute but yet…a Motown tribute seemed appropriate. I truly hate everybody.”
A fifth tweeted: “Jennifer Lopez doing a MOTOWN TRIBUTE at the Grammys? JENNIFER LOPEZ??? #Grammys2019 #AlwaysMissTheMark”
In anticipation of the backlash, Smokey Robinson, who performed part of the medley with Lopez, defended her.
He told Variety: “I don’t think anyone who is intelligent is upset. I think anyone who is upset is stupid.”
He added: “Motown was music for everybody. Everybody.
“Who’s stupid enough to protest Jennifer Lopez doing anything for Motown?”
