In an open letter posted on her Tumblr, Arie criticizes Grammy Awards for the lack of support for black musicians' music.
- Jan 29, 2014
AceShowbiz - Kendrick Lamar is not the only person who's disappointed after he failed to win any award at the Grammys on Sunday, January 26. India.Arie has decided to pen an open letter, in which she addresses the rapper's snub and criticizes the awards show for the lack of support for the music by black singers.
"@Kendricklamar WAS robbed, BUT he was not the only one who was robbed," Arie wrote on her Tumblr page. "Though it's called 'Music industries biggest night' the #Grammys are NOT about the music, it's a popularity contest. The voting process allows people, to vote on name recognition alone - the music industry politics is a whole NUTHER conversation. Too much to go into here."
"If the hip hop community voted on hip hop - r&b COMMUNITY the same - same for each category - we'd see winners that reflect the MUSIC ITSELF. We all know that's just not the way it goes," she explained. "NOW the BIGGER losers, are ALL of black music. Where was the black music community represented in last nights #Grammy show? Performers and Winners (or not) ... Where were the black artists?"
"I don't even get surprised any more, but, it still hits my sense of fairness, because I KNOW many of the artists who are overlooked. I LIVE in that world. We keep showing up and subjecting ourselves to the game, hoping MAYBE we'll win. I was so HAPPY to see @Kendricklamar take that stage - because it is a FORM of winning, at LEAST, he was SEEN," she added.
During the Grammys, Lamar took the stage with Imagine Dragons to perform his "m.A.A.d City" and the band's "Radiactive". The Compton MC lost the Best Rap Album award to Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, who later admitted that he made better rap music than them.
In a text message sent to Lamar, Macklemore said, "You got robbed. I wanted you to win. You should have. It's weird and sucks that I robbed you."
