Each time Bruno Mars performs on the Grammys, he’s legally obligated to emulate not less than one musical icon of yesteryear. Opening this 12 months’s telecast along with his Silk Sonic companion Anderson .Paak, he channeled two: Elvis, whom he grew up impersonating, and James Brown, whom he grew up to impersonate. The rendition of An Night With Silk Sonic’s “777” interpolated “Get On Up” and had a powerful “We’re in Vegas, child!” vibe, full with slot machine graphics, jeweled white fits, and .Paak rocking a Sonny Bono wig.
Whereas technically a wise option to open the present with a retro act seemingly invented by the Grammys (Silk Sonic made its TV debut eventually 12 months’s ceremony) and with the flexibility to hype a crowd, it felt somewhat compulsory. The Grammys know by now that they will slot Bruno in anyplace. The opening efficiency, very like the night time’s first award, for Track of the Yr, ought to have gone to Olivia Rodrigo as a substitute. In his acceptance speech for that trophy, when .Paak stated they’d be singing “Depart the Door Open” for the remainder of their lives, it nearly gave the impression of a risk. –Jillian Mapes
Rap was as soon as once more left on the sidelines
Again in 1989, the Grammys acknowledged hip-hop for the primary time with the Greatest Rap Efficiency class—however nominees together with Will Smith, Salt-N-Pepa, and LL Cool J boycotted the present as a result of the award wasn’t televised. Thirty-three years later, not a lot has modified.
The announcement of Tyler, the Creator’s Greatest Rap Album win for Name Me If You Get Misplaced was relegated to the untelevised pre-show, as if it had been meaningless. There can be excuses, like 1) The present wanted extra time for gratuitous photographs of Anderson .Paak’s wig and a couple of) They reportedly supposed to broadcast the award however selected to not as a result of Tyler apparently ditched the present to go on a hike. The rapper ended up giving a speech, which might have been among the best of the night time, on Instagram.
It’s simply the newest instance of the Grammys’ bumpy historical past with hip-hop, which this 12 months additionally included Drake withdrawing his nominations and the Academy rescinding its supply to let Kanye carry out because of his “regarding on-line conduct.” (Ye did win Greatest Rap Track, for “Jail,” however it was additionally not televised.) At the least they aired the Greatest Rap Efficiency award, which went to Child Keem and Kendrick Lamar’s “Household Ties,” however the joke was on the Grammys as soon as once more, as a result of Kendrick was nowhere to be discovered. –Alphonse Pierre
J Balvin’s low-energy misfire
