Grammy Awards feature record-breaking wins, controversial performance, BLM tribute

Sasha Lockett, Staff writer

         The 63rd annual Grammy Awards ceremony on March 14 featured record-breaking wins, unique performances, and a tribute to the Black Lives Matter protests.

          It also was the first award show of the COVID-19 pandemic that didn’t look like a video conference.

          Houston rapper Megan Thee Stallion became the first female rapper to win the Best New Artist award since Lauryn Hill won it in 1999. All told, the rapper won three Grammy awards, including Best Rap Performance and Best Rap Song for “Savage” featuring Beyoncé. The ceremony included Stallion performing her  her hit song “Body.”

          “I know that people think that Megan shouldn’t have won, but I think that her award was well deserved,” said Anna Winslow, junior.

          Megan Thee Stallion also performed with previous Grammy winner Cardi B. Both women made Grammy history by performing their explicit song “WAP.” The performance received mixed reviews from the media. Many critics thought that the performance was inappropriate for the Grammys and damaged the legacy of the award ceremony. However, other critics contended the performance was legendary and gave tribute to women, according to The New York Times.

          “I think that the performance was explicit but it was entertaining to watch,” said Nia Dantzler, junior. 

          Beyoncé won four awards during the night, bringing her lifetime total to 28.  The former frontwoman for Destiny’s Child holds the record for having the most Grammy wins by a female artist.  Her daughter, Blue Ivy Carter, also won her first award for Best Music Video. 

          “I think that Beyoncé deserved to win those awards, especially because she got robbed for many Grammy awards in the past,” said Awtum Mintze, junior. 

          Rapper Lil Baby performed his Grammy-nominated single “The Bigger Picture,” the first performance in Grammy’s history to address the black lives taken by police officers. His performance included re-enactments of some of the killings and highlighted the Black Lives Matter protests. The performance ended with a speech from the activist Tamika Mallory in which she addressed the president directly, calling for racial justice, according to The New York Times.

          “I thought that the performance was well done and should’ve won for Best Rap Performance,” said Amaya Hickson, junior.

         Taylor Swift won Best Album of The Year for her album “Folklore.” Swift holds a record for being the only female artist in Grammy history to win album of the year three times. Her win upset many people because her album did not get as many sales as other albums did, according to People Magazine.

          “I think that the problem with the Grammys is that they keep giving the same awards to the same type of people even when it is not deserved,” said Sa’Nii Lockett, sophomore, “I think that the Grammys should nominate more diverse categories for these awards.”

          Rappers DaBaby and Roddy Ricch performed their Grammy-nominated song “Rockstar.” The hit song reached No. 1 on the Hot 100 billboard during the summer. Roddy Ricch’s song “The Box” was also nominated for Best Rap Song and Song of The Year. The track spent seven weeks atop the Hot 100 and was named to Billboard’s Song of the Summer chart last year.

          Billie Eilish took the stage at the Grammy Awards to perform her song “Everything I Wanted” with her brother, Finneas. This song, which was a tribute to her brother, won Best Record of The Year. At the age of 19, Eilish now owns seven Grammy awards. 

          The main ceremony of the Grammy Awards began with the famous pop star Harry Styles, who performed his hit song “Watermelon Sugar.” The song ultimately won for Best Pop Solo Performance. 

          Popular artist Doja Cat performed her Grammy-nominated song “Say So” and was nominated for three awards during the night. Her performance showcased her singing and dancing skills.