Rap artists and women take centre stage at Grammys

Rap artists and women have felt shunned by the Grammy Awards in recent years. But this year, they both took centre stage.

Childish Gambino91裸聊视频檚 disturbing look at race relations, 91裸聊视频淭his is America,91裸聊视频� won record and song of the year on Sunday91裸聊视频檚 telecast. It was the first time a rap-based song won both of those awards, considered 91裸聊视频� with album of the year 91裸聊视频� the recording industry91裸聊视频檚 most prestigious.

Kacey Musgraves won top album and matched Childish Gambino with four Grammys total. A year after many women felt left out of the Grammy telecast, they delivered the night91裸聊视频檚 most memorable performances. The best new artist winner, British singer Dua Lipa, also cast major shade on the outgoing recording academy president.

Lady Gaga and Brandi Carlile won three Grammys apiece, and former first lady Michelle Obama was a surprise guest at the top of the show on CBS.

Childish Gambino, the stage name of actor Donald Glover, and another prominent rap nominee, Kendrick Lamar, both declined invitations to perform or attend Sunday91裸聊视频檚 show. Some rap artists feel the Grammys have been slow to recognize how the genre now dominates popular music.

Ludwig Goransson, a songwriter and producer on 91裸聊视频淭his is America,91裸聊视频� said backstage that he was surprised the victories were so historic. Just listening to the radio, watching the culture and seeing how many rap songs are downloaded is evidence of rap91裸聊视频檚 impact.

91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 about time something like this happened with the Grammys as well,91裸聊视频� Goransson said.

Cardi B became the first solo woman to win best rap album , although Lauryn Hill was the lead singer of the Fugees, which won the same award at the 1997 Grammys. Cardi B was so nervous accepting the award that she joked, 91裸聊视频淢aybe I need to start smoking weed.91裸聊视频�

She looked anything but rattled earlier, when her rendition of 91裸聊视频淢oney91裸聊视频� was among the night91裸聊视频檚 performance highlights. Janelle Monae delivered a smoking version of her hit 91裸聊视频淢ake Me Feel91裸聊视频�; St. Vincent and Dua Lipa91裸聊视频檚 duet on 91裸聊视频淢asseduction91裸聊视频� was steamy; H.E.R. turned heads with 91裸聊视频淗ard Place91裸聊视频�; and Carlile sang an inspired version of her hit 91裸聊视频淭he Joke.91裸聊视频�

Being part of a big night for women was huge to her, Carlile said backstage after the show.

91裸聊视频淚91裸聊视频檓 a kid from the 91裸聊视频�90s and Lilith Fair, you know, and those women were just dominating those platforms,91裸聊视频� she said. 91裸聊视频淭hey were dominating those arena and amphitheatre stages. They were getting record deals. They were becoming record executives themselves. They completely controlled the airwaves. They were on the radio. And to watch that backslide for the last 20 years has been heartbreaking. Tonight, it gives me hope as a mother of two young daughters.91裸聊视频�

91裸聊视频� iamcardib (@iamcardib)

When she accepted her best new artist award, Dua Lipa pointedly said, 91裸聊视频淚 guess this year we really stepped up.91裸聊视频�

That was a reference to outgoing Recording Academy CEO Neil Portnow, who said women needed to 91裸聊视频渟tep up91裸聊视频� when he was asked about the lack of women in top categories in 2018. He later acknowledged it was a poor choice of words and delivered another mea culpa on Sunday91裸聊视频檚 show.

Yet Dua Lipa was rewarded by having her acceptance speech cut off mid-sentence. She wasn91裸聊视频檛 alone, however, as a handful of other artists were also hustled off the stage, and the show seemed disjointed at the end, rushing through its final awards. Under the circumstances, having a lengthy tribute to Portnow before he gave his own speech seemed tone-deaf.

Lipa said later she would have thanked her fans, her inspirations and team if she had more time.

When she was onstage, Lipa was one of a handful of winners who paid special tribute to fellow artists. Another was Drake, whose appearance to accept the Grammy when 91裸聊视频淕od91裸聊视频檚 Plan91裸聊视频� won best rap song was a surprise because he91裸聊视频檚 not big on award shows.

He reminded fans and fellow artists that awards are based on the subjective views of others, and aren91裸聊视频檛 contests in which there are clear winners and losers.

91裸聊视频淵ou91裸聊视频檝e already won if you have people who are singing your songs word for word, if you91裸聊视频檙e a hero in your hometown. Look, if there are people who have regular jobs who are coming out in the rain and the snow, spending their hard-earned money to buy tickets to come to your shows, you don91裸聊视频檛 need this right here. I promise you. You already won,91裸聊视频� he said at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.

Musgrave picked up album of the year for 91裸聊视频淕olden Hour,91裸聊视频� which is labeled country but had wider appeal.

91裸聊视频淚 never dreamed that this record would be met with such love, such warmth, such positivity,91裸聊视频� said Musgraves, who performed a stately version of her song 91裸聊视频淩ainbow.91裸聊视频�

Dolly Parton starred in the best of the night91裸聊视频檚 two tributes to veteran artists, performing a medley of her songs with Miley Cyrus, Katy Perry and Maren Morris. The highlight of Diana Ross91裸聊视频� night was the cute introduction by a grandson with a mountain of hair.

The Grammys took some online blowback by having Jennifer Lopez deliver a tribute to Motown , once the nation91裸聊视频檚 preeminent label for black artists. Despite her hustle, Lopez was outshone by show host Alicia Keys and Smokey Robinson delivering one verse of 91裸聊视频淭racks of My Tears91裸聊视频� a capella.

Obama appeared on the show91裸聊视频檚 opening with Keys, Gaga, Lopez and Jada Pinkett Smith to describe the role music had played in their lives 91裸聊视频� seemingly a pointed reference to last year91裸聊视频檚 controversy over women artists.

91裸聊视频淢usic has always helped me tell my story,91裸聊视频� Obama said. 91裸聊视频淲hether we like country or rap or rock, music helps us share ourselves. It allows us to hear one another.91裸聊视频�

Another ex-White House resident was awarded a Grammy on Sunday. Former President Jimmy Carter, who is 94, won an award for best spoken word recording.

It91裸聊视频檚 his second Grammy.

A list of top winners at the 61th annual Grammy Awards.

Album of the year: 91裸聊视频淕olden Hour91裸聊视频� by Kacey Musgraves

Record of the year: 91裸聊视频淭his Is America91裸聊视频� by Childish Gambino

Song of the year: 91裸聊视频淭his Is America91裸聊视频� by Childish Gambino and Ludwig Goransson

Best rap/sung performance: 91裸聊视频淭his Is America91裸聊视频� by Childish Gambino

Best music video: 91裸聊视频淭his Is America91裸聊视频� by Childish Gambino

Best rap album: 91裸聊视频淚nvasion of Privacy91裸聊视频� by Cardi B

Best rap song: 91裸聊视频淕od91裸聊视频檚 Plan91裸聊视频� by Drake

Best new artist: Dua Lipa

Best country album: 91裸聊视频淕olden Hour91裸聊视频� by Kacey Musgraves

Best pop duo/group performance: 91裸聊视频淪hallow91裸聊视频� by Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper

Best pop vocal album: 91裸聊视频淪weetener91裸聊视频� by Ariana Grande

Best pop solo performance: Lady Gaga91裸聊视频檚 91裸聊视频淛oanne (Where Do You Think You91裸聊视频檙e Goin91裸聊视频�?)91裸聊视频�

Best R&B album: 91裸聊视频淗.E.R.91裸聊视频� by H.E.R.

Best R&B song: 91裸聊视频淏oo91裸聊视频檇 Up91裸聊视频� by Ella Mai, DJ Mustard, Larrance Dopson and Joelle James

Best R&B performance: 91裸聊视频淏est Part91裸聊视频� by H.E.R. featuring Daniel Caesar

Producer of the year, non-classical: Pharrell Williams

Best rap performance: (tie) 91裸聊视频淜ing91裸聊视频檚 Dead91裸聊视频� by Kendrick Lamar, Jay Rock, Future and James Blake, and 91裸聊视频淏ubblin91裸聊视频� by Anderson.Paak

Best urban contemporary album: 91裸聊视频淓verything Is Love91裸聊视频� by The Carters

Best traditional pop vocal album: Willie Nelson91裸聊视频檚 91裸聊视频淢y Way91裸聊视频�

Best rock song: 91裸聊视频淢asseduction91裸聊视频� by St. Vincent

Best rock album: 91裸聊视频淔rom the Fires91裸聊视频� by Greta Van Fleet

Best rock performance: 91裸聊视频淲hen Bad Does Good91裸聊视频� by Chris Cornell

Best dance recording: 91裸聊视频淓lectricity91裸聊视频� by Silk City and Dua Lipa featuring Diplo and Mark Ronson

Best country song: 91裸聊视频淪pace Cowboy,91裸聊视频� Kacey Musgraves (Luke Laird, Shane McAnally and Kacey Musgraves)

Best reggae album: 91裸聊视频�44/87691裸聊视频� by Sting & Shaggy

Best country solo performance: Kacey Musgraves91裸聊视频� 91裸聊视频淏utterflies91裸聊视频�

Best duo/group country performance: Dan + Shay91裸聊视频檚 91裸聊视频淭equila91裸聊视频�

Best jazz vocal album: 91裸聊视频淭he Window91裸聊视频� by Cecile McLorin Salvant

Best alternative music album: 91裸聊视频淐olours,91裸聊视频� Beck

Best comedy album: 91裸聊视频淓quanimity & the Bird Revelation,91裸聊视频� Dave Chappelle

Best Latin pop album: Claudia Brant91裸聊视频檚 91裸聊视频淪incera91裸聊视频�

Best spoken word album: Jimmy Carter91裸聊视频檚 91裸聊视频淔aith 91裸聊视频� A Journey for All91裸聊视频�

Best folk album: Punch Brothers91裸聊视频� 91裸聊视频淎ll Ashore91裸聊视频�

Best contemporary Christian music album: Lauren Daigle91裸聊视频檚 91裸聊视频淟ook Up Child91裸聊视频�

Best musical theatre album: 91裸聊视频淭he Band91裸聊视频檚 Visit91裸聊视频�

Best American roots song: Brandi Carlile91裸聊视频檚 91裸聊视频淭he Joke91裸聊视频�

Best American roots performance: Brandi Carlile91裸聊视频檚 91裸聊视频淭he Joke91裸聊视频�

Best Americana album: Brandi Carlile91裸聊视频檚 91裸聊视频淏y the Way, I Forgive You91裸聊视频�

Best gospel album: Tori Kelly91裸聊视频檚 91裸聊视频淗iding Place91裸聊视频�

Best contemporary Christian music performance/song: Lauren Daigle91裸聊视频檚 91裸聊视频淵ou Say91裸聊视频�

Best world music album: Soweto Gospel Choir91裸聊视频檚 91裸聊视频淔reedom91裸聊视频�

Best compilation soundtrack for visual media: 91裸聊视频淭he Greatest Showman91裸聊视频�

Best score soundtrack for visual media: 91裸聊视频淏lack Panther91裸聊视频�

Best song written for visual media: 91裸聊视频淪hallow91裸聊视频� from 91裸聊视频淎 Star Is Born91裸聊视频�

Best traditional blues album: Buddy Guy91裸聊视频檚 91裸聊视频淭he Blues Is Alive and Well91裸聊视频�

Best music film: Quincy Jones91裸聊视频� 91裸聊视频淨uincy91裸聊视频�

Best boxed or special limited edition package: 91裸聊视频淪queeze Box: The Complete Works of 91裸聊视频榃eird Al91裸聊视频� Yankovic91裸聊视频�

___

Associated Press writers Mesfin Fekadu, Nekesa Mumbi Moody, Jonathan Landrum and Beth Harris contributed to this report.

David Bauder, The Associated Press

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