The five most scandalous Grammys moments
Build it, and they will come. That’s the idea behind the creation of most places and events. If you make something with a particular purpose in mind, the public will go to it for that specific reason. That’s not always the case, though, as sometimes, just because something exists for a specific reason doesn’t mean it will be famous for as much. Consider the fidget spinner, which was initially made to help people with anxiety. Also, consider the Grammys, as people turn up for the commendation but stay for the drama.
Every year, people tune into the Grammys to see which artists will be recognised for their commitment to their chosen art form. They also turn up hoping there will be a bit of drama. This year didn’t disappoint, as shortly after winning his third Grammy of the evening, the Atlanta rapper Killer Mike was taken away in handcuffs following an altercation. On top of that, Jay Z took to the stage to take down the Grammy’s, saying their award system doesn’t make sense and that some people shouldn’t be nominated.
These events proceed a long line of scandals from the Grammys, all of which continue to remind viewers why it’s worth tuning in every year, even if they have no vested interest in who wins. Whether they result from people winning who don’t deserve it, artists calling out the Grammys, or personal feuds, they provide an enticing form of entertainment.
Here, we will look at five of the most scandalous moments from the Grammys.
The most scandalous Grammys moments
Macklemore tells Kendrick Lamar he was robbed
Kendrick Lamar was already considered by many to be a rapper destined for greatness before the release of his critically acclaimed good kid, m.A.A.d city. However, when that album was released, thanks to the way it so poetically tells the story of playing the hand you’re dealt from birth and the societal issues that come with doing so, people thought Lamar was a shoo-in for ‘Best Rap Album.’
Unfortunately, it wasn’t meant to be, as Macklemore claimed the prize for his pop-infused hit-driven The Heist. This was considered a massive snub at the time, with the most scandalous moment coming from a text Macklemore sent Lamar after the award ceremony. “You got robbed,” he wrote, “I wanted you to win. You should have. It’s weird and sucks that I robbed you. I was gonna say that during the speech. Then the music started playing during my speech and I froze. Anyway, you know what it is. Congrats on this year and your music.”
Bob Dylan, Soy Bomb
In 1998, Bob Dylan was having a pretty good night at the Grammys. He won three awards for ‘Best Album of the Year,’ ‘Best Contemporary Folk Album’, and ‘Best Rock Vocal Performance’. He also performed that night, but what unfolded wouldn’t be winning any awards anytime soon, as a pretty unexpected guest joined him.
Michael Portnoy once called soy milk a “dense, transformational, explosive life.” This is the explanation he offered up for why he wrote the words ‘Soy Bomb’ on his chest when he interrupted Dylan’s performance of ‘Love Sick’ that night. Portnoy broke away from the backing dancers and joined Dylan on stage, performing a wiggling dance. It was a genuinely shocking moment that seemed to throw everyone in the room off balance, apart from Bob Dylan, who continued to perform in his trademark indifferent style.
Kanye actually let someone finish
One of the most memorable award show moments happened just south of the Grammys. When Taylor Swift won her award for ‘Best Music Video’ at the MTV Video Music Awards, she was interrupted by an angry Kanye West, proclaiming she didn’t deserve it. “Yo, Taylor, I’m really happy for you, I’ma let you finish, but Beyoncé had one of the best videos of all time!”
As such, at the 2015 Grammys, when Beyoncé lost the ‘Best Album’ award to Beck, Kanye began to storm the stage again. Faces in the audience dropped as they prepared to see history repeat itself, but instead, Kanye smiled, made it clear he was joking and returned to his seat.
Jennifer Lopez created Google Images
Although the Grammys isn’t a night dedicated to fashion, fashion still forms a massive part of the evening. There have been a number of different outfits that have turned heads, but none have made a more significant cultural impact than Jennifer Lopez’s jungle print Versace dress in 2000.
The dress had a very low neckline that meant a lot of people, for whatever reason, wanted to continue looking at it. There was such a demand for photos of Lopez in her jungle print dress that to meet them that Google invented Google Images to make it easier for people to see. Lopez is famous for red carpet looks, but none are as significant as this.
Tyler, The Creator calls the Grammys racist
The Grammys are no stranger to controversy thanks to how they categorise certain music. Tyler, The Creator made headlines when he won a Grammy for his album IGOR, as during an interview afterwards, he called out the awards for their use of the word “urban”.
“It sucks that whenever we – and I mean guys that look like me – do anything that’s genre-bending, they always put it in a rap or urban category,” he said, “I don’t like that ‘urban’ word – it’s just a politically correct way to say the n-word to me.”
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