IT'S GRAMMY NIGHT!!!
And ya girl mahogani is here to give you the play-by-play of the most EXCITING night in music ...
This is about the ONLY awards show I watch from beginning to end. So I'm happy to keep you up on what's going on (if you're not able to watch) or remind you of what happened if you're watching :) ...
CHECK IT OUT:
The show begins with a rock performance ... couldn't tell you who it was. (It is now confirmed ... that was U2 lol)
The Diva of all Divas ... Miss WHITNEY HOUSTON ... was up first, presenting R&B Album of the year/Best R&B Album (to j-hud) ... WH was busting out of a beautiful blue dress and was looking GREAT but sounded a lil tipsy.
A fabulous-looking JENNIFER HUDSON gave her teary-eyed her thank you's and managed to shout out her family in heaven and Punk .. I mean DAVID, her fiancee. I hate to think Jen got the sympathy vote, because that album was NOT that hot to me ... but I'm happy for her all the same ... Damn Saadiq -- we'll get em next time! :)
The Rock (why is he there?) ... who is now going by his government name -- DWAYNE JOHNSON ... comes out next ... sounding a little tipsy himself ... he rambles on about who's going to perform ... then intros JT (who was lookin' mighty fine) ...
JT stumbles through an intro for Al Green (weird but true) -- again i ask, WHO WRITES THIS SHIT? -- Al comes out to sing "Let's stay Together" (with JT's help, Boyz II Men doing background and Keith Urban on the gui-tar). They sounded GREAT! JT even did the "moan for love" .. LMAO (You-Tube it).
And we're off to our first break ...
And we're back ... Simon Baker (who???) introduces a performance by Coldplay ... I pause to go get something to eat :) but I rush back when I hear Jay-Z performing like it's 1999 ...
The alternative rock singer, playing only a piano, gives the stage to Jay-Z for a while (dude is damn near 40 right? Why is he still dressing like he's 18?) ... After that, the performance picks up (another song) and I return to my quest in the kitchen ...
Up next ... Keith Urban returns to the stage to announce a Lifetime Achievement Award has been awarded to singing cowboy Gene Autry and then he intros American Idol/country star Carrie Underwood (who's lookin' EXTRA grown these days lol) ...
Carrie blazes the stage with her special brand of rocked out country music (LOVE HER!!!) ... But I'm not lovin' her hair so much (looks like pageant hair) ... Her outfit .. HOT. Especially those SHOES!!! :)
Sheryl Crow and Leanna Rhimes come out lookin' like a double scoop of hot mess and announce someone else (who's long gone) has received a Lifetime Achievement Award. They present the award for Best Country Duo or Group ... Sugarland wins ... (*yawn*)
Off to another break ... as we're TOLD J-Hud and Estelle will performing next (you know they like to lie to us right? lol)
And we're back ....
Duffy (look it up lol) and Al Green come to the stage to present the Song of the Year Award ... After a little a capella singing they announce the nominees including two of my favs -- Adele and Estelle (well the song "American Boy" .. I'm still not 100% behind this chick) ...
ColdPlay wins. Nice song, but I can't dance to it ... Booo @ them.
Kid Rock's up next ... the computerized host intros him and he begins his performance. I gotta admit .. I like some of his stuff ... U go Bob lol ..
And we're off to ANOTHER break (see they lied!!!! lol)
We're back ... and Taylor Swift and Miley Cyrus/Hannah Montana are on a round stage performing to Taylor's guitar strumming ... a "first ever" says the computerized host ... It's feelin' very "I recorded this on YouTube and want to share it with the world even though it shoulda stayed in my living room" ... (*yawn*)
Ok it's over (whew) ... wait -- okay -- maybe not ... the girls give each other props and then present the award for Best Pop Collab with Vocals ... (all of which have urban performers in them) ... but who wins? The ONLY song without an urban performer in it lol ... So sad.
Jennifer Hudson takes the stage next ... looking better than fab (did she lose weight?), singing "You Pulled Me Through" from her self-titled album (you thought it was gonna be "Spotlight" huh? lol).
This is not even CLOSE to my favorite song on the album, but the gospel-like track allows her to use that beautiful voice (which was hindered by the horrible production on that album) ...
Still -- I think something was wrong with her mic, she sounded kinda muffled.
Jen gets through the performance .. shedding some tears in the end. I think she sang it more for her slain mother, brother and nephew than for the GRAMMY audience -- so you go J.H.
Off to another break!
And we're back ... two Vanilla Children come on the stage to introduce another performance ... The Jonas Brothers ... and Stevie Wonder! WTF???
(The Jonas Bros with Al Green backstage)
I still don't get the appeal of these boys but hey, my mom probably didn't understand my obsession with NKOTB, New Edition or The Boys. (Still, is it me or do they sound horrible? and why is Stevie blowing them out! LOL!!!) ...
After performing their hit song, the teen boy band backs Mr. Wonder up on "Superstition" (Stevie sounded better YET AGAIN lol). OMG .. YouTube that was well .. this was a HOT MESS!
Blink 182 comes out next to present the Best Rock Album Award ... and announce their comeback ... they recite the horrible script and then the nominees .. The winner -- Coldplay (their 2nd of the night).
And we're off to commercials again ...
Back from the break ... late night host Craig Ferguson is on the stage to tell a few jokes (which were actually kinda funny) and introduce Katy Perry (who's made girl-on-girl action a hit song).
She performs "I Kissed A Girl" (sounding as muffled as JH did) looking much like Janice Dickinson and surrounded by girls in white tuxedos a sparkly corsets. The group rocks out for a good five minutes ... and they're gone.
Kanye's up next ... after the computer-host announces he's "10-time GRAMMY winner Kanye West", he appears on a round stage with way too much hair on his head (barber outta town KWest?). A minute later we hear Estelle (she's dressed in a sparkly thing that looks like a silver-sequined sack .. ugh) ... The perform "American Boy" ... I expected a much more extravagant show but whateva ... But if she was really singing, the girl actually does have a nice voice.
After the performance, Kanye and Estelle intro the nominees for Best New Artist (Kanye mentions that he never got the award himself) ... The winner -- Adele. I'm cool with that. The 10 (or 20?) year old has an AMAZING voice ... She's going to be the next big Brit to take the U.S. by storm .. (think Amy Winehouse without the crack pipe .. and wearing a size 16 instead of 2).
On to another break .... (they're teasing me with the "Swagga Like Us" performance .. I'm sooooo ready!)
And we're back ...
Morgan Freeman is up on the stage .... When he starts introducing the next performer, you'd think he was talking about Quincy Jones, Michael Jackson or even Prince ... acting like they're a superstar ... legendary even .... Who's he intro'ing? KENNY CHESNEY ... Boo @ Morgan for that ish ... lol ...
KC sings some solemn song .... (*yawn*) .... This is the perfect time for a bathroom break! :)
Next ... Diddy, Herbie Hancock and Natalie Cole (who won an award earlier in the evening) ... What a combo! LOL ... They present the Record of the Year ... And the GRAMMY goes to:
Robert Plant and Alison Krauss ... who also won Best Pop Collab ... Boo.
Another break!
And we're back ...
Queen Latifah comes out looking Jenny Craig-slimmer and announces that Dean Martin has won a Lifetime Achievement Award ... she intros the performance I've been waiting for ... "Swagga Like Us" with the "Rap Pack" (her words, not mine) -- T.I., Jay-Z, Weezy, and Kanye. MIA comes out first singing the hook (with her big ass preggers belly lol -- she was due TODAY) and then the performance begins (tinted in black and white) ...
All the fellaz (even Weezy's extra special ass) are in tuxes ... Why do Kanye and Hov look like they're 40? and wassup with Kanye's wanna be fro that looks more like a dry-ass Jheri curl? SMH. Besides that -- the performance was all I hoped it'd be ... HOTNESS.
Some actress chick comes out and intros (Sir) Paul McCartney .... The former Beatle rocks out ol' school style with some help from the Foo Fighters. It was kinda cool ....
After that ... another ... break .... UGH ...
Jack Black and some old dude (lol .. just kidding) come out to announce that jazzman Hank Jones gets a Lifetime Achievement Award ... (how many of those things do they give out???). This presenting team hand the Best Male Pop Vocal Award (for which Ne-Yo was nominated .. lol) to John Mayer.
LL Cool J and some vanilla dude intro a double performance by Sugarland, then Adele. Both already received GRAMMYs in the past 2 hours ... This must be the night for strange duets/combinations .. Sheesh. Even so that Sugarland song was GREAT ("Stay" .. U-Tube it!). I see why they won.
After finishing, Sugarland intros Adele ... She sings "Chasing Pavements" (another one I love .. U-Tube the video .. it's amazing too) ... Sugarland's female singer joins Adele for the last verse and then a big finish ...
ANOTHER BREAK ... :)
And we're back ...
Gwyneth Paltrow is on stage looking (and acting) like a groupie in shiny clothing ... she intros Radiohead, who is accompanied by the USC Marching Band --- yes a REAL marching band (another crazy ass combo) ... I think I need a drink ... lol
And I'M back! :) but the show is going to break .... so we'll wait ...
Now we're ALL back ...
Samuel L. Jackson is on stage looking homeless ... I hope he's fresh off a movie set cuz he looks a mess ... he intros another performance I've been waiting for ... JT and T.I. performing probably my FAVORITE song on Paper Trail .. "Dead and Gone" .. (It was my ringtone for a while).
T.I. said on the red carpet (pre-show) that it wasn't SUPPOSED to be a single but music lovers called for it -- and there it is ... I read on another blog site that they just finished shooting the video for it. If you've never heard the song ... it's a MUST for your playlist.
As for the performance, JT bangs at the piano and the background flashes crosses and thunderstorms. T.I.'s out of the tux and dress in all-black street clothes. TIP's in the building! They heighten and then close the song accompanied by a drumline, orchestra AND electric guitar ... and a heavy-hitting drummer.
He killed it ... point blank ... LOVE IT.
The GRAMMY Prez steps on the stage next ... letting us know that Barack Obama (the U.S. Prez) has won TWO awards himself! (for his books on tape -- back when he was a Senator).
The GRAMMY-man talks (at lenght) about the foundation to bring music to public schools ... sprinkling his speech with "Yes We Can" and pleading with Obama to appoint a Secretary of the Arts to bring music back to schools.
After his speech, he introduces Smokey Robinson ... who comes out looking quite dapper and announces that the Four Tops are receiving a Lifetime Achievement Award. He then announces that he, along with the only surviving member of the group, plus Ne-Yo (head covered -- whew!) and Jamie Foxx would be hitting the stage. Then the foursome starts to sing "I'll Be There" and continue with a medley of Four Tops hits (including "Can't Help Myself").
The camerapeople were everywhere so it made it hard to enjoy the performance :( But for once, Ne-Yo wasn't the center of attention (lol) ...
Off to another break ...
And we're back ....
Josh-something (Groban?) introduces Neil Diamond (WTF?) ... I swear this man doesn't age. He HAS to have stock in botox or something. He saunters around the stage and gives Vegas-style lounge show. "Sweet ... Caroline .... " (everybody sway! LOL).
Thank you! ... Thank you!!! :)
Up next? A look back at all the performers we lost since the last show ... Including Eartha Kitt, George Carlin (who won a posthumous award for Best Comedy Album) and Isaac Hayes. Another one was blues-man Bo Diddley ... As his clip fades to black the lights come up on the stage and it's filled with musicians holding guitars -- including B.B. King and John Mayer .. all strumming (and sorta singing) a Bo Diddley hit.
Yet ... another ... BREAK ... *sigh*
And we're back ... Gary Senese (sp?) is there to talk about New Orleans ... and how it still needs our help ... (AMEN AMEN!) ... Lil Wayne hits the stage with Robin Thicke to sing one of my FAVORITE songs off Robin's new album -- "Tie My Hands" ... (download it -- NOW!). OMG - I love it! It's really a Robin song but Lil' Wayne raps most of it.
As they rap/sing, video clips of the Katrina tragedy plays behind them. Now everyone knows I don't like Weezy that much but I love this song -- it's the first time in a LONG time his lyrics spoke something intelligible and meaningful. {Even though he LOOKS a hot mess (in a white tee, dark jeans and Timbs) .. sheesh Wayne .. do betta please.}
Side note: Seeing Robin glide across that stage has me itching for Essence Festival Tickets. GOTTA be there!
After Wayne and Robin finish, Weezy intros the legendary Allen Toussaint, FAMOUS for his second-line revelry (i.e. zydeco jazz). A brass band featuring Terrance Blanchard gets the crowd hype like it's Bourbon Street on Mardi Gras night.
I LOVE that the GRAMMY foundation saw it fit to bring New Orleans back in the spotlight ... Love you NOLA! :)
Next up is T-Pain and will.i.am looking like another double scoop of hot mess ... dressed weird as hell ... T-Pain makes mention that he's only on one of the CDs nominated for Best Rap Album.
And the GRAMMY goes to -- Lil Wayne for Tha Carter III. Damn T.I. ... I was pullin' for you. SMH.
BREAK TIME ...
We come back and find out about some other Lifetime Achievers .. like the Blind Boys of Alabama.
Then some chick comes up to introduce Robert Plant and Alison Krauss ... singing a bluegrass song? WTH? This shit won best song? OMG ... Whateva ... (changing the channel).
Ok .. they're done and Green Day is up to present Album of the Year. First they announce that Producer of the Year is Rick Rubin (of Def Jam pioneer fame) ...
And the GRAMMY goes to -- that bullshit that just got off the stage -- ARE YOU FRICKIN' KIDDING ME? I demand a recount!!! WTF??? They were up against Ne-Yo, Weezy and COLDPLAY .. R U SERIOUS???
UGH .. I'm done.
They say their Thank-Yous until the producers start playing the music to shut them up ...
The show is over ... but there's one last performance .. by Stevie Wonder ... But instead of giving him the props he's earned .. they use him as background music as the credits roll and the sponsors are acknowledged ... SMH
So there you have it ... RAW and Uncensored -- my GRAMMY Rundown. I'll clean it up and add photos later ... TIL THEN:
- Check this blog for Fashion Fotos and other GRAMMY madness on Monday and Tuesday ...
- and Check my previous entry to see the (urban) winners that weren't announced on-air ...
GOOD NIGHT FOLKS!
Update: Remember the performance by JT and Al Green? Well it's now confirmed they were a last minute replacement for the cancellations by Chris Brown and Rihanna ... We all know why they cancelled! Stay with TMZ, Media Takeout and YBF for the latest on the scandal!
No comments:
Post a Comment