Kanye West Barred From Performing at Grammys Due to ‘Online Behavior’
Kanye West has been barred from performing on the Grammy Awards because of his “regarding on-line conduct,” a rep for the artist confirms to Selection. Reps for the Recording Academy and CBS, which current the Grammys, didn’t instantly reply to Selection‘s requests for touch upon the declare early Saturday. West’s rep cited a report in…
Kanye West has been barred from performing on the Grammy Awards because of his “regarding on-line conduct,” a rep for the artist confirms to Selection. Reps for the Recording Academy and CBS, which current the Grammys, didn’t instantly reply to Selection‘s requests for touch upon the declare early Saturday.
West’s rep cited a report in the Blast posted late Friday claiming that the artist’s crew obtained a cellphone name Friday evening informing him he had been “sadly” faraway from the lineup of performers for the present because of his “regarding on-line conduct.” Whereas West, who’s up for 5 2022 Grammy Awards, was not among the many first listing of performers introduced on Tuesday, he might have been a deliberate performer. A rep for West despatched Selection a hyperlink to that story, saying solely “That is confirmed”; the rep didn’t reply to requests for additional info, though the Blast report states, “Our sources say Kanye’s crew isn’t stunned by the choice.”
Nor ought to they be. Whereas Academy reps didn’t reply to requests for remark, there are lots of explanation why a Kanye West efficiency on stay community tv could be a prohibitively dangerous proposition. Based mostly on his social media posts and exercise prior to now few months alone, he may use the stage to proceed his on-line harassment of Pete Davidson, his estranged spouse Kim Kardashian’s new boyfriend; he might try and foyer public sentiment for custody of his youngsters; he might make some assertion in help of accused intercourse offender Marilyn Manson or unrepentant homophobe DaBaby, each of whom he has featured at his latest concert events or listening occasions; he might make extra misguided statements about slavery or revive his stumping for former President Trump. Conversely, he might use the platform to do one thing that isn’t self-serving, self-referential or sheer trolling, like when he unexpectedly mentioned “George Bush doesn’t care about Black folks” throughout a televised Hurricane Katrina fundraiser in 2005.
Maybe most of all, the report said the choice was made partially due to considerations over attainable interactions between West and Grammy host Trevor Noah; West used a slur towards Noah in an Instagram put up relating to feedback the “Every day Present” host made relating to his break up with Kardashian, leading to a 24-hour ban from the platform. In response, Noah wrote, “I’ll be trustworthy with you — what I see from the scenario is a girl who desires to stay her life with out being harassed by an ex-boyfriend or an ex-husband or an ex-anything.”
West’s public appearances are hardly ever with out controversy, usually unfavorable, and there’s no cause to count on {that a} efficiency on the 2022 Grammy Awards could be any exception.
There was fierce outcry in some quarters over the report, claiming that it was a part of a racist or anti-hip-hop narrative. Nonetheless, it’s price noting that Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason jr. has mentioned he argued efficiently to increase the variety of Album of the 12 months nominees from eight to 10, starting with the 2022 awards, as a result of hip-hop was not represented — and the beneficiary of that call was West’s “Donda” album.
Veteran rapper the Sport, who collaborated with West on the latest single and Davidson-trolling video “Eazy,” wrote in an oft-cited put up: “Time & time once more they present us that they solely need to STEAL the tradition, not will let you ever be their equals. In a greater than apparent transfer for causes of minuscule actions…. The Grammys have on the final minute determined to drag (Kanye West) from acting on the present as if we didn’t understand it was coming. Might be as a result of (Trevor Noah) is internet hosting and there was a dialog held amongst his crew & the academy that led to the choice or as a result of Ye’s account was suspended simply days in the past for causes unknown, particularly in a world the place all of the negativities of the world could be discovered on the identical app with no repercussions or suspensions…. We’ll simply say it’s all the above & a steady disrespect for us & all that we now have delivered to the desk in leisure, media & sports activities during the last 100 years particularly.” Contacted by Selection, a rep for the Sport didn’t instantly have a remark.
The primary spherical of Grammy performers had been introduced on Tuesday morning: nominees BTS, Olivia Rodrigo, Billie Eilish, Lil Nas X with Jack Harlow, Brandi Carlile, and Brothers Osborne.
Happening stay from the MGM Grand Area in Las Vegas and hosted by Trevor Noah, the sixty fourth Annual Grammy Awards can be broadcast stay on Sunday, April 3, 2022, at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT on CBS and can be obtainable to stream stay and on demand on Paramount+.