Tag: Grammys (31-40 of 78)

Feb 9 2009 04:16 PM ET

Static Major: Remembering the late Grammy winner

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At least one of last night’s big Grammy honorees couldn’t be there: late songwriter Steve "Static Major" Garrett, who posthumously shared the Best Rap Song award for Lil Wayne’s "Lollipop." Static penned tons of now-classic R&B, hip-hop, and pop tunes before his untimely death last year, many of them in collaboration with Timbaland. His Grammy win is a reminder of how much he’ll be missed. Check out the four-part oral history of Static’s life that Vibe put together in December or a recent profile in his hometown paper if you’re looking for a fuller picture of the man behind the music. Or just pay tribute by listening to one of his most brilliant creations, Aaliyah’s "Are You That Somebody?", below. How will you remember Static Major?

More on the 51st annual Grammys:
Gallery: Best and Worst Performances
Gallery: Best and Worst Style
Full list of winners
Our PopWatch live blog

Feb 9 2009 01:30 PM ET

Report: Chris Brown surrenders to LAPD; released on $50,000 bail

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Chrisbrown_lPeople.com reports R&B singer Chris Brown was released from LAPD custody after posting $50,000 bail on Sunday night. Earlier in the evening, according to the People.com report, Brown turned himself in for questioning in connection with a police investigation into charges of a felony battery that took place in a car early Sunday morning.

According to police reports, officers responded to a 911 call at around 12:30 a.m. An unidentified woman who appeared to have been beaten identified Brown as her attacker. Brown was not found at the scene.

Earlier today, sources backstage at the Grammys told EW that Brown and fellow Grammy nominee and girlfriend Rihanna canceled their  appearances at the awards show following a car accident. Shortly after, Rihanna’s publicist issued a statement, saying Rihanna was "well" and thanking fans for their concern and support.

Stay tuned for more details as they develop.

More on the Grammys:
Our live blog of the Grammy Awards
Who will win the Grammys? Who should?
Grammys ’09: Backstage video with Sugarland and Adele
Katie Couric’s All-Access Grammy Special: 10 things we learned
Grammy Rehearsals, Day One: Sugarland, Smokey Robinson… and a tardy Lil’ Wayne

Feb 9 2009 01:07 PM ET

M.I.A.'s Grammy performance: Give that girl a solo!

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Like many M.I.A. fans, I couldn’t have been happier last summer when her absolutely sublime single "Paper Planes" finally caught the public’s attention, more than six months after its release, largely thanks to its use in promos for Pineapple Express. Also, like many M.I.A. fans, I was less impressed with the subsequent string of hip-hop mixtapes that included a quick sample of the song as M.I.A. became the genre’s it girl for a minute. I’m sure she’s thrilled to be included in hop-hop’s cool kids club, and I’m not surprised she was elated to share the stage at the Grammys alongside royalty like Jay-Z, Lil Wayne, T.I., and Kanye West — and being nine-months pregnant, she probably appreciated the help. But personally, I’m disappointed that M.I.A. isn’t getting the spotlight to herself, and I was let down 30 seconds into last night’s performance (which, like most of those big-stage, all-star hip-hop performances, resulted in a whole less than the sum of its parts) when it turned out to be the Jay-Z-T.I. song "Swagga Like Us" and not the M.I.A. song used as the hook.

I’ve been an M.I.A. disciple since "Galang" and I’m stoked to see her uncompromising music ("All I wanna do is POP! POP! POP! POP!") reaching the masses. But I still feel it’s too bad that the second she goes mainstream, she’s reduced to the sampled line "No one on the corner has swagger like us." Don’t get me wrong — that is a sweet, sweet line. But I don’t need a celebrity endorsement to appreciate it.

Anyone else let a bit let down by the Grammy’s decision to drown M.I.A. and the REAL record of the year in a sea of A-List MCs last night? What other highlights and disappointments from the ceremony caught your attention?

More Grammys:
Grammys: The 2009 winners
M.I.A. to perform nine-months pregnant: It’s the Grammys, baby!
Grammys: Best/worst performances
Grammys 2009: Best/worst style
Grammys: Live blogging the 2009 awards ceremony!

Feb 9 2009 12:15 AM ET

Grammys: Live blogging the 2009 awards ceremony!

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Grammy_lWell, after countless announcements and a ton of mind-blowingly awesome rehearsals, it’s finally time for the 51st annual Grammy Awards. Leah Greenblatt and myself will be live blogging the broadcast right here in this post starting just before 8 p.m. Eastern, with possible on-the-scene updates from Whitney Pastorek at the Staples Center. In the meantime, let’s get to talking: What’s everyone out there most looking forward to tonight? We were very bummedto hear at the last minute that Rihanna and Chris Brown won’t be performing due to a situation that’s still developing, and we’re sending out our best wishes to all involved there — but we’re thinking Al Green, who’s singing in their stead, should be a treat. How about you?

LEAH: So here we are, halfway through the red-carpet hour, and so far, all we know for certain about the developing Chris Brown/Rihanna situation is that neither will be in attendance tonight.

LEAH: Rumors are that Justin Timberlake may step in to replace Brown in his performance slot.

LEAH: We’re sad to hear about the whole situation, but the show must go on.

SIMON: Yeah, that story is definitely going to make it a little harder for me to enjoy the Grammys fun.

LEAH: Lots of stars so far. Coldplay look like a pack of Mentos.

LEAH: Or maybe JuJuBees.

SIMON: Is Ryan Seacrest hitting on Paris Hilton?

SIMON: And Paris thinks Coldplay are "legends." Bet Chris Martin is feeling very proud right now.

LEAH: She looks like a slutty grape.

READ FULL STORY »

Feb 8 2009 07:19 PM ET

Whitney Houston's Grammy gift to Clive Davis

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Whitneyhouston_lThe annual Clive Davis pre-Grammy party is a giant star-spackled cruise-ship extravaganza, and last night Whitney Houston was its headliner, anchor, and fire drill coordinator rolled into one. Her presence electrified a room full of people who had just spent three hours eating chicken and downing wine within napkin-tossing distance of Prince — a room full of people who’d already heard stunning performances from the likes of Jennifer Hudson, Kelly Clarkson, and the man formerly known as Puff Daddy — and when she at last appeared in the Beverly Hilton ballroom, celebrity planets like Jamie Foxx rushed the stage to orbit her sun.

In a leopard-skin minidress and fluffy cape of the Chaka Khan school, Houston revealed she’s back in sparring shape; when she opened her mouth, what came out was strong and controlled (though, admittedly, she was still trading more on the theatricality of our anticipation than the power of the golden pipes she used to possess). So psyched was the crowd that it hardly seemed to miss the big notes in edited arrangements of both "I Will Always Love You" and "I Believe In You and Me," and the fact that Houston’s backup singers had to carry much of "It’s Not Right But It’s Okay" did not dim the dance party. By the time the long-dormant star got to "I’m Every Woman," the mid-range of her voice was full of confidence, her  body language full of bounce, and the entire music industry was on its feet with its hands in the air to celebrate Houston, as she celebrated the man she called "my father," Clive Davis.

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Feb 8 2009 03:00 PM ET

Grammys '09 live blog: It's coming!

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Radioheadthomyork_lWhat with all the performers lined up for the 51st annual Grammy Awards this evening, I almost forgot there’s an actual awards ceremony involved. But there is! And Leah Greenblatt and I will be live-blogging the whole thing all night, starting just before 8 p.m. Eastern — from the first shocking award decision to the last surprising performance, and everything good and bad in between. Whitney Pastorek, who’s at the Grammys in person (lucky her!), might drop by to offer some real-time commentary, too. Are you psyched yet? ‘Cause you should be, trust us.

More on the Grammys:
Gallery: Who will win the Grammys? Who should?
Grammys ’09: Backstage video with Sugarland and Adele
Katie Couric’s All-Access Grammy Special: 10 things we learned
Grammy Rehearsals, Day One: Sugarland, Smokey Robinson… and a tardy Lil’ Wayne

Feb 7 2009 11:33 PM ET

Grammy Rehearsals, Day Three: Radiohead, Carrie Underwood, Jonas Brothers, Taylor Swift, Miley Cyrus, and some dude named Stevie

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Here is why you must tune into the Grammys on Sunday: Radiohead is playing "15 Step" with the USC marching band. I’ve been told it’s okay to talk about this now (somebody else already leaked it), and how I wish all of you could have been here at Staples with me this morning to watch Thom Yorke, Jonny Greenwood, and three dozen elated college kids take an already very good song and turn it into a jubilant, slightly menacing masterpiece. We’re talking "I would pay money to buy that off iTunes" good. "I will keep that performance on my DVR to watch on sad days" good. "Please make the song into a vacation resort because I want to go to there good." It is so. cool.

When I walked in at 9 a.m., there were already tubas glinting under the shiny, American Idol-style metal gridwork of the space stage, the thunder of the rhythm section bouncing around like buckshot. They did a rough run-through with crew and directors clustered on stage, after which Yorke politely asked, "Can you make my voice sound a little less shiny? I like the idea that I’ve got to belt it out over these guys, you see." Between takes, he beatboxed a bit into the mic; the band kids sat on the risers and mostly just grinned in disbelief. Yorke wandered down to the lip of the orchestra pit and asked a nearby stage manager, "Is it okay if I stand here?" Sure, said the guy, "but just so you know" — he gestured to the floor beneath Thom’s feet — "this is a wall that comes out of the ground." Thom took a step back. "All right! Here we go! Standby!" said another stage manager, and the wall did indeed come up. The band members stirred with excitement. A stand-in who was not Gwyneth Paltrow began reading the intro off the teleprompter, and by the time she got to "Nominated tonight for Album of the Year…" the wall had lowered again to reveal Thom making a my-head-is-exploding gesture to Johnny, I assume because even Thom Yorke still gets jazzed about the Grammys. And then a snare drummer in the front row counted things off, the bass players raised their sticks, and the awesomeness began.

After the jump, I talk to one of the USC students, and run down rehearsals from Carrie Underwood, the Jonas Brothers (with Stevie Wonder!), Taylor Swift, and Miley Cyrus…

READ FULL STORY »

Feb 7 2009 03:37 PM ET

Grammy Rehearsals, Day Two: Kenny Chesney

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First off, let me report that Lil’ Wayne — who was previously not seen in my last Grammy rehearsal post — did in fact show up on Thursday, and his tardiness was apparently due less to him being on hip-hop time and more to L.A. traffic. (It’s been raining pretty steadily here, and everyone gets all confused when that happens.) Due to a variety of scheduling conflicts of my own, I was only at Staples for a couple hours on Friday, but that was enough time to catch a few run-throughs of Katy Perry’s “I Kissed a Girl” production number, a Sapphic, dancey thing that comes complete with YouTube videos of fans singing along (in a twist on the “My Grammy Moment” contest), and one big reveal that I’ll not spoil, though it’s something she’s done at least once before. I also picked up some gossip on the shattering, explosive F/X involved in what the always post-apocalyptic Rihanna’s got planned. But the real reason I was there can be seen below: A chance to talk to country superstar Kenny Chesney, who’ll be performing a simple and lovely version of “Better as a Memory” on the broadcast. Fun fact about that song: It was pseudonymically written by his publicist, Holly Gleason, who you’ll see at the very start of the video. That’s a good publicist. Roll tape!

Feb 6 2009 08:28 PM ET

Grammys '09: Backstage video with Sugarland and Adele

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As previously mentioned, my friend and yours, Whitney Pastorek, is all up in the Staples Center this weekend chillaxin’. And by "chillaxin’" (her word!), she meant "shooting awesome backstage videos." Below, check out what Whitney got to see last night at country trio Sugarland and Brit crooner Adele’s rehearsal together. Pretty cool! Looks like this year’s show is shaping up nicely, no?

More on the Grammys:
Gallery: Who will win the Grammys? Who should?
Katie Couric’s All-Access Grammy Special: 10 things we learned
Grammy Rehearsals, Day One: Sugarland, Smokey Robinson… and a tardy Lil’ Wayne
The Grammys are selling. Are you buying?

Feb 6 2009 06:52 PM ET

Lil Wayne on Letterman: The strangest press tour since Blago

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Lil Wayne added yet another stop on the strangest press tour since Rod Blagojevich’s last night, dropping by David Letterman’s Late Show to offer the Top Ten reasons he’s looking forward to the Grammys. Since this list was scripted by Letterman’s sub-hilarious writers, instead of, say, being free-associated off the dome by the New Orleans Nightmare himself — major missed opportunity! — there were maybe two entries that elicited anything resembling a LOL from me. I’m talking about No. 8 ("I’m nominated in the category of ‘Lillest Wayne,’") and the one about how Weezy finds the Jonas Brothers "adorable." Letterman and Paul Shaffer, meanwhile, seemed thoroughly bemused by their guest, though they sure did enjoy the "joke" about crab cakes shaped like Beyonce’s anatomy. Check out the whole bizarre encounter below. I will admit that seeing this has helped me get psyched for Wayne’s Grammy performance…as long as Letterman’s staff has nothing to do with it. 

More on Lil Wayne and the Grammys:
Gallery: Who will win the Grammys? Who should?
Lil Wayne’s "Prom Queen": Make it go away!
Weezy was one of EW’s 25 Entertainers of the Year for 2008
Lil Wayne’s Gatorade ads are awesome

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