It was a breakthrough moment for the self-described “regular, degular, shmegular girl from the Bronx” born Belcalis Almanzar who went from reality television scene-stealer on VH1’s soap “Love & Hip Hop: New York” to rap superstar in a year’s time, and a major watershed moment for hip-hop — a genre long dominated by men that has sadly ignored the game-changing women that help define its sound when it has come to rewarding its talents on the Grammy stage.
Advertisement
Cardi’s win — and a sizzling, triumphant performance of her smash “Money” — was a highlight of the show, but it was the complete absence of Glover, who performs as Childish Gambino, that was the talk of the night.
Ludwig Goransson, center, accepts the record of the year award for ‘This Is America’ at the 61st Grammy Awards.
Glover became the first musician to win song and record of the year for a rap track with his poignant “This Is America,” but he chose to sit out music’s biggest night, along with Kendrick Lamar, Taylor Swift and, to much controversy, Ariana Grande.
“It’s a pretty significant moment,” Glover’s collaborator Ludwig Göransson said backstage on Sunday. “[‘This Is America’] speaks to so many people. It talks about injustice and celebrates life and unites people at the same time. There aren’t a lot of songs that do that.”
“I was surprised [a rap song] hadn’t won” record and song of the year, Göransson added. “I assumed rap songs have won these awards because every time I see this show there’s rap on this stage with big performances. So it is a surprise. If you listen to the radio or watch our culture, you see that rap is at the top. But it’s about time that the Grammys has caught up.”
Advertisement
The no-shows pointed to the challenges that face the Recording Academy every year, but it was Gambino, Lamar and Drake’s decision to turn down performance offers from Grammy producers that reignited the decades-old debate about how the Recording Academy rewards hip-hop across major categories.
Despite its continued prominence and growing influence, hip-hop and R&B continues to be a sore spot for fans of those genres when it comes to the Grammys — and Sunday was no different, albeit for far different reasons.
From the decision to allow pop star Jennifer Lopez to anchor a medley of hits celebrating the great history of Motown (that one went over terribly online) to the dearth of rap performances on-air, there was lots to pick at.
1/53
In the middle of the group, Derek Ali, left, and Ludwig Goransson, right, accept the record of the year award for “This Is America” at the 61st Grammy Awards at Staples Center in Los Angeles.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
2/53
Yolanda Adams, Fantasia Barrino and Andra Day perform onstage during a tribute to Aretha Franklin at the 61st Grammy Awards at Staples Center in Los Angeles.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
3/53
Outgoing Grammys executive Neil Portnow speaks at the 61st Grammy Awards.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
4/53
Dua Lipa won new artist at the 61st Grammy Awards at Staples Center.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
5/53
St. Vincent, left, and Dua Lipa perform onstage at the 61st Grammy Awards.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
6/53
Travis Scott performs at the 61st Grammy Awards as performers climb makeshift fences onstage at Staples Center in Los Angeles.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
7/53
Travis Scott, center, performs onstage the 61st Grammy Awards at Staples Center in Los Angeles.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
8/53
Jennifer Lopez and Smokey Robinson perform onstage during the Motown tribute at the 61st Grammy Awards.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
9/53
Jennifer Lopez performs during the Motown salute during the 61st Grammy Awards at Staples Center in Los Angeles.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
10/53
V, Jungkook, Jimin, Suga, Jin, RM, and J-Hope of BTS speak at the 61st Grammy Awards at Staples Center.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
11/53
Brandi Carlile performs at the 61st Grammys Awards at Staples Center in Los Angeles.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
12/53
Cardi B, left, accepts the award for rap album at the 61st Grammy Awards.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
13/53
Leon Bridges and Charlie Wilson at the 61st Grammy Awards.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
14/53
Chloe Bailey and Halle Bailey are Chloe X Halle and performed “Where Is the Love?” at the 61st Grammy Awards at Staples Center in Los Angeles.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
15/53
H.E.R. won the award for R&B at the 61st Grammy Awards
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
16/53
Dan + Shay give it their all in a performance at the 61st Grammy Awards at Staples Center in Los Angeles.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
17/53
Alicia Keys performs onstage at the 61st Grammy Awards at Staples Center.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
18/53
Lady Gaga performs “Shallow” from “A Star Is Born” onstage at the 61st Grammy Awards at Staples Center in Los Angeles.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
19/53
Lady Gaga performs onstage at the 61st Grammy Awards.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
20/53
Lady Gaga performs “Shallow” onstage at the 61st Grammy Awards at Staples Center in Los Angeles.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
21/53
Diana Ross performs during at the 61st Grammy Awards at Staples Center in Los Angeles.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
22/53
Diana Ross performs during the 61st Grammy Awards at Staples Center.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
23/53
Raif-Henok Emmanuel Kendrick introduces his grandmother, Diana Ross, at the 61st Grammy Awards.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
24/53
Canadian rapper Drake accepts the award for rap song for “God’s Plan” at the 61st Grammy Awards at Staples Center in Los Angeles.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
25/53
Cardi B performs at the 61st Grammy Awards.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
26/53
Cardi B performs at the 61st Grammy Awards at Staples Center in Los Angeles.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
27/53
Cardi B performs onstage at the 61st Grammy Awards.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
28/53
H.E.R. performs onstage at the 61st Grammy Awards at Staples Center.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
29/53
Ian Fitchuk, Daniel Tashian and Kacey Musgraves accept country album honor for “Golden Hour” onstage during the 61st Grammy Awards.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
30/53
Dolly Parton, center, performs with Jimi Westbrook, left, Kimberly Schlapman, Karen Fairchild and Philip Sweet onstage during the 61st Grammy Awards.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
31/53
Maren Morris, left, Dolly Parton and Miley Cyrus perform onstage during the 61st Grammy Awards at Staples Center.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
32/53
Katy Perry, left, and Kacey Musgraves at the 61st Grammy Awards at Staples Center in Los Angeles.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
33/53
Host Alicia Keys speaks at the 61st Grammy Awards in Los Angeles.
(Matt Sayles / Invision/AP)
34/53
Lady Gaga, left, Jada Pinkett Smith, Alicia Keys, Michelle Obama and Jennifer Lopez speak at the beginning of the 61st Grammy Awards.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
35/53
Flea and Anthony Kiedis of Red Hot Chili Peppers perform with Post Malone onstage during the at the 61st Grammy Awards at Staples Center in Los Angeles.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
36/53
Camila Cabello performs on stage at the 61st Grammy Awards.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
37/53
Ricky Martin, left, and Camila Cabello perform “Havana” at the 61st Grammy Awards.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
38/53
Ricky Martin, Camila Cabello and J Balvin perform onstage at the 61st Grammy Awards at Staples Center.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
39/53
Ricky Martin, Camila Cabello and J Balvin perform onstage at the 61st Grammy Awards.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
40/53
Shawn Mendes performs onstage during at the 61st Grammy Awards at Staples Center in Los Angeles.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
41/53
Miley Cyrus performs onstage during at the 61st Grammy Awards.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
42/53
Miley Cyrus and Shawn Mendes perform onstage during the 61st Grammy Awards at Staples Center in Los Angeles.
(Kevin Winter / Getty Images for The Recording Academy)
43/53
Miley Cyrus, left, and Shawn Mendes perform onstage during at the 61st Grammy Awards at Staples Center in Los Angeles.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
44/53
Lady Gaga emotionally accepts the pop duo/group performance for “Shallow.”
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
45/53
Janelle Monáe performs onstage during the 61st Grammy Awards at Staples Center.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
46/53
Janelle Monáe performs onstage during the 61st Grammy Awards at Staples Center.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
47/53
Singer-songwriter Kacey Musgraves performs during the 61st Grammy Awards.
(Robyn Beck / AFP/Getty Images)
48/53
Fatoumata Diawara preforms the 61st Grammy Awards premiere ceremony at Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles.
(Randy Shropshire / Getty Images for The Recording Academy)
49/53
Questlove presents an award at the 61st Grammy Awards.
(Matt Sayles / Invision/AP)
50/53
Tori Kelly accepts the award for gospel album for “Hiding Place” at the 61st Grammy Awards in Los Angeles.
(Matt Sayles / Invision/AP)
51/53
Brandi Carlile accepts the award for Americana album for “By The Way, I Forgive You” onstage during the 61st Grammy Awards pre-telecast show in Los Angeles.
(Robyn Beck / AFP/Getty Images)
52/53
Aida Cuevas, left, Natalia Lafourcade and Angela Aguilar perform “La Llorona” at the 61st Grammy Awards.
(Matt Sayles / Invision/AP)
53/53
Buddy Guy accepts the award for traditional blues album for “The Blues Is Alive And Well” onstage during the 61st Grammy Awards pre-telecast show.
Heading into this year’s ceremony, the producers knew eyes were watching and waiting to criticize the show for its long-perceived exclusion of rap and hip-hop from major categories.
Advertisement
Producers angled to stack the show with performances from hip-hop titans Drake, Kendrick Lamar and Glover.
Glover was offered a spot on the show to perform “This Is America,” a record that was a potent meditation on the commodification of black suffering in this country, but he turned producers down.
Lamar, whose multiple snubs in album of the year have sparked fury in music community, was also a no-show. His work on the “Black Panther” soundtrack landed him his fourth nod for album of the year, but he lost to front-runner Kacey Musgraves. And Drake too failed to win in the song, record and album categories.
Drake, who has long been absent from the major awards show circuit, surprised the Grammy audience by showing up to collect his award for rap song.
“We play in an opinion-based sport, not a fact-based sport. It’s not the NBA where at the end of the year you’re holding a trophy because you made the right decisions or won the games. This is a business where sometimes it’s up to a bunch of people who might not understand what a mixed-race kid from Canada has to say or a fly Spanish girl from New York or a brother from Houston.
Advertisement
“The point is, you’ve already won if you have people singing your songs words for words, or you’re a hero in your hometown and people coming out in the rain or snow to your shows. You don’t need this right here,” he said before he appeared to be cut off, which infuriated many in the audience.
Backstage producers said they believed Drake’s pause in his speech was an indicator that he was finished so they cut his microphone. They offered to allow him to return to stage, which he declined by saying he was happy with what he said onstage.
“Some of the pushback that I’ve found in recent years with regard to the show not only has to do with the nominations, but in some cases the results of those nominations. Whether they won or lost,” the show’s longtime producer Ken Ehrlich said in the days leading up to Sunday’s show. “Am I sorry that Drake is not on this year? Yeah, I am. I wish he was. Am I sorry that I don’t have Gambino? I am. They’ve both made incredibly relevant music this year and they should be on this stage.”
At last year’s Grammys, the narrative was tightly focused on rap’s prominence among nominees in the major categories after historically being overlooked. However, Lamar was eclipsed by the retro R&B of Bruno Mars.
There were some significant hip-hop wins this year — but it might have been too late for the community to care.
Gerrick D. Kennedy is a former staff writer for the Los Angeles Times. He covered music and pop culture from 2009 to 2019. In 2012, Kennedy was named Emerging Journalist of the Year by the National Assn. of Black Journalists and in 2014 the Advocate featured him in its annual 40 Under 40 list. He is also the author of “Parental Discretion Is Advised: The Rise of N.W.A and the Dawn of Gangsta Rap.”
