Monday, February 11, 2008

Winehouse @ Grammys > Spears @ MTV

I'll try to make this one relatively short and sweet compared to my book-long Super Bowl summary.

First off, hats off to Amy Winehouse who ran through the Grammys like she was Tom Hanks in Dragnet running through the drug buffet at the P.A.G.A.N. rally. She won 5 joints (3 televised) for really only having one hit song!

She also killed it live (or semi-live from London (it coulda been pre-taped)). She actually looked semi-decent compared to all the pics of her recently all over the internets. She definitely looks better (to the extent you can say she looks good at all) with black hair vs. blonde.

Other than that, Alicia Keys looked great and her performances were pretty stellar (despite what Shanna has to say). I really can't get over how she's transformed herself from the little hood-rat chick who everyone thought was a dyke to this elegant music-industry savior. I mean, she's always had the talent, but she must've been a PR person's nightmare in those earlier days.

Before and after:




She actually almost looks like a white chick these days. Which is even weirder because I'm pretty sure she was wearing a weave last night. I always thought that it was her real hair. It's all good. She still looks good. Even if she is gay. And her talent really is something else.







Beyonce, on the other hand, didn't look that good. Sorry Sickamore.








Beyonce looked thick as hell last night, but not in a good way. Seriously, I think she weighs the same as Tina Turner. And trust me. I am not a Beyonce hater.

I am, however (and speaking of Sickamore), a Rihanna hater. I really don't get it with her. She is not fine. She looks good from time to time, but I really don't know why dudes sweat her like that...And did you see her holding Jay's hand when she went up to accept the award? You know him and Beyonce were fighting last night on some "I know you like her cuz she's skinny!"

And not for nothing, having Tina perform at the Grammys was mad disrespectful to Ike. This dude died this year and he INVENTED ROCK AND ROLL. He should've received some kind of tribute. Instead, they just put his name up with all the other people who died this year, essentially equating Ike Turner with Pimp C. No disrespect to Pimp C, but he was no Ike Turner. Kudos to the Association, however, for paying respects to Pimp C, who by the way, as I suspected, did die from lean. How many more Houston rappers/DJs do we need to die from that shit before people realize that coediene, cough syrup, or whatever SHOULD NOT BE USED RECREATIONALLY!!!

First DJ Screw, then Big Moe, now Pimp C. I'm sure there are plenty others. Now, I love screw music just as much as the next almost 30-something Hip-Hop fan from New York, but at what point is it not worth it anymore?

That shit is deadlier than smoking crack! What ever happened to the good old days when all rappers used to do was smoke weed?

By the way, the Houston Hip-Hop scene is dead (but isn't all Hip-Hop?). Just a couple years ago, Slim Thug, Paul Wall, Mike Jones, Chammillionaire (sp?) were taking over. Scarface and UGK were getting their just due...But now? Yikes.

What's next?

As an afterthought, how many months does Lil' Wayne have left? Dude bangs H and drinks lean like Kool Aid...

Back to the Grammys...

Roselyn Sanchez, the cougar she is, looked better than any other woman on stage. I can't find any pics from last night, but here's something to tide you over:




By the way, why the hell were they showing pics of Burt Bacharach while she was talking?!?!?

In any event, it was still good to see Cyndi Lauper in full effect. You better go cop that album! DJ Emz got a joint on there!

Aretha, on the other hand, looked scary as hell! I don't wanna disrespect her too much, but Jaba the Hut comes to mind. Her damn arm looked like a fat chick's leg!


A Pic because the YouTube link was removed:






And Luda looked like a damn fool introducing her in that young ass tux. Why do rappers where tuxedos and everyone else was dressed down? Classy I guess, but...a little weird.

Other random thoughts
I know this was the 50th Anniversary, but how many life time achievement awards can you give out in one night???

Justin Bateman is a damn fool, but his career has gotten a very nice second wind. Where's his sister been?

Ann Marie Calhoun killed it in the "fiddle off" (c) Shanna to win a spot performing with the Foo Fighters (ho hum). It wasn't even a competition. But what was up with old boy's mini-violin? I never seen nothing like that.

Kanye's performance of "Hey Mama" was very touching and "Stronger" with Daft Punk was hot. And kudos for the Grammys for actually shutting the music off upon Kanye's request while he was accepting his award and talking about his mom.

Speaking of Kanye and awards, they didn't televise it, but did you know he also won:
Best Rap Duo with Common for "Southside," best Rap Song for "Good Life" and best Rap Solo for "Stronger?" Decent night...Vince Gill did get in his ass though..."I just got an award given to me by a Beatle. Have you had that happen yet, Kanye?" Interesting side note: I always thought Vince Gill was the lead singer of Motley Crue who decided to start doing country music ala Kid Rock. Nope. That's Vince Neil. Woops.

But Ye shoulda won best album. Grammys are typically out of touch with this category (see Tony Bennet Unplugged and O Brother Where Art Though Soundtrack), but Herbie Hancock doing Joni Mitchell songs? Did anyone else even know he did this album? And how many of my readers even know who Joni Mithcell is? Be honest. Herbie looked mad nervous on stage...I bet he thought Kanye was gonna bum rush the show...

There was a lot of Beatles stuff last night...Was it cuz the Maharishi died? By the way, the Maharishi was their "spiritual advisor" for like 8-months before he was accursed of trying to rape one of his disciples...This guy has gotten a lot of media attention for like 40 years...Pretty amazing...Interestingly enough, he's credited for weaning them off LSD, and yet getting their spiritual juices flowing. For some reason, I don't think John stopped using LSD...The "Let It Be" performance was moving. The Cirque D' Soleil version of "Day In The Life" was just weird...And I LOVE THAT SONG...

Somebody called someone an "OG" (Original Grammy winner or somesuch). And the camera panned to Jay Z. LMAO. And then at one point, the head of the Association said "This is the next 50 right here" when introducing the kid who played piano. Eat your heart out 50 Cent.

Um, what was Solange wearing?










As much as I had to flip through the channels during the Josh Groban Pavarati tribute, the Aretha gospel set, the Kid Rock 1940s collab, etc., the worst performance of the night goes to: will.i.am. I can't believe this dude produced recent records for Nas and Game and whoever else...

And WOW re: Stevie Wonder having 25 Grammys and Quincy Jones with 27. Prince & Machavelli were sorta nominated for Keyshia Cole "Let It Go" and same with Prolyfic a couple years back for Lupe...There's still hope...Frequency's up next...

This was longer than it was supposed to be.

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