Jennifer Lopez performed alongside the legendary Smokey Robinson at the 61st Grammy Awards last night for a Motown Tribute and Black twitter was NOT impressed.
The Recording Academy received tons of backlash when it was first announced earlier this month that Lopez had secured the gig over black songstresses who deserved the spot and the subsequent performance did little to smooth things over with critics.
Details + video below…
JLo hit the stage to mixed reviews and a few Grammys fans argued that Lopez?s singing did not do songs like ?Square Biz?, ?Please Mr. Postman?, ?Dancing in the Street? and ?My Girl? justice.
Many feel the performance should have been offered to any of the black songstresses who were clearly in attendance (i.e. Fantasia, Janelle Monae… etc).
Dear #GRAMMYs Out of Anita, Beyonce, Lalah, India, Kelly Rowland, Latoya, Keyshia, Mary, Rihanna, Toni, Mariah, Monica, Brandy, Jill, Thee Diana, Faith, Patti, Gladys, Jennifer Hud, Jasmine Sullivan, Fantasia, Tamar, Kelly Price you get Jennifer Lopez to do Motown? Insulting. pic.twitter.com/Fs0xaN96lO
— Is Your Activism Inclusive? (@2speak_easy) February 6, 2019
For the record, it seems that MoTown was on board with the decision.
While the hit making label seemed to stand it’s ground, the tweet was soon deleted after getting bombarded with negative replies.
Despite the backlash, Smokey Robinson, has also publicly defended Lopez, stating, ?I don?t think anyone who is intelligent is upset.?
He added to Variety,
?I think anyone who is upset is stupid. Motown was music for everybody. Everybody.
?Who?s stupid enough to protest Jennifer Lopez doing anything for Motown??