by Sherri Kolade
Black women like Beyoncé, obviously, were doing it big at the 2021 Grammy Awards, with winners in varying categories across the board who showed up and showed everyone how they get it done.
Four women won the top four awards Sunday, including Beyoncé — with her 28th win — becoming the most decorated woman in Grammy history, according to the Associated Press.
H.E.R. won song of the year and Billie Eilish picked up her second consecutive record of the year honor, but she told the audience that best new artist winner Megan Thee Stallion deserved the award. She really did.
Beyoncé came into the show with 24 wins and picked up four honors, including best R&B performance for “Black Parade,” best music video for “Brown Skin Girl” as well as best rap performance, and best rap song for “Savage,” with Megan Thee Stallion, according to the article.
“As an artist, I believe it’s my job, and all of our jobs, to reflect time and it’s been such a difficult time,” Beyoncé said onstage as she won best R&B performance for “Black Parade,” which was released on Juneteenth.
She then discussed why she created the song to honor the “beautiful Black kings and queens” in the world.
She added: “I have been working my whole life … This is such a magical night.”
Beyoncé now ties producer and multi-instrumentalist Quincy Jones for second place among all Grammy winners, according to the article. She is just behind the late conductor Georg Solti, who is the most decorated Grammy winner with 31 wins.
Yet even as impressive as her wins are, Beyoncé didn’t only make history, her whole family did. The royal family of music all won honors Sunday: Jay-Z picked up his 23rd Grammy, sharing the best rap song win with his wife since he co-wrote “Savage.” And 9-year-old Blue Ivy Carter — who won best music video alongside her mother — became the second-youngest act to win a Grammy in the show’s 63-year span. Leah Peasall was 8 when The Peasall Sisters won album of the year at the 2002 show for their appearance on the T Bone Burnett-produced “O Brother, Where Art Thou?” soundtrack.
Megan Thee Stallion, who won three honors that night, also made history and became the first female rapper to win best rap song. She’s also the fifth rap-based act to win best new artist.
Beyoncé was the night’s top contender with nine nominations. She didn’t perform but Swift did.
The Grammys had comedian Trevor Noah as its host who helped the socially-distanced event go off somewhat without a hitch. The pre-taped performances were weaved throughout the nearly four-hour show that took place in downtown Los Angeles. A small group of attendees were immaculately dressed donning masks and sitting, socially distanced, at small round tables.
Silk Sonic, R&B group Bruno Mars and Anderson Paak, also performed, bringing a nostalgic R&B vibe to the show with their catchy new single, “Leave the Door Open.” R&B singer Anthony Hamilton also crooned for the audience with a violinist and background singers.
Country singer Mickey Guyton – the first Black woman nominated for best country solo performance – gave a great of her song “Black Like Me,” which she released last year as police brutality impacted Black families and COVID-19 continues to hit Black America, one of the most vulnerable groups, disproportionately. Lil Baby, joined by Killer Mike and activist Tamika Mallory, gave a political performance that wowed, the article added.
“Black Parade” joined a list of songs honoring the Black experience that won Sunday, including H.E.R.’s protest anthem “I Can’t Breathe” and Anderson Paak’s “Lockdown,” which was released on Juneteenth like “Black Parade,” according to the article.
Other performers Sunday included Cardi B and more.
Double winners included H.E.R., Fiona Apple, Kaytranada, and late performers John Prine and Chick Corea, the article added.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fF060WS4Alo
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