The Grammys' Issue Statement in Response To The Weeknd's Boycott
After The Weeknd's vow to boycott The Grammys moving forward, the Recording Academy interim CEO has issued a statement on the matter.
Every year when the Grammy Nominations arrive, celebrities, fans, and those in the Hip Hop Community react with excitement, and gratitude as well as snub and scorned reactions. While some opt to not worry about the nominations, others choose a different route. After The Weeknd's After Hours project was met with resounding silence from the Recording Academy, a full-blown boycott was the decided course of action. The Weeknd pledged to forsake future Grammy submissions altogether.
Following this announcement, Recording Academy interim CEO Henry Mason Jr. had a few words on the Canadian superstar's decision. "We're all disappointed when anyone is upset," he explains, in a statement shared by the New York Times. "But I will say that we are constantly evolving. And this year, as in past years, we are going to take a hard look at how to improve our awards process, including the nomination review committees."
This was obviously a generic response and may do little to sway The Weeknd's opinion. After all, he's definitely not the first (or second or third..) to take a hard-line stance against The Grammy Awards.
Eminem has been a vocal critic of the ceremony as well, having accused them of manipulating artists into attending and even performing only to snub them entirely when the trophies come.