Jennifer Lopez is defending her Motown tribute at the 61st Annual Grammy Awards. Find out what she had to say about the backlash, plus see the Aretha Franklin tribute and Diana Ross celebrate her 75th birthday inside...
There was an uproar on social media when it was announced Jennifer Lopez would be doing a Motown Tribute during the 61st Annual Grammy Awards. And folks are still pissed. Especially after seeing the performance.
No disrespect, we love a good J.Lo performance, but THIS was NOT it. Honestly, there was no "soul" in the performance (plenty of salsa though), and the booty shaking and sexy piano grind would NOT make our grannies proud. However, she did cop a co-sign from Motown legend Smokey Robinson.
In case you didn't see it, check out the Bronx babe's performance below:
JENNIFER LOPEZ IS SUCH A QUEEN WHEN IT COMES TO PERFORMANCE AND BEING ICONIC WOW WOW WOW... #GRAMMYspic.twitter.com/D4i8JOOgbn
— VINI (@Viniciuslamegoo) February 11, 2019
Straight from her performance, Jenny from the Block spoke with ET's Kevin Frazier backstage to defend her tribute. Basically, she said she grew up on Motown's music and she did the tribute for her mother. Check it:
"Any type of music can inspire any type of artist... You can't tell people what to love. You can't tell people what they can and can't do — what they should sing or not sing." An emotional Jennifer Lopez responds to her critics backstage after her #GRAMMYs Motown tribute. pic.twitter.com/1dK3OEs9OH
— Entertainment Tonight (@etnow) February 11, 2019
Still...folks still were NOT here for the Motown tribute that featured cameos from Smokey and Ne-Yo. Smokey defended her before the performance, but everybody isn't here for the blackest music label to ever do it and do it well - because they HAD to (if you know the history) - getting gentrified with a Latinx component.
We hope Beyoncé gets invited to the Latin Grammys to salute Celia Cruz or the like......
Here are some (because there were plenty) of what folks were saying on social media following her performance:
Oop.
Motown Records posted a reaction and then deleted, likely due to all the "no" responses in the thread:
People felt robbed of the opportunity to have BLACK artists perform music written and performed by black artists. And for God's sake, it's Black History Month. It is what it is.
As for another tribute...
Yolanda Adams, Fantasia and Andra Day made iconic singer Aretha Franklin proud. The powerhouse singers tore the stage up as they performed the late singer's version of “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman.”
Get into their homage to the Queen of Soul below:
Powerful tribute to the late Aretha Franklin! Yolanda Adams, Fantasia, and Audra Day did that! #Grammyspic.twitter.com/jCbtpcw0M5
— Opinionated Me (@opinion8dmecom) February 11, 2019
Auntie 'Retha would approve. Although, they could have let the ladies perform more than one song. Just sayin'.
As for a living legend's tribute...
Who says you can't celebrate your birthday early? Living legend Diana Ross doesn't turn 75 until March 26th, however, she kicked off the B'Day festivities early with her 75th birthday Grammy's performance.
It's official: @DianaRoss' grandson has the cutest #GRAMMYs performance introduction of the night. pic.twitter.com/tITfJMnKOc
— CBS (@CBS) February 11, 2019
Introduced by her adorable 9-year-old grandson Raif-Henok Emmanuel Kendrick, the iconic singer opened her performance with her classic hit “The Best Years of My Life.”
“Thank you for being here to celebrate my 75th birthday,” she said to the audience. She then walked through the crowd singing “Reach Out and Touch (Somebody’s Hand)" and Jaden Smith even got in on the action:
Diana Ross y Jaden Smith collab #GRAMMYs#grammystntpic.twitter.com/g7SHHxvrQK
— G. Esrarlin Portillo (@EsrarlinG) February 11, 2019
Ha!
Throughout her performance, Diana was a whole diva making demand after demand. "Don't be lazy! Get your hands up! I can't see them! Turn down the lights! Put your hands back in the air!" Listen, Diana said she did not come to perform in front of a lazy audience.
“Happy birthday to me!," she said, ending her performance.
Check it below:
WATCH A TRUE ICONIC LEGEND show the girls how it's been done. Miss DIANA ROSS! pic.twitter.com/r5ut0Vaudx
— Opinionated Me (@opinion8dmecom) February 11, 2019
Diana's family was front-and-center to celebrate with their mom/grandmother:
Photos: Getty/Reuters
