Image via Kanye’s “Runaway” video
Kanye West on a piano + ballet dancers
Image via Kanye’s “Runaway” video
On the fence: Chris Brown performing twice at the Grammys
Why did Chris Brown perform twice at the 54th Grammys? Who the fuck listens to Chris Brown in the first place? I remember he had one good song in 2006 that me and my friends would get high-school drunk to on rum and cokes. After he beat the shit out of Rihanna, it was pretty much a no-go for me. And hopefully for a lot of people, because rage like that is unacceptable in humanity, point blank.
There’s a delicate line between redemption, forgiveness and the music biz forcing Chris Brown in our faces when I’m pretty sure nobody cares too much about him or his music. Maybe the faceless music biz execs sell Chris Brown to kids because they have their parents money and teeny, little brains that can’t grasp the gravity domestic abuse.
The Evidence
For so many people, just hearing his name conjures up the picture of her beaten face from his rage. -20
Then he threw a chair through a window at an appearance on Good Morning America in 2011. Someone’s got a bit of a tantrum streak! -5
Ok, he can dance. +1
I have a hard time declaring things like “he should never work in that town again!” because forgiveness is a good thing. However, forgiveness is a lot better when people actually prove themselves to be deserving of it. 0
He never really seemed to feel all that sorry for beating Rihanna, at least not publicly. I remember it as him being worried about her beat up face ruining his career. -13
The Score
-38
The lowest score to date on the 20poorandfabulous fence. Yikes! Chris Brown, maybe you should take a year off and go volunteer in 3rd world country somewhere. Then maybe people will like you again. Maybe.
Music: Sleigh Bells new album “Reign of Terror”
Sleigh Bells is one of the few bands that legitimately makes me feel cool when I listen to it. Drive around listening to “Tell ‘Em“, and tell me you don’t feel the same.
They have a new album coming out, called Reign of Terror is expected for a February 21 release date. The first single off their new album, “Comeback Kid” is so so so good. Like, ice cream melody over some kick-ass guitar good. It definitely sets up the tone for the new album and adds even more anticipation!
On the new album and Sleigh Bells sound, singer Alexis Krauss had this to say:
For a while, Derek felt he had to prove something. Now he can play his Jackson and love Slayer and at the same time love Cyndi Lauper. That’s something that’s really important to us: No guilty pleasures. There’s no genre of music that you can’t listen to and find something good. I have this conversation with my parents all the time. They’re both New Yorkers, born and bred, and my dad is a musician, and they have this elitist attitude about music. When we were making Reign of Terror, I might say that we were writing a song that was like def leppard mixed with George Michael. And my mom would be like, “Def Leppard? Nobody who’s cool listens to that band.” And I’d have to explain to her that times have changed; you can go back to music that was maybe considered corny or inauthentic and embrace elements of it.
Awesome. Melding pop, rock, metal and whatever sounds good. I can’t wait to hear the rest of the album.
Check out “Comeback Kid”
Our Lady Gaga absent from the red carpet
Absent from the Grammys red carpet was our Lady of Pop, Lady Gaga. Sadsies, I wonder why she skipped the carpet. Maybe to avoid egg-pod comparisons. Or maybe at the annual pop music summit, it was decided on a coin flip and a dance-off that Nicki Minaj would wear the crazy outfit this year.
Image via bellasugar.com
Mixtape Monday: Snoooooooooooooop
If you’re feeling a little hip hoppy, then my dear I have the perfect mixtape for you! Snooooooop Dog has released via his soundcloud a whopping hour and a half of music. Check it out!!
Adele: One and Only – Magazine – Vogue
A great article from Vogue interviewing Adele in December 2011, before she won 6 Grammys.
“ ‘Chasing Pavements’ came from me running down Oxford Street. I had punched my ex in a pub and then ran away from security. And then I just kept running even though they weren’t chasing me anymore. I was running from something. And I didn’t know what. I was just chasing a pavement. And I was like, Ka-ching! I will get my record-deal money now! And then with ‘Rolling in the Deep,’ there’s a gang phrase in the U.K., roll deep, that basically means having someone have your back so you are never on your own if you come into trouble. It’s a real gangster thing, but I think it’s really beautiful. So I just turned it into ‘Rolling in the Deep.’ ”
Television: The Walking Dead is BACK!!
Ok, for reals. If you’re not watching The Walking Dead, where are you getting your zombie fix? The Walking Dead returned tonight after an all too long mid-second season hiatus. It’s a show about the zombie apocalypse, full with love triangles, scary bites and the reality of living in a post-apocalyptic zombie world. Yeah, it’s amazing. You can catch up on season 1 on Netflix. YAYYYY!!!!!
Adele won everything!
CONGRATULATIONS ADELE!!!!!!!
Adele won Record of the Year, Album of the Year (YAYYYY!!!), Pop Album of the Year, Song of the Year, Best Pop Solo Performance, and Best Pop Vocal Album.
This was truly her night, and she deserved every single bit of praise and adoration. Her performance was phenomenal, and her acceptance speeches were heartfelt, humble and funny. “I’ve got a bit of snot!” She’s amazing. I hope she had such a great night.
Check out the other Grammy winners:
Album of the Year: “21,” Adele
Record of the Year: “Rolling in the Deep,” Adele
Song of the Year: “Rolling in the Deep,” Adele Adkins & Paul Epworth
New Artist: Bon Iver
Pop Solo Performance: “Someone Like You,” Adele
Pop Performance by a Duo or Group: “Body and Soul,” Tony Bennett & Amy Winehouse
Pop Vocal Album: “21,” Adele
Alternative Album: “Bon Iver,” Bon Iver
Rock Song: “Walk,” Foo Fighters
Rock Album: “Wasting Light,” Foo Fighters
Rock Performance: “Walk,” Foo Fighters
Hard Rock/Metal Performance: “White Limo,” Foo Fighters
R&B Album: “F.A.M.E.,” Chris Brown
R&B Song: “Fool For You,” Cee Lo Green, Melanie Hallim & Jack Splash
R&B Performance: “Is This Love,” Corrine Bailey Rae
Traditional R&B Vocal Performance: “Fool For You,” Cee Lo Green & Melanie Fiona
Rap Album: “My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy,” Kanye West
Rap Performance: “Otis,” Jay-Z and Kanye West
Rap Song: “All of the Lights,” Jeff Bhasker, Stacy Ferguson, Malik Jones, Warren Trotter & Kanye West
Rap/Sung Collaboration: “All of the Lights,” Kanye West, Rihanna, Kid Cudi & Fergie
Dance Recording: “Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites,” Skrillex
Dance/Electronica Album: “Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites,” Skrillex
****List of more Grammy winners at loft956
Congratulations Bon Iver on best new artist!!!
Congratulations!!!!!!!!! Rep the midwest, boy. What a wonderful honor. Awesome shoutout to Eau Claire, Wisconsin, btw.
Grammy fashion hits, misses and hot messes
HIT: Taylor Swift in Zuhair Murad
Taylor Swift was impeccably dressed and styled. This girl is getting some really good fashion and style advice, or she just has an eye for great pieces.
HIT: Adele in Armani
I LOVE LOVE LOVE Adele’s look for the Grammys. Her hair looks a little lighter than usual and it’s shorter. It’s fresh, much like her return to music. The lipstick and earrings compliment the gorgeous dress. I love long dresses so much, and hers looks glamourous and absolutely perfect for all the Grammys she’s gonna take home!!
Hit: Rihanna in Armani
HOT HOT HOT. Rihanna looked confident and very sexy in the Versace dress she helped design. The plunging neckline shows off her killer abs (holy moly!) Stunning.
Hit: Jessie J in Julien MacDonald
I loved this look immediately when I saw it. It’s shiny, fun and perfect for the Grammys! Jessie J definitely did good at her first Grammy awards.
Miss: Robyn
Robyn’s outfit is very much her. I think the shoes are pretty cool, and the dress is cool too, but not for the Grammys. But to be honest, it looked a lot better on camera than in a photo, because in the photo, her “train” looks a little an unraveled roll of fabulous toilet paper. And the t-shirt top is a little confusing as well. But fuck it, Robyn rocks.
Miss: Katy Perry
The dress is really pretty, but her hair ruins this look. It’s not so much the color, but the poofy updo. Also, the dress is kind of a preview into pastel colors for spring, but it would be better suited in an old Florence and the Machine video than the 2012 Grammys.
Miss: Fergie in Jean-Paul Gaultier
Oh, sweet Fergie Ferg. She always wants so bad to be the wild card fashionista of the night, but she always, always falls short. The silhouette of the lace dress is gorgeous, and the color is simply spectacular. There’s just something off about this outfit. It could be her timid-ish attitude, or her hair and earrings paired with the visible lingerie. Because really, if you’re going to wear this outfit, you better have the fucking personality to pull it off.
Hot Mess: Taraji P. Henson
This is my worst dressed pick. Oh my God. This looks like something straight from a small town prom. The cut and fabric look so bad in photos, I wonder if the dress was better in person. I won’t hold my breath. There are just so many things that are wrong with this dress. She could have look so so so much better. Fire your stylist, now! (And good God, if you don’t have one, get one)
HOT MESS: Nicki Minaj’s Catholic Grammys
Yes, it was daring and it definitely got the people going, but I despised Nikki Minaj’s outfit and Pope date. First of all, it looks like a cape 3 sizes too big for her. Yes, Versace is a genius but good lord, that was more fit for a midnight showing of Lord of the Rings over the Grammys. Also, why Catholic? Is she creeping in on Lady Gaga and Madonna’s affliction for bad catholic girls? I’m ALL FOR exciting and strange Grammy outfits, but this one is just confusing.
Host: LL Cool J
LL Cool J did a fantastic job hosting the Grammys! He was calm, cool and collected. A perfect pick for host. Good job Cool!
Images via Larry Busacca/Getty Images and TMZ
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