A week later, I'm still perplexed by what I witnessed at last Sunday's Grammys.
Not Sia. But what's with the backward-singing wig-wearing weirdness?
Not Taylor Swift. But really, she didn't win anything?
Not Madonna. But -- or should I say butt -- thong matador garb at age 56?
I'm talking about Brooke Axtell. The 34-year-old domestic violence survivor addressed a silent Staples Center audience following a recorded public service announcement from President Barack Obama and prior to Katy Perry's performance of "By the Grace of God."
Axtell, a poet and activist, said, "After a year of passionate romance with a handsome, charismatic man, I was stunned when he began to abuse me." When he threatened to kill her, Axtell sought help from her mother, who encouraged her to get help at a domestic violence shelter: "This conversation saved my life."
She continued, boldly, "Authentic love does not devalue another human being. Authentic love does not silence, shame, or abuse. If you are in a relationship with someone who does not honor and respect you, I want you to know that you are worthy of love. Please reach out for help. Your voice will save you. Let it extend into the night, let it part the darkness, let it set you free to know who you truly are: valuable, beautiful, loved."
Powerful. And proof that the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences -- despite its tendency to award male artists who refer to the fairer sex as "hos" and "b****es" -- really cares about women.
Ahem.
Consider that sitting in the audience was singer Chris Brown. Hours before the 2009 Grammys, Brown beat up then-girlfriend and singer Rihanna. That volatile incident -- and multiple brushes with the law since -- didn't make him a persona non grata at the 2015 Grammys. He was nominated for Best Urban Contemporary Album (X), Best R&B Performance ("New Flame" with Usher and Rick Ross) and Best R&B Song ("New Flame"), even if he didn't win.
Also in the audience was Jay Z, known for rapping about having "99 problems, but a b**** ain't one." There has been talk of him phasing out the derogatory term after the birth of his daughter. But consider the lines he raps in wife Beyonce's song "Drunk in Love" (winner of Best R&B Performance and Best R&B Song): "I'm Ike Turner, turn up, baby, no, I don't play. Now eat the cake, Anna Mae, said, Eat the cake, Anna Mae!" It alludes to abusive Turner smashing cake in the face of his then wife Tina Turner (birth name: Anna Mae).
Then there's Grammy favorite R. Kelly. He was accused of illegally marrying a 15-year-old and has been accused of statutory rape multiple times (he has denied any wrongdoing, has never been tried for rape and was acquitted of multiple counts of making child pornography). But his scandalous personal life has never been a concern for the Grammys. Kelly was again nominated for an award (he has won three and been nominated some 25 times) for his work with Jennifer Hudson on "It's Your World" (Best R&B Performance).
And let's not forget Eminem, who has rapped about killing his sometimes-wife ("Kim" and "97 Bonnie & Clyde"). This year the Grammys awarded him with his sixth Best Rap Album for The Marshall Mathers LP 2. It will be interesting to see whether his forthcoming compilation album gets a nod. An alleged leak from a song called "Vegas" references female rapper Iggy Azalea: "Put that s * * * away, Iggy/You gon' blow that rape whistle on me." In a viral video promoting the album he rapped about violence toward another female artist: "B * * * * I'll punch Lana Del Rey right in the face twice, like Ray Rice in broad daylight in the plain sight of the elevator surveillance/'Til her head is banging on the railing, then celebrate with the Ravens."
So that the Grammys gave time and attention to domestic violence should be beautiful music to our ears. But it's still just noise and lip service.
And the email goes to:
jchristman@arkansonline.com
Spin Cycle is a weekly smirk at pop culture.
Style on 02/15/2015