Why did Chris Brown perform at the Grammys? The Academy answers
Neil Portnow says NARAS members' focus is on music alone
Chris Brown accepting his win for Best R&B Album ("F.A.M.E.")
Credit: AP Photo
LOS ANGELES – At this year’s Grammy Awards ceremony, Chris Brown earned his very first Grammy Award and performed twice. The truth of the matter is that in 2009, just prior to the 51st annual Grammy Awards, the entertainer violently assaulted then-girlfriend Rihanna, and some viewers and music fans this year may be dumbfounded by the Recording Academy’s embrace of the controversial singer.
Regardless of his impressive dance moves or impassioned performances overall, Brown couldn’t help but to serve as a very negative reminder of his famous crime in 2009, no matter how many times he’s apologized. It struck a public nerve, which could be exactly what organizers wanted out of Brown's two solo songs and a group performance with a dance act.
Or, according to Neil Portnow, his win and appearances were only natural extensions of the music community’s voice.
I had the opportunity to ask Portnow (president of National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences and former VP of Jive Records’ West Coast division) about his and NARAS members’ approach to the show and Brown’s Best R&B Album-winning “F.A.M.E.” (coincidentally, released via Jive).
“The Academy is 20,000 members and 12,000 of them are voting members. Who are these people? They’re the music community, so they’re music professionals, they’re musicians, they’re engineers, producers and songwriters, people that create the music.. Their responsibility it to judge the music,” he said. “I don’t vote any longer… But when I was a voting member and listening to the music, I kind of put aside all other elements -- somebody’s personality, somebody’s personal life, sales history, their chart positions, merchandising, marketing, visibility. I’m just there to listen to the music, and that’s what our voters do. So when the nominations come -- regardless of what else is going on in an artist’s life -- that’s where we focus.
“So, tonight was about the music. Our voters felt that this album was worthy of nominations, worthy of receiving a Grammy, so it made sense from that standpoint.”
A Grammy-nominated act performing at the Grammys is no new concept, particularly one who sings and dances and has had a previous history of playing the show.
“In terms of the performances, we booked him to do his own performance -- that’s where we began,” Portnow continued. “As we developed the dance segment, which we thought was going to be really groundbreaking –that’s never been done on television – and working with David Guetta and working with deadmau5 and so on, they themselves gave us input as to who would fit in to this, who they’ve worked with. And obviously there’s a factor of somebody that’s already in the house that we’re working with that could be part of a segment.
So Chris’ performance in the dance segment was really not a Chris Brown performance per se, it’s part of a segment. And we do that from time to time.”
Brown performed “Turn Up the Music” and “Beautiful People” during his solo segment, and took to the stage with Lil Wayne, Guetta and Foo Fighters during the dance music celebration. Rihanna sang on two songs, as did Coldplay; Foo Fighters and Paul McCartney played a handful while and artists like the Beach Boys, Katy Perry, Bruno Mars and Awards standout Adele performed one a piece.
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About This Blog
Katie Hasty is HitFix's New York outpost for movies and music. She served as a web editor and columnist for Billboard Magazine for five years, and has freelanced since 1999 -- as a writer, editor, music supervisor, A&R consultant, radio correspondent, recording artist and concert promoter. She plays guitar and sings in her Brooklyn-based band Numbers And Letters, and loves Christmas songs, dark beer, Tom Waits and serial sentences.
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February 13, 2012 at 4:20AM EST Reply to CommentIt was a WELL DESERVED WIN. The Grammys judge on MUSIC, not on what a few mad people thik about it. Whether you like it or not, Chris Brown has impacted R&B charts greatly in 2011 and the win was to reward him on that!
Anonymous the problem is that his music is crap. it's almost as if they gave it to him to make some sort of point that they've forgiven him. should he have won a billboard award? maybe if his album did well. but a grammy? they were awarding him on songs about how much he likes to drink and throw his hands in the air? ridiculous.
February 15, 2012 at 12:18PM ESTKira
February 13, 2012 at 4:26AM EST Reply to CommentAdam Lambert kisses a guy on stage and gets blacklisted. Chris Brown beats a woman and gets rewarded. Society is screwed up.
tara ain't that the truth...couldn't have said it better myself.. you go girl
February 13, 2012 at 10:55AM ESTRenee Oh I know. Just like Christin Bale violently assaults his mother and wife and gets rewarded an Oscar. Just like Charlie Sheen violently assaults his ex-wives, shoot an ex-girlfriend in the arm, and is rewarded with a new TV show on FX. Or just like Brett Favre sexually assaults a woman and yet his image remains untouch. He just continues to get accolades as a great athlete. Maaaaan. That is totally fuck'd up. Oh wait. No one really mentions the violent actions by these celebrities. I guess "certain" people don't have to worry about actions they did damn near 3 or more years ago being hammer in their damn faces everytime they step out on stage.
February 13, 2012 at 11:28AM ESTjcpdiesel21 Thank you for the sane, rational response. Celebrity or not, Chris Brown is a terrible person and I hate the fact that he's getting another chance in the business so easily. Also, judging from his Grammy performance, he's not that great of a singer.
February 13, 2012 at 12:07PM ESTCalvin Renee... did you see the pic of Rhianna's face? Chris Brown should be in jail. And for the record, Bale did not "violently assault" his mother and wife (at most he shoved his mom). Favre sexually harassed a couple of women. No assault. Sheen, however, is a scumbag- just like Chris Brown.
February 13, 2012 at 12:15PM ESTEmily Yall need o shut up but nobody tlk bout wen emienm beat up his wife or wen jay z slaps girls, N he is a good singe he better than taylor swift n rihannas no singin azz
February 13, 2012 at 11:31PM ESTmunchie
February 13, 2012 at 6:15AM EST Reply to CommentThe Grammys seem to be the only award show that judges strictly on music (which is how its supposed to be) making the greatest music awards ceremony by far. That Grammy had Chris Brown's name written ALL over it. Even if they hated him they couldn't have possibly given it to someone else. Good job Chris!!! You deserved it.
Jo-Ann
February 13, 2012 at 8:00AM EST Reply to CommentIf the Grammys judge strictly on music then how the hell did Nikki Manaj get a nomination?
Anonymous Because the public consistently listens to her. She may be lacking of talent, originality, and whatever else you think but she isn't the first talentless loser the public liked. If they had chosen El Debarge to perform over her, I would have died. Yes he has more talent in his little finger than she has in her whole body, but we had a ton of people perform that no one wanted to hear. They needed flash. Nicki provided that. Eventhough it was awful. But flashy!
February 13, 2012 at 9:18AM ESTSandeePB
February 13, 2012 at 9:34AM EST Reply to CommentCongratulations to Chris Brown. He's an outstanding artist and a really good guy. It's about time society moves on and stops to deliberatly hold him down!
jade Congratulations on promoting domestic violence.
February 13, 2012 at 11:01AM ESTmatt it's cool how much you love domestic violence.
February 13, 2012 at 11:28AM ESTDanii Does anybody know she attacked him and she said it? Or Neyo confirmed previous altercations? I am a woman who knows what women can do! So maybe Congrats Rhi for manipulating the world!
February 13, 2012 at 2:53PM ESTvictoriaj1908 Thank you DANII...my thoughts exactly. People should get over it. He can't pay for this for the rest of his life.
February 13, 2012 at 4:03PM ESTJaeBby22 At Danii & VictoriaJ I agree with you both. Us as women can be abusers to, not saying that what he did was right but sometimes women abuse their men & men held to a standard that if you hit a woman it's wrong even if it's self-defense not saying that that was the case with Chris & Rhianna but us women can push buttons.
February 13, 2012 at 11:51PM ESTJaeBby22 Check this out if you don't believe me, get some education: http://www.womenabusingmen.org/
February 13, 2012 at 11:52PM ESTcynthia
February 13, 2012 at 12:33PM EST Reply to CommentWrite a comment...I'm not forgiving Chris brown for his violent abuse, but when it comes to putting on a show, well, he does put his all into it....this is his career and some ppl are willing to let him off the hook with a "written warning"......AND WITH THAT IN MIND, how do you continue punishing someone for bad behavior when the stupid ass chic that he abused (RHIANA) is. still fkn him on a dwn low?????
guest
February 13, 2012 at 3:59PM EST Reply to Commentwhy doesnt anybody criticize amy whinehouse for viciously abusing her first husband?? she used to BRAG about stumbling around drunk and punching him in the face whenever he said something "she didnt like"
why does no one care about that?
what is a man suppose to do if his girlfriend is constantly abusing him, inflicting physical damage and pain? why should he have to bear pain and harm everyday just for being born male? why should he have to be afraid to enter his own home, just because hes male? if his girlfriend beats him everyday, why should he just block and have to live in fear for the next day? the only way to stop that situation would be to physically stop the woman from ever hurting him again, which would mean punching back hard enough to make her think twice about continuing the abuse. its just like punching a bully in high school to make them leave you alone. just because somebody is born male doesnt mean they should have to put up with abuse!
now, im not saying this what happened with chris brown and rihanna, but i msick of people acting like men dont matter and we're just like farm animals to abuse at will. we have nerve endings to, we feel pain to, and getting scratched and punched hurts. we feel pain, and like any human female, we want that feeling of pain to stop, and so we make it stop. if an abusive women is physically assaulting a man, he should be able to do whatever it takes to make her stop.
Linda
February 13, 2012 at 5:25PM EST Reply to CommentAll I want to know is...was that Chris Brown dancing with Rihanna at the beginning of the dance segment for Rihanna's song?
Royce
February 13, 2012 at 9:08PM EST Reply to Commentstay pressed you stupid ass haters, chris brown will continue to be successful, only true talent succeeds and it is. dumbass humans, get over it, rihanna and chris are over it, so why the hell are you still going on about it? idiots
JaeBby22
February 14, 2012 at 9:54PM EST Reply to CommentPeople are fucking dumb
My mom is a single mother, ive seen her been hit by my dad. shes an absolutely strong woman. when it comes to chris brown? What he did is inexcusable; however, his personal life? has nothing to do with his music. he won awards because whether you like him or not? he has talent. hes taken full responsibility for his actions, completed probation and has apologized numerous times. hes paid for what he did, if Rhianna can move on and forgive? why cant you? its soo stupid to see people soo preoccupied with the something that happened 2 years ago, that they totally are unable to let it go. its ridiculous. people fuck up, hes a better man now. shes fine, shes not brain dead, deformed, scared..shes okay!! charlie sheen beats his wife, bobby brown and whitney houston beat each other, abraham lincon’s wife was abusive. if were soo worried about domestic abuse? why arent we attacking these people as well?