Justin Bieber, Eminem Grammy Snubs Prompt Open Letter From Hip-Hop Brand Manager

'The awards show has become a series of hypocrisies and contradictions,' writes Steve Stoute in full page ad.
By Shawn Adler


Steve Stoute
Photo: Theo Wargo/WireImage

Ad man, brand manager and occasional consigliere to many of hip-hop's most powerful stars, marketing mogul Steve Stoute took out a full page ad in Sunday's New York Times Style Section blasting the Grammy Awards, its parent organizational, The National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (NARAS), and its president, Neil Portnow, for what he feels is both increasing irrelevance and possible malfeasance.

"Over the course of my 20-year history as an executive in the music business and as the owner of a firm that specializes in in-culture advertising, I have come to the conclusion that the Grammy Awards have clearly lost touch with contemporary popular culture," he wrote in the ad, which took the form of an open letter. "The awards show has become a series of hypocrisies and contradictions, leaving me to question why any contemporary popular artist would even participate."

In particular, Stoute focused on the relatively recent snubs of Eminem, Kayne West, and Justin Bieber, all musicians he believes have been unfairly beaten for awards by inferior artistic and commercial acts.

"We must acknowledge the massive cultural impact of Eminem and Kanye West and how their music is shaping, influencing and defining the voice of a generation," Stoute wrote of the two hip-hop superstars, adding of Bieber, "How is it that Justin Bieber, an artist that defines what it means to be a modern artist, did not win Best New Artist?"

While acknowledging in his letter that the most popular acts aren't always deserving of awards simply on the basis of their commercial success, of particular focus for Stoute is the seeming dichotomy between musicians the award ceremony chooses to honor and musicians the ceremony asks to perform.

"While these very artists that the public acknowledges as being worthy of their money and fandom are snubbed year after year at the Grammys, the awards show has absolutely no qualms in inviting these same artists to perform," he wrote. "Interesting that the Grammys understands cultural relevance when it comes to using Eminem's, Kayne West's or Justin Bieber's name in the billing [but not when handing out trophies]."

Not content to simply attribute these gaps to the general irrelevance or ignorance of the NARAS voters, Stoute goes on to suggest that performances are scheduled much more cynically and crassly, citing this year's Best Album winner Arcade Fire as an example of an act too serendipitous to be coincidental.

"What truly inspired the writing of this letter was that this most recent show fed my suspicions. As the show was coming to a close and just prior to presenting the award for Album of the Year, Arcade Fire performed 'Month of May' only to, surprise, win the category and, in a moment of sheer coincidence, happened to be prepared to perform 'Ready to Start'," he wrote. "Does the Grammys intentionally use artists for their celebrity, popularity and cultural appeal when they already know the winners and then program a show against this expectation?"

According to the official http://www.grammy.com/GRAMMY_Awards/Voting&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us&client=firefox-a&source=www.google.com" target="_blank">website of the Grammys, it would be impossible for anyone to know the winners of the various awards before the show, as they are delivered in sealed envelopes to the presenters by Deloitte Accounting.

The winners themselves are determined by several rounds of submission and voting, starting with a screening process where 150 "experts" ensure "that each entry is placed in its proper category."

From there, nomination ballots are sent out. Voters are encouraged to vote only in their area of expertise in addition to the four general categories, incidentally the same categories Stoute has the most problems with: Record Of The Year, Album Of The Year, Song Of The Year and Best New Artist.

The top five vote getters from this process are listed as the official nominees. Finally, ballots are sent out with the new, limited choices to determine a winner.

Not good enough, Stoute says, believing this system is possibly ripe for being corrupted.

"The National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences hides behind the 'peer' voting system to escape culpability for not even rethinking this approach," he writes. "You are being called to task at this very moment, NARAS."

Representatives from NARAS have not responded to MTV's request for comment by press time.

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Arcade Fire, Justin Bieber, Rihanna Win Brit Awards

'We're called Arcade Fire -- check it out on Google,' Win Butler jokes on Tuesday night.
By Gil Kaufman


Justin Bieber at the 2011 Brit Awards
Photo: Dave Hogan/ Getty Images

Less than 48 hours after his Grammy Awards disappointment, Justin Bieber got some sweet redemption at Tuesday night's Brit Awards. The annual kudos fest was held at London's O2 arena, and it featured a trophy for Bieber in the International Breakthrough Act category, as well as some additional hardware for one of Sunday night's biggest winners.

After taking home the Album of the Year honors at the Grammys, Arcade Fire continued their winning ways at the Brits, snagging a pair of trophies — which were crafted by designer Vivienne Westwood — for Best International Album and Best International Group.

"We're called Arcade Fire — check it out on Google," band leader Win Butler said in a nod to his group's search engine popularity in the wake of the Grammy surprise.

The Brits showed more love for their former colonies as Barbadian Rihanna took Best International Female Star, and American Cee Lo Green snagged Best International Male Solo Artist.

It was also a big night for British rapper Tinie Tempah, who was honored for Best British Breakthrough Act and Best Single for his tune "Pass Out." Tempah's album is slated for release in the U.S. in the spring.

As their debut continues to move back up the U.S. charts, Grammy performers Mumford & Sons won Best British Album for Sigh No More, while reunited British boy-now-man band Take That — which features singer Robbie Williams — were awarded Best British Group. Rising star Jessie J got the Critics' Choice prize and 21-year-old folk singer Laura Marling was named Best British Female.

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Justin bieber covers Rolling stone

Justin Bieber

He?s the object of affection for millions of teenage girls, and Justin Bieber is speaking his mind on the topic of sex in the new issue of Rolling Stone. The ?One Less Lonely Girl? singer explained, ?I don?t think you should have sex with anyone unless you love them.? He continued, ?I think you should just wait for the person you?re... in love with,? noticeably leaving out the whole marriage thing. As for abortion, Justin says he?s definitely Pro-Life. "I really don't believe in abortion. It's like killing a baby?" And he?ll keep his Canadian healthcare. "We go to the doctor and we don't need to worry about paying him, but here, your whole life, you're broke because of medical bills. My [American] bodyguard's baby was premature, and now he has to pay for it. In Canada, if your baby's premature, he stays in the hospital as long as he needs to, and then you go home." [gallery=751]

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'30 Rock' Recap: One-Hit Blunders

'30 Rock' Recap: One-Hit Blunders

After her messy break-up with Carol, Lemon resigns herself to a life of spinsterhood, complete with a fanny pack-adorned sweat suit, a cat named Emily Dickinson, and a large-print copy of Murder on the Orient Express. Jenna tries to jog her out of the lovelorn lurch by taking her to a club that seems perfectly suited for Lemon.

One hot stranger (Eion Bailey) and a random hook-up later, Lemon thinks all signs are pointing away from her inevitable slog toward "Decrepit Cat Lady"... until she starts to piece together clues from the night before, Agatha Christie-style, and realizes it was all a set-up by the gang at TGS. Whether that's extra-sad or heartwarming, you be the judge. Either way, Lemon got to make out with a swarthy fellow named Anders.

CLICK TO READ THE FULL RECAP

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Lady Gaga Stops Traffic in NYC

Lady Gaga Stops Traffic in NYC

It takes quite the scene to get busy New Yorkers to slow down for anything, but Lady Gaga managed to stop traffic in the Big Apple on Monday.

While filming footage for her new HBO special, police were forced to step in and control the frenzy the superstar's appearance had caused. As Gaga and her dad, Joe, visited a local deli in downtown Manhattan, hundreds of "Little Monsters" flocked to the scene in hopes to get a minute their favorite singer.

We imagine the Grammy winner's outfit, of just a leather jacket and tights, didn't help the situation, either.

Later that night, Gaga took the stage at NYC's Madison Square Garden for the first of two concerts, which are being filmed for the cable network's special, as well.

Are you excited for Lady Gaga's upcoming concert special? Chime in below!

 

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Oprah's Ex-Boyfriend: Stedman Graham Stole Her from Me!

Oprah's Ex-Boyfriend: Stedman Graham Stole Her from Me!

Given that Oprah Winfrey, 57, has been dating Stedman Graham for 26 years, you'd think that stories about her love life would be old news. But this week, an ex-boyfriend of Winfrey's came out of the woodwork to claim that Graham, 59, stole Oprah from him!

Reginald Chevalier, a 51-year-old Haitian filmmaker and ex-model, tells Gawker that he met Winfrey in 1985 when he appeared on a celebrity look-alikes episode of her show. (His resemblance? Billy Dee Williams.) Chevalier, then 25, recalls that Winfrey took him out to lunch after the show, and they immediately began a four-month affair. Winfrey was the older woman at 32, but he says that didn't stop them from getting serious; they moved in together, and Chevalier claims that she even talked marriage. However, he tells RadarOnline.com that their relationship ended abruptly once Stedman came onto the scene.

"When I was dating Oprah, I know for a fact that Stedman was courting her," says Chevalier -- who, ironically, appeared in magazine ads with Graham back when both of them were male models.

Chevalier says that he knew Stedman was pursuing Oprah when they attended a New Year's Eve party together. Graham came with another girl, he says, and that girl spent the whole party trying to "distract me from Oprah" so that Graham could make his move. And, in the end, "Stedman won the battle." Chevalier says that Winfrey broke up with him by changing the locks to her apartment.

"On a yellow envelope she had written: 'Sorry, things aren't working between us. Oprah Winfrey,'" he recalls to Gawker. "That was it. No phone call. No good-bye... A few weeks later Stedman was on the scene -- full time."

Winfrey hasn't verified Chevalier's story -- although Gawker has confirmed that Chevalier was Oprah's date for the premiere of her 1985 film The Color Purple. Last year, singer John Tesh also revealed that he had once dated Oprah. She didn't comment on that relationship, so we doubt she'll comment on this one, either.

Do you think Stedman really stole Oprah from Reginald Chevalier? Chime in below!

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