Smokey Robinson calls Motown tribute complainers 'stupid'
- by Silvia Morton
- in Entertaiment
- — Feb 14, 2019
Jennifer Lopez stunned at the Grammys stage by headlining the night's tribute to Motown alongside famed Motown legend Smokey Robinson.
"My abs", Lopez responded before DeGeneres inquired about her boyfriend, to which Lopez immediately began blushing and said, "Ooh".
"This summer I am celebrating", Lopez says.
Speaking to the confusion behind her involvement in the tribute, Lopez said, "The thing about music is that it inspires all".
But that's fine, Lopez said post-performance, "It was for my mom". "Mommy, this is for you because we used to dance around to this music", she told E! ahead of her performance. "So now you're gonna to try to diminish the scope of Motown and narrow it down to just music for Black people and you call yourself defending the image of Motown. You gotta do what's in your heart", Lopez shared in her defense.
Elsewhere on the show, Lopez opens up about her relationship with Alex Rodriguez, who the singer reveals bought her a video chat with "Fixer Upper" star Joanna Gaines for their second-anniversary gift. But the cultural magnitude of Motown is inextricably tied to the racial barriers it broke in the 1950s. The "Motown Sound" was pivotal on shaping the pop music landscape of today, not only giving African American singers a path to stardom but singers from all backgrounds. "After Motown, Black popular music would never again be dismissed as a minority taste..." "And it's Black History Month too".
Without a doubt, one of the most-talked about moments from the 2019 Grammys was Jennifer Lopez's tribute to the era of Motown. We know Beyoncé would've been impossible to get, but did anyone try?
In honor of her 50th birthday, the global superstar has announced "It's My Party: The Live Celebration" tour, which will travel to 24 cities across North America this summer. She then briefly teamed up with Alicia Keys on "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone" and sang "Another Star" with Ne-Yo, who played the piano.
Some of the greatest artists of all time came out of Motown Records.
Meg Hanson is a Brooklyn-based writer, teacher and jaywalker.
