Grammy creative directors Ken Ehrlich and David Wild chopped it up with Rolling Stone for their annual Grammy Awards podcast where they discussed Sunday’s show as well as successes and failures from past shows. Frank Ocean came up during the conversation where they referenced the singer’s 2013 “Forrest Gump” performance.
Ehrlich claimed that they “executed his vision knowing that it was faulty” and that they tried to communicate this to Ocean and his team. That is why Ehrlich and Wild have reason to believe that Ocean’s recent comments about the awards show being “dated” stem from the performance. “His feelings about the Grammys right now, I would imagine, probably go back to that in one way. But honestly, it wasn’t us,” Ehrlich said.
It wasn’t long before Frank Ocean caught wind of Ehrlich and Wild’s comments and he responded to them on Tumblr. The singer gathered them and explained that his absence from this year’s show has everything to do with cultural bias.
He writes:
“Ok Ken (and David). As much as I hate to make you guys famous or even respond to you directly. We all die one day and you’re old so f*ck it.
Yea yea my 2013 performance at the Grammys was absolute sh*t. Technical difficulties, blah blah. Thanks for the reminder. Very much appreciated. F*ck that performance though. You think that’s why I kept my work out of the Grammy process this year? Don’t you think I would’ve wanted to play the show to ‘redeem’ myself if I felt that way?
In reality, I actually wanted to participate in honoring Prince on the show but then I figured my best tribute to that man’s legacy would be to continue to be myself out here and to be successful. Winning a TV award doesn’t christen me successful. It took me some time to learn that. I bought all my masters back last year in the prime of my career, that’s successful. Blonde sold a million plus without a label, that’s successful. I am young, black, gifted and independent.. that’s my tribute.
I’ve actually been tuning into CBS around this time of year for a while to see who gets the top honor and you know what’s really not ‘great TV’ guys? 1989 getting album of the year over To Pimp A Butterfly. Hands down one of the most ‘faulty’ TV moments I’ve seen. Believe the people. Believe the ones who’d rather watch select performances from your program on YouTube the day after because your show puts them to sleep.
Use the old gramophone to actually listen bro, I’m one of the best alive. And if you’re up for a discussion about the cultural bias and general nerve damage the show you produce suffers from then I’m all for it.
Have a good night.”
Ouch!! Roommates, do you think that the Grammys is dated? Why or why not?
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Source: http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/grammy-producers-respond-to-frank-ocean-criticism-w466347,
