Beyonce's MemoriamTribute to Dolly Parton

Beloved Country music legend and philantropist Dolly Parton passed away yesterday after a brief bout with cancer. She was 80 years old. Tributes and expressions of sympathy have been pouring in for the Country music icon including from music legend Beyonce who covered "Jolene" one of Dolly's notable songs on her groundbreaking Grammy Award-winning album "Cowboy Carter"which landed her an Album of the Year Award last year. Beyonce gave a tribute to Dolly on her website with expressions of regard and condolences. In addition to Beyoncé’s cover of “Jolene”, Dolly  collaborated with Beyoncé on Tyrant and Dolly P., two other cuts on the album.

Kanye Catapults Rap Into the Stratosphere at So-Fi

 Kanye West, now known as Ye, makes an extraordinary  comeback catapulting the Rap genre into the stratosphere with an out of this world light show on top of fantastic stage displays, appearing almost holographic, of planet earth and its moon with amazing performances by himself and guest artists including Lauryn Hill, Zion Marley, Travis Scott and daughter North West before sold out audiences of 80,000 over two nights in one of  LA's largest concert venues. Other artists appearing over the span of two nights on different days were Cee Lo Green, Andre Troutman and YG Marley.

It is estimated that Ye raised a record 33 million from ticket sales alone from what some critics have described as a cultural takeover.

Two of the corporate sponsors decided to bail out when they learned they were backing Ye. Obviously because of his past media antics promoting Nazis, putting down Jews and making outlandish remarks about some of his closest friends and allies like Hova and Beyonce. However, Ye went back to all apologizing, receiving acceptance from a Jewish rabbi, forgiveness from Jay-Z and begging for forgiveness for his mistakes, blaming his erratic behavior on a traumatic brain injury he experienced, the result of a car crash he had been involved in years ago. We all remember that. He had to have his jaws re-wired and could not talk or eat any solid food for months.

For more information on Ye's journey on the road to seek forgiveness for past transgressions that led to his being ostracized by his peers, the Jewish community and allegedly banned from concert appearances in the US,  watch the following Instagram reel by long time friend, Grammy and Emmy Award winning producer  Malik Yusef at this link.

For more history about past incidents that have resulted in Ye being called out on the carpet for his behavior towards fellow recording artists like Taylor Swift concerning a Grammy award win dispute involving Beyonce and ultimately forgiven by Swift see my prior blog post at the following link:

https://cynthiadwilson2.blogspot.com/2010/09/song-for-kanye-its-about-forgiveness.html?m=1

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FOR MORE posts on forgiveness in this blog follow these links:

https://cynthiadwilson2.blogspot.com/2026/03/15-year-anniversary-of-chris-browns.html?m=1

https://cynthiadwilson2.blogspot.com/2007/05/on-forgiveness.html?m=1

Grammy Elegance: Beyonce, Alicia,Doechii, Roan et Al

 

Alicia Keys Global Impact Award Acceptance Speech

Beyonce Wins Album of the Year Award 

The Grammy Awards show last night, I would describe as pure elegance from the set,stage decor,the performances and of course the acceptance speeches, of which the most vibrant were Beyonce, Keys,Doechii and Roan. Trevor Noah excelled again as host.
It was good and was glad to see Beyonce I
(and vicariously hubby Jay-Z) finally get that album of the year award even though Beyonce has won the most Grammys than any other artist ever with 27 wins before she won the coveted Album of the Year Award and a few others last night. Now with a total of 35.Kudos to her and the graceful manner in which she and daughter Blue lvy accompanying her on stage,accepted the long overdue bonus. I say bonus because her range and excellence in the pop music field had been proven time and time again
by her numerous Grammy wins in the past. And, quite frankly it was a shrewd move to go country.

 If Swift could cross over from country to pop and skyrocket up the charts why not Beyonce switching over from pop to country. It definitely paid off in more ways than one. Shaboozey, Lil Nas, Darius Rucker deserve their cross over propers as well and Mickey Guyton for paving the way as well in country genre are all blacks in country. Beyonce did Charlie Pride and many more little known Black country artists proud while elevating the genre in the black community and globally. While showing her country roots Texas style. Savvy move. 

Alicia Keys was simply stunning from her approach to the stage accompanied by one of her children to the dynamic way in which she lauded the artists community for how they were coming together to support one another inserting a well timed reminder in light of recent events by the current administration. She mentioned and I am paraphrasing, about how diversity is a gift and not something to be discarded or frowned upon. It should be welcomed and nurtured.How she reached out to the community of female musicians and opened up doors with. She is in the Music, helped children in Africa with Keep A Child Alive and other programs she initiated and developed over the years. Queen Latifah's introduction of Alicia was beautiful. She lifted her up as a good friend who is always there when you call on her. The camera zoomed in on Alicia returning a warm and appreciative smile for the props.Alicia not only received the Dr. DRE Global Impact Award,but she also received a Grammy for her Broadway bioplay Hell's Kitchen.

I especially resonated with Roans speech and how she in a soft spoken manner. Her slogan,sure to become a popular adage among artists was "labels we got you, but do you have us"?  Well done Roan in an unassuming,yet forcefully gentle way.
She spoke out about the need for health coverage and other financial benefits that often go missing from artists compensation in a multi million dollar industry. Right on Roan!

Link to my podcast episode here for more commentary on the show.