2015 Grammy Awards: ‘Like Black Lives, Albums Still Matter’

So, last night’s LL Cool J-hosted 57th annual Grammy Awards spilled over three hours long, but the night’s essentials can be boiled down to about six key moments. Kanye performed twice and almost pulled a Kanye at the end; Kendrick Lamar won his first gold gramophone; Prince made a #BlackLivesMatter statement; Ledisi got robbed as Beyoncé performed in her stead; Pharrell snuck in a #HandsUpDontShoot into “Happy” and scored a Grammy for it; plus, President Obama weighed in on violence against women.

Here’s more on those highlights, along with the night’s biggest Black wins.

1. Kanye West was expected to hit the stage twice, but his third appearance was the real talk of the night. “Only One” and “FourFiveSeconds”—his recent collabs with Paul McCartney—went off without a hitch. But Album of the Year winner Beck almost got Taylor Swifted when Kanye stormed the stage after Prince announced his name. Mr. West played it off, but we all got the point. Beck > Beyoncé? Naaah.

2. Speaking of Beyoncé, Mrs. Carter scooped a well-deserved Best R&B Performance win for “Drunk in Love.” But Black Twitter lit all the way up when Bey sang the Selma spiritual “Precious Lord, Take My Hand” that originally belonged to the Ledisi. Things might’ve been different if she’d killed it. But…

3. Kendrick Lamar won his very first Grammy Awards when “i” won Best Rap Song and Best Rap Performance. And hip-hop breathed another sigh of relief when Iggy Azalea lost out as Eminem walked away with Best Rap Album (The Marshall Mathers LP 2) and Best Rap/Sung Collaboration (“The Monster” with Rihanna). Anything but Iggy.

4. Prince’s turn at the podium boiled down to the line of the evening: “Like books and Black lives, albums still matter.” Amen.

5. Pharrell brought the house down with “Happy,” but anyone paying close attention couldn’t miss miss the #BlackLivesMatter moment: at one point, Skateboard P and all his dancers struck the “hands up, don’t shoot pose.” Again, amen.

6. And President Obama had this to say about domestic violence:

THE WINNERS:

Best Pop Solo Performance

Pharrell Williams, “Happy”

Best Rap Performance

Kendrick Lamar, “i”

Best Rap/Sung Collaboration

Eminem w/Rihanna, “The Monster”

Best Rap Song

Kendrick Lamar, “i”

Best Rap Album

Eminem, The Marshall Mathers LP 2

Best R&B Performance

Beyoncé w/Jay Z, “Drunk in Love”

Best Traditional R&B Performance

“Jesus Children,” Robert Glasper Experiment w/Lalah Hathaway & Malcolm-Jamal Warner

Best Urban Contemporary Album

Pharrell Williams, G I R L

Best R&A Album

Toni Braxton & Babyface, Love, Marriage & Divorce

Best Jazz Vocal Album

Dianne Reeves, Beautiful Life

Best Gospel Performance/Song

Smokie Norful, “No Greater Love”

Best Gospel Album

Erica Campbell, Help

Best Reggae Album

Ziggy Marley, Fly Rasta

Best World Music Album

Angelique Kidjo, Eve

Best Music Video

Pharrell Williams, “Happy”

Best Music Film

20 Feet From Stardom