Niccijade Reeves-Alhark
Staff Reporter
The Grammys did something dumb. Here is why.
IGOR, an album released by Tyler, the Creator in 2019, was nominated for Best Rap Album in the 2020 Grammys. IGOR is as described by Tyler, the Creator himself, an album that should not be listened to expecting the genre of rap. The obvious problem with this album winning the Best Rap Album category of the Grammys is that IGOR is not a rap album. After winning the nomination Tyler, the Creator told an interviewer backstage that it felt like a backhanded compliment, and that he felt the urban category he was put in was a “politically correct way to say the n-word.”
This is just one of the instances where the Grammys have screwed over an artist due to racial bias. Their blatant discrimination has led artists Frank Ocean, Kanye West, The Weekend, and others to boycott the Grammys despite their nominations for a category.
In my opinion, IGOR should have been nominated for the Album of the Year because it is obviously not a rap album and the concept of the work itself contains many genres like pop, neo-soul, and funk. IGOR is an album that deserves to be recognized for its diversity in genre and production and to not be shoved into a category due to racial stereotyping.
IGOR consists of twelve tracks, each corresponding with each other and telling a story that is theorized by listeners to be made up of two parts. Compared to Tyler, the Creator’s other albums like Cherry Bomb and Goblin, IGOR is more emotional and gives insight into his love life. The main premise of the album is the story and process of Tyler, the Creator getting over his ex. It contains all the above, hurt, betrayal, despair, hostility, and realization.
IGOR is also heavily produced and edited to convey emotions and struggle in a way that is very unique and in-depth. Each song goes through these phases with meaningful lyrics and emotionally charged beats.
IGOR has a level of creativity that I intensely admire from a general art standpoint and I wish the Recording Academy appreciated it as much as I do.
Image Credit: grammy.com
Comments