Five months after Deborah Dugan joined the Recording Academy as its CEO and president, the powers-that-be at the Recording Academy have placed her on administrative leave — and Chuck D has something to say about it.
The news of Dugan’s departure was announced on Friday (January 17).
“The Board of Trustees felt this action to be necessary, due to serious concerns that recently were brought to our attention,” interim Recording Academy President and CEO Harvey Mason Jr. said in a statement. “While we are unable to share the details of the concerns to protect employee privacy, please know that the Board has retained two independent third-party investigators to conduct independent investigations into allegations that have been made.”
Dugan’s attorney Bryan Freedman responded to the ousting on Twitter, writing, “What has been reported is not nearly the story that needs to be told. When our ability to speak is not restrained by a 28-page contract and legal threats, we will expose what happens when you ‘step up’ at the Recording Academy, a public nonprofit.”
Freedman added, This is what happens when you step up. #grammys #thisiswhathappenswhenyoustepup #stepup #deborahdugan #grammyssomale #fixgrammysnow #oldboysnetwork #grammysstepup.”
The “step-up” is a jab at former chief executive Neil Portnow’s suggestion following the 2018 Grammys that female artists should “step up” in response to a lack of awards representation.
The Public Enemy frontman, who is preparing to accept a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in April, has issued an open letter to the Grammys and Hip Hop. He makes it abundantly clear he applauds Dugan’s efforts while shaming the “ignorant, testosterone-fueled, usually old white men” who tend to thwart any real progress.
“They want to keep it the status quo and make sure things like Hip Hop stay the poster child of their fuckery,” he wrote in part. “In 1989 we protested the Grammys because they refused to acknowledge a new art form called Hip Hop/Rap. I responded with the lyric, ‘Who gives a fuck about a goddamn Grammy.’ We fought to be recognized and for things to change. We kicked that door in for others to come through.”
The pioneering Hip Hop legend also applauded Dugan’s efforts to affect serious change and expressed his disappointment in the “same old jive,” noting he was aware Dugan was “having her own struggles” within an academy “that thinks Public Enemy ended in 1992.”
“After 35 years in this industry, folks should know that I always defer any individual accomplishment, always giving salutes to those before me and trying to open the door for those after me,” he continued. In agreeing to accept the Lifetime Achievement Award when Deborah called me was no different.
“We discussed these issues and what need to change. Hip Hop can’t be judged by a bunch of old corporate guards who rewrite history to serve their corporate bottom line.”
Chuck also condemned the Grammys for questioning DJ Lord’s position in the group. Lord has been behind the 1s and 2s as part of Public Enemy for over two decades.
“We had to haggle, to educate, to justify why a core member of our group for the past 22 years, DJ Lord, should be a part of this award,” he added. “We had to question why our biggest UK hit and the them to the global Paralympics Games ‘Harder Than You Think’ was left out.”
Chuck ended his letter by stating he isn’t surprised Dugan is out.
“Never could I have imagined that pushing for the recognition our art form deserved would turn into artists being coerced into disrespecting the craft, themselves, the culture and other people only to chase the bag and validation from corporations and award shows who don’t care about you. I hope this letter will be a wake-up call for them. New folks but the same ol bullshit pattern doesn’t change a thing.”
The 62nd Annual Grammy Awards take place on January 26 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.
If every hip hop artist got all of their friends and collaboraters from other genres of music to join in a real boycott where everyone participates for two or three years; no attendance, no award acceptance, no acknowledgment at all, things would change.
I think they should also form a union to stand up to the record companies for reasons beyond this form of racism. you can tell a lot of them aren’t happy complaining about oh why aren’t I getting paid more, other contractual disputes… on and on it goes.
What is lookkng 2 be changed? All this sounds like whining for no reason..whats the issue?
Also grammys are white if u dont like it put more stock into bet and not white man grammys.
not like the nineties eh.
BET is run by whitefolks, Kol. No disrespect, but clearly missed the point with Chuck’s letter. BET is a modern minstrel show.
So hed rather take his frustration on white mans show then fix up a show geared 2 blacks?.. sounds lioe black people alright
Salute-Respect-Homage- To the Incomparable, The Leader, The Fearless, The Revolutionary, AND!!!!! The Rock n Roll HALL OF MF FAMER!!!!! Chuch D!
They Can’t Take the Hall of Fame away from you! They can’t stop the Bumrush!!!!!!! 98 Posse! I was a Fatherless child in the 80’s, and you rapped like a Father to all the young Black kids who didn’t have one. the strength, the anxiety in your voice, The urgency of your delivery!!! THE MESSAGE IN YOUR SONGS!!!!! The Radical Noise of arguably the best Hip Hop producers ever (Hank Keith and Eric). The Movement and discipline of the S1W’s, and how you guys moved as a TEAM! Ah!!! Never experienced anything before, Or After!!! You were sent by the Almighty to wake and shake!!!!!! Everybody knows if they ask me my favorite rap group, The Answer will always be P.E!
I didn’t have a father either … I’m not flucking crying about it
well if any blacks they should be there on merit not just because they are black. I am not too concerned about the grammys because you should be talking about peoples careers instead. you should be talking about contracts, how the record companies do their business these days and hire talent scouts who look for talent whether it be about white but also, be about black if it just happens to be the situation.
Yep because it couldn’t be there’s a legitimate reason she was fired … it’s just because of racism and oppression … people of color never do anything wrong and never deserve negative actions or opinions … GTF ALL THE WAY OUT OF HERE …. plus Chuck … how about you thanks white people for being the only ones that financially supported hip-hop and made it the powerhouse genre … you fucking people cry racism when we don’t support your culture then cry cultural appropriation when we do …. SHUT YOUR CRYBABY ASSES UP … everyone has obstacles to climb over in their life …. life and no one in owes anyone race or gender shit
Man, sit your dumbass down.
Who these old, grumpy, irrelevant, washed up nicca? FOH
Chuck been fighting the power for 30 years when the better plan was to BECOME THE POWER…now look
Expand on this point.
Chuck was woke a long time ago and yet he has zero power in the hip hop game…he never became a successful music mogul,he hasn’t yet became a power broker of decisions being made that effect the hip hop culture. People disagree with Puff/Jayz/50/Master P about how they go about their business but they actually went from the mailroom to the boardroom and now they ARE the power
get the absolute fuck out of here, you jackass. Who the fuck are you to judge what Chuck has achieved over the years?
We all said this about Chuck for years. Where have you been.