Two weeks after Steve Stoute penned an open letter in the New York Times criticizing the Grammys for what he thinks is a less than stellar treatment of Hip Hop, the marketing mogul has joined Grammy Chief Neil Portnow in pledging to help the awards show progress in its selection of music.
The men came out with a joint statement saying they’ve “come together in a collaborative manner to discuss how the Recording Academy can continue to evolve in an ever-changing cultural environment.”
Stoute previously shared his strong sentiments that mainstream acts like Justin Bieber and Eminem were more deserving of awards than lesser-known bands like Arcade Fire, and that the Grammys were out of touch with the current musical trends. These opinions were echoed by other artists, including Jermaine Dupri.
Although there haven’t been any concrete changes as of now, the statement pledges more diversity in the Grammy selection process: “The participation of new and culturally diverse voices has and continues to be a goal which benefits our members, the creative community, and music fans everywhere…We invite others who share this agenda to join us in these discussions.”
