Respect Artistry

Appearing on the E! network’s aftershow, West said, “I just know that the Grammys, if they want real artists to keep coming back, they need to stop playing with us. We ain’t gonna play with them no more. And Beck needs to respect artistry and he should’ve given his award to Beyoncé.

“Because when you keep on diminishing art and not respecting the craft and smacking people in their face after they deliver monumental feats of music, you’re disrespectful to inspiration,” West continued. “And we as musicians have to inspire people who go to work every day, and they listen to that Beyoncé album and they feel like it takes them to another place.”

I’m sorry…what?

Someone explain to me how Kanye is the one and only judge of what is music and artistry? He expected Beck to give his award to Beyonce? What – Beck didn’t work hard on his album, on his craft of music, on his own artistry? Does Kanye think no one listens to Beck and therefore he doesn’t deserve recognition for his hard work?

I’m sorry but if you’re a true artist, you support those in your industry, period. It’s plan and simple – you want to be respected you show respect towards others. With these words he was being disrespectful to inspiration and to Beck as a fellow artist in the SAME INDUSTRY.

I listen to Beyonce…I listen to Beck…l listen to Arcade Fire…I listen to Taylor Swift, Bruno Mars, Rihanna, Stevie Nicks, Bob Dylan, Bob Marley, Maroon 5, Haim, Hozier, Sam Smith, Emeli Sande, The Civil Wars, Johnny Cash (etc.). I appreciate all of it. I just can’t believe that people think this man is a role model or inspiration of any kind. I find him rude and disrespectful year after year and statements like this just prove it. He may not have gotten up and said “I’mma let you finish” this year, but this was no better.

Beck – you deserve your award. Just like Arcade Fire did the year they won. Hard work is hard work no matter what.