I love Smokey, but I think it’s frankly rather insulting of him to call people who disagreed with the Jennifer Lopez selection “unintelligent” and “stupid” then he posts this. He’s right that Motown is for everybody and he has a right to defend her performance. But he does owe people an apology for insulting the Motown fan base’s intelligence because there were many who disagreed with the Grammys choosing her. He sees this as a race issue. I know some people had a problem because she wasn’t black. Others such as myself don’t care about the race of the performer but rather if they have the vocal and stylistic qualities to pull it off. I don’t think she was right artist for the genre. We all can agree to disagree but he’s not helping the situation especially with name calling.
He’s pushing this pretty hard
Getting publicity, going to the Wynne after Diana
All publicity is good? Otherwise it’s probably time to let this go
What surprises me most [[and in a good way) about the responses is that a surprising majority weren't upset over a race issue, but the fact that Motown trashed its own image for sophistication, polish and class. That amazes me that so many got the fact that this was one of the things that set Motown apart from everyone else.
In this day and age, I would have thought most would find that kind of attention and respect for class and dignity to be a corny, old-fashioned and outdated sort of thing. So in a very nice way, I like that the majority of the complaints were for the reason that JLo was shakin' it like a low class Hoochie Mama and not presenting herself with the class that Motown artists were known for.
He did something similar to this when the film "Dreamgirls" came out. Remember?
I remembered. And he really didn't have to either.
My how times have changed. As I recall, when Motown 25 was broadcast, Smokey sang a duet The Tracks of My Tears with Linda Ronstadt. I do not recall any disagreement at that time with him performing with Linda. I see no difference between then and now.
https://www.freep.com/story/entertai...on/2851724002/
Last edited by woodward; 02-13-2019 at 10:10 AM. Reason: Add link.
Team Smokey. Defending a lady against nincompoops with nothing else to do with their time.
Smokey May be seeing the bigger picture but I think he enjoys the publicity and finds it beneficial
But he always stands up for Motown
Smokey doesn't know what he's talking about. It was garbage pure and simple. He needs to stay around the other Motown legends and quit being around today's so called stars.
"Class turns the heads of kings and queens..." - Maxine Powell
How many people who liked JLo's performance think Maxine Powell would have approved it?
I'll give Smokey a little break because he was put on the spot. And I agree Motown was about music for everyone. But to be honest when they have the Latin Grammy's I don't see them allowing black performers to perform Latin songs [[or any other songs there). If I'm incorrect I apologize. They could not find anyone else to perform other than J-Lo? No disrespect. Just something to think about. And as we all know people gloss over what Motown artist went through. It's all good now because Motown's iconic impact. But let's not forget the artist being shot at, not being able to stay and eat in certain places, playing to segregated audiences, not being ale to perform in my places etc.
Only time a black artist did that was Patti LaBelle for Celia Cruz but they were friends...
It was kind of surprising to hear him respond more like a street fighter than someone who's been in the public eye all these years, but in a way I get it. That response was an emotion-based, defensive, off-the-cuff reply. The kind you give when you're caught off guard.
That was the other thing about Motown's Artists Development division; they trained artists on how to deal with reporters and I'm sure blurting out a blanket condemnation of everyone being "stupid" who has a different opinion than his wasn't something they taught.
This right here. For me, the issue was never about "race"; Puerto Ricans are a part of the African diaspora, after all, so those with an issue about the performer not being of African descent have no leg to stand on where that's concerned, IMHO. JLo treated this like a Tina Turner tribute, and therein lies the problem. Motown, at its best, was never about shaking like jelly all over the place. They were a paragon of what we in the African-American community know as "respectability politics," for better or worse. Therefore, Lopez missed the mark.
Not to me it wasn't! It did not surprise me at all that Smokey would respond the way that he did [[I can promise you he was cursing about it in private. LOL!). Smokey and them are from the HOOD! He is now more like the old man sitting on his porch in the hood and getting at someone that is on his grass! You just got a small glimpse of what some of these people are REALLY like! LOL! Artist Development trained them out to act in regards to show business, their life experiences taught them how to act in everyday situations. You remember how Diana Ross jumped on that airport security lady? That is just one small example that many would have heard about. Not picking on her.
Smokey, like Gladys and many others of their age group cannot be told what to do! They no longer have the patience to "discuss things" with people. You also will have a hard time changing their minds about something once it is made up. Facts!
Last edited by marv2; 02-13-2019 at 06:41 PM.
Right...Ms Powell and Mr Gordy would never allow or accept [[especially from his major star and mother of his daughter) any flesh in public, especially involving Motowns flagship female performer and Motown representative...Remember, Ms Powells influence goes back 50 years... Times have changed [[I'm not sure for the better), but those trying to criticize and dismiss the J-Lo performance based on her "attire" [[which she likely had little personal input in) were likely oogling Cardi b and would never criticize Tina Turner, Beyoncé, Janet Jackson, Madonna or any of the MANY other female entertainers they admire exhibiting flesh in their act as virtually ALL female dance oriented performances from those I just mentioned, to dancers like Juliet Prowse, Ann Miller, Joey Heatherton, Lola Falana, even the Rockettes ALL eventually expose legs and sexuality ...As Susaye logically stated...Berry Gordy tried for years to ultimately have his acts booked to perform in Vegas showrooms, and all of a sudden, a Vegas style flair in part of a Grammy segment and the "modest" world as we know it has been signaled to be coming to an end...As I've said...this is NOT about outfits, song selection, even J-Lo's voice [[which while not up to Gladys or Aretha standards perhaps) was quite adequate for the type of performance we're talking here...All the distraction and diversion aside...the real answer here can be explained in microcosm in the housing patterns over the past 50 years in and around Los Angeles or as Dennis Edwards and The Temptations put into song..."people moving out, people moving in, why all because of the color of their skin", and all one need do is look at the administration personnel in the Tom Bradley administration to the Antonio Villaragosa administration and the issues at play become blatantly clear ... and I appreciate Midnightman essentially admitting that, before unadmitting it...
Last edited by StuBass1; 02-13-2019 at 07:42 PM.
It’s not about race. As I said earlier, Bruno Mars or Joss Stone would have been more fitting and neither are black. Even Adele would have been a good fit.
This was a high energy PRODUCTION act...Unfortunately, peoples displeasure has been attributed to [[just scroll through these threads and heaven forbid some of the Facebook posts out there) her attire, vocal quality, attitude, song selection, fools at Motown and NARAS, dancing, so on and so forth, while choosing to ignore the elephant in the room IMHO... Beyoncé wearing the exact same attire would have been lauded, [[and I'm sure would have been terrific had she been available) and of course the fact that we now know how the Jackson segment was a last minute dump they were fortunate to have J-Lo available to go from the Motown 60 show to the Grammy telecast with an already made and largely rehearsed act… Joss Stone could hardly WALK barefoot when she participated in a Janis Joplin tribute and Adele [[performing best the songs she writes herself) is hardly the physically appealing persona to be a good fit into that outfit, let alone keeping many viewers from turning on Seinfeld reruns...Like I said...Everybody is a producer and believes THEY should have been consulted to tell them how to do it "right"...We ALL have our ideas and all think we're producers and do a better job than the career professionals...Unfortunately, speaking of Seinfeld, it's like when George Costanza believed he was qualified to do stuff he was not qualified to do too...LOL...https://youtu.be/cQodEQGl2kA
Last edited by StuBass1; 02-13-2019 at 08:35 PM.
Anyways...Topic played out...for me at least...so I hope everyone enjoys the Motown 60th Anniversary Special coming up in August...
Diane looks quite evil in that pic.
Exactly my point and thank you for making it. Mainstream dancers back in the [[modest) 50's wore that and more revealing attire...but in 2018, it's shocking that a [[Latina) performer would wardrobe that way. I suppose female singers for a Motown tribute should have their hemlines beneath the knee, and Childish Gambino would wear a tuxedo???... Plus...a guy who won song of the year with lyrics like Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah...Go go away...Yeah yeah yeah yeah Yeah yeah yeah yeah...go go away...[[repeat ad nauseum)...Don't catch ya slippin up X 4...More yeah yeahs...some gun shit, gotta strap, Yeah yeah yeah yeah...Im so dope, get your money black man [[black man) X4... No proper life for q dog...For a big dog......DEEP...I seriously doubt he's gonna feel the emotion of Tracks of My Tears or I've got sunshine on a cloudy day... LOL.
Last edited by StuBass1; 02-13-2019 at 10:21 PM.
Leon Bridges would've been a great addition.
Fred Sanford gets my vote Mr Gordy...Anybody who handles Bill Kenny so beautifully could knock off Motown stuff in a heartbeat...https://youtu.be/UQM8RbqSIcA
Speaking of the Inkspots. Ever hear The Inkspots sing Prince's "Purple Rain"?
Only problem here...The Ink Spots disbanded in the mid 50's. Purple Rain was written in the mid 80's. These are NOT the "actual" Ink Spots nor were any of these guys members...Name never trademarked...Imposters...
Now i can't comment on the smokey-j-lo duet because i haven't watched a full grammy's show since the temps won in[1968]i just saw about the first ten minutes and clicked it off,but my complaint with him singing with[linda ronstat]wasn't her race[linda can sing]it was the fact that it was a motown reunion and the other[miracles were there.
Didn’t Mrs Powell say”Never let the buttocks protrude!” Then JLO would be out of a job!
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