This year, on the second day of Black History Month, we got the Grammy ceremony we deserved. On music’s biggest night, the 67th Grammy awards delivered in the best ways possible. Held at the Crypto Arena in the heart of Los Angeles, where they are still picking up the pieces from the recent devastating wildfires, host Trevor Noah set the tone for the evening to be a “Celebration of the humanity and spirit of survival.”
The magical evening in the City of Angels started with an opening act that included Altadena residents Dawes, who performed a memorable rendition of Randy Newman’s “I Love L.A.” alongside Sheryl Crow, Brad Paisley, John Legend, Brittany Howard, and St. Vincent. Local companies impacted by the wildfire last month were also granted commercial time to help them reestablish their business presence and make up for revenue lost during the fires. With what looked to be vintage photos in the background, LA resident Billie Eilish sang her popular song “Birds of a Feather” in a rural environment similar to the hiking trails around LA County. After a pre-recorded segment featuring graphic footage of wrecked homes and distraught families, Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars entered the stage to perform a stripped-down version of The Mamas & the Papas’ 1965 song “California Dreamin’.” Throughout the show, host Noah would share a QR code with the audience that would navigate users on ways to donate, and by the end of the show, he revealed that $7 million had been raised for the MusiCares Fire Relief foundation and other causes. Although bittersweet, the show’s central theme was optimism and an appeal to join those figuring out how to bring about better times.
One of the first big, exciting moments of the night was artist Doechii winning Best Rap Album for her project “Alligator Bites Never Heal”, presented to her by industry big sis Cardi B. With her sweet but eccentric twist, Doechii corrected herself by saying, “There have only been two women that have won this category…there have only been THREE women that have won this category!” The previous winners were Lauryn Hill and Cardi B. Doechii then used the rest of her speech to highlight the huge role that going sober played in her journey and to remind young artists to stay true to themselves, and you will end up exactly where you need to be. “I put my heart and my soul into this mixtape,” she said. “I bared my life. I went through so much. I dedicated myself to sobriety, and God told me that I would be rewarded. I know that there are some Black girls out there, so many Black women out there, that are watching me right now, and I want to tell you. Anything is possible,” she continued. “Don’t allow anybody to project any stereotypes on you that tell you can’t be here, that you’re too dark or that you’re not smart enough or that you’re too dramatic or you’re too loud. You are exactly who you need to be to be right where you are, and I am a testimony.” Later in the show, she would hit the stage to give us one of the best performances of the night for her songs “Catfish” and “Denial is a River” with her record spinning bestie/M.C., DJ Miss Milan.
Sultry singer Raye, who was nominated for Best New Artist and Songwriter of the Year, also gave a stunning performance of her hit “Oscar Winning Tears” from her debut studio album “My 21st Century Blues,” leaving viewers wanting more.
Alicia Keys accepted the Dr. Dre Global Impact Award and seized the stage to express her concern with the current president’s executive orders to eliminate DEI initiatives. “This is not the time to shut down a diversity of voices. We’ve seen on this stage talented, hard-working people from different backgrounds with different points of view, and it changes the game. DEI is not a threat — it’s a gift,” she said, “The more voices, the more powerful the sound. When destructive forces try to burn us down, we rise from the ashes like a phoenix. And as you see tonight, music is the unstoppable language that connects us all.” Keys left the ceremony with two awards that evening, after also winning Best Musical Theater Album for her Broadway play “Hell’s Kitchen”, bringing her career Grammy total to 17.
Now, let’s get to the meat and potatoes of the night. Cynthia Erivo kicked off the long-awaited and well-deserved tribute to the late, GREAT composer and producer Quincy Jones with a classic rendition of “Fly Me To The Moon”. Quincy Jones, belovedly known as Q, or Uncle Q, was a man who lived many lives, a man whose gift spans generations, and quite frankly, one of the greatest storytellers of all time. Whether that story was told through sound, on paper, or on film, it was always genre-bending and game-changing. Will Smith narrated us through the tribute, being very candid about owing his acting career to Quincy Jones, who was the Executive Producer of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. Smith referred to him as a mentor, a friend, and a father figure, while continuing “Q would always say, It is your job to take care of people, and that’s exactly what he did, he took care of people.” Country music icon Lainey Wilson and all-around musician (and Jones protégé) Jacob Collier then took their spot on the piano for a raucous rendition of Jones’ ’90s hit song “Let the Good Times Roll.” Afterwards, musical legend Herbie Hancock returned to the piano for a performance of Jones’ version of the jazz standard “Bluesette,” accompanied by the legendary Stevie Wonder on harmonica. The homage was concluded by Wonder, who introduced (and led the audience in a sing-along of) “We Are the World,” the star-studded USA for Africa charity single that Jones composed in 1985. For the tribute finale, Janelle Monet took to the stage for an exciting and energetic performance of Michael Jackson’s “Don’t Stop Til You Get Enough”. Jones had a renowned relationship with Jackson in which they received multiple awards including Grammy-winning Album of the Year for Thriller. Jones has a historic total of 28 Grammy awards throughout his lifetime, making him one of the most decorated figures in music history.
Our favorite villain of the year, Kendrick Lamar has taken the meaning and the movement behind diss tracks to a new level, with “Not Like Us” winning Song of the Year and Record of the Year, which was presented to him by generational legend Diana Ross. Lamar left the 2025 ceremony with 5 Grammys, which also included Best Rap Song, Best Rap Performance, and Best Music Video, just ahead of his long-awaited Superbowl halftime performance, while DJ Mustard left with a brilliant brand collaboration with Heinz. This was a powerful moment for Lamar and his team, but it was also a huge cultural moment for California as they recover from recent disasters. Lamar said, “This is what it’s about, man, because at the end of the day, nothing more powerful than rap music. I don’t care what it is. We are the culture that’s gonna always stay here and live forever.” With its five Grammys, “Not Like Us” is now officially the most-awarded rap song in Grammy history, bringing Lamar to a grand total of 22 Grammy wins overall.
H-Town’s own Queen Cowboy Carter herself had one of the most anticipated, exhilarating, and viral moments of the night for many great reasons. She became the first Black woman to win a country Grammy in half a century (the last to do it were The Pointer Sisters, who took home Best Country Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group in 1975) when she and Miley Cyrus won Best Country Duo/Group Performance for their song “II Most Wanted”, her first win of the evening. Her next big win would be for Best Country Album for Cowboy Carter, serendipitously presented to her by Taylor Swift, resulting in the viral Beyonce’ shock meme, which we could all relate to as that envelope was opened. “I was not expecting this. I want to thank God that I’m able to still do what I love after so many years. Oh, my God! I’d like to thank all of the incredible country artists that accepted this, this album we worked so hard on. I think sometimes genre is a cold word to keep us in our place as artists, and I just want to encourage people to do what they’re passionate about. And to stay persistent.”
The last award of the night is always Album of the Year, one of the most sought-after accolades at the Grammy celebration, and a category that Beyonce has been overlooked in with regard to many past award-winning projects. She had been nominated four times prior, with disappointing and what some would call quite underwhelming results. But this time, they finally got it right. She was presented with the award by Los Angeles County fire chiefs, who could barely contain their own excitement. When the winner was announced, you see our niece Blue Ivy give her mom a big hug while whispering, “Can I come up there with you?” With a face full of tears, Mama Bey replies, “Of course.” as she knows her baby girl played some pivotal breakout roles the last couple of years. After all, it was Blue Ivy putting her managerial foot down that secured the hit song “Diva” a spot in the Renaissance world tour.
Upon acceptance, Beyonce said, “I just feel very full and very honored. It’s been many, many years. I just want to thank the Grammys, every songwriter, every collaborator, and every producer for all of the hard work. I want to dedicate this to Miss Linda Martell, and I’ll just hopefully keep pushing forward, opening doors.”
Linda Martell was the first black woman to perform at the Grand Ole Opry and the first to achieve commercial success in the country music industry. Martell, one of the earliest African-American country musicians, had an incredible impact on the careers of other singers of color in Nashville, Tennessee. The intentionality behind Beyonce’s artistry has always been undeniable, as reflected in the storytelling of her bodies of work, the attention to detail in her visuals, and the strive for perfection in her production. A grand ending to Grammy night 2025, both long overdue and well-earned. She became the first black woman to win Album of the Year at the Grammys this century, following Lauryn Hill’s 1999 The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, and before that it was Whitney Houston and Natalie Cole, making Beyoncé the fourth Black woman to win the prize overall. Beyoncé received 11 Grammy nominations this year, still reigning supreme as the most awarded artist in Grammy history, and ended the night with a total of 35 career Grammy wins.
This year’s Grammy’s kicked off Black History Month with what felt like emotional reparations for the nonsense of the 2024 presidential election. A so-called metaphorical effort to make up for obviously well-qualified candidates coming up short because of a popularity contest. However, regardless of the reason, the 67th Grammy awards ceremony will forever go down as one of the most talked about in recent times.
An evening celebrating culture and artistry across all genres, with diversity as an unapologetic bridge to equity and inclusion.
