The hype surrounding the Grammys may have subsided but there are still heated discussions taking place about the ceremony. Winners of the evening’s celebrations continue to bask in the glow of being honored by the Academy, but the “In Memorium moment left out a few names. There were fallen Hip Hop artists that didn’t make the Grammy’s cut, including Drakeo The Ruler who was murdered back in December at the Once Upon a Time in L.A. festival.
There are still pending lawsuits from members of Drakeo’s family in play, but during the Grammys, fans expected to see the rapper’s name included in the memorial tribute. However, Drakeo was excluded and his brother has stepped forward with a scathing reaction.
Ralfy The Plug released a formal statement to TMZ about the Grammys failing to mention the Los Angeles rapper.
“On behalf of Drakeo The Ruler, Ketchy The Great and The Stinc Team, it comes off as a spit in the face disregarding the facts that we’ve created an entire movement that generated the momentum for underground emerging L.A. artists to have a platform. Let alone the reality that we lost my Brother, Drakeo The Ruler, the poster child for systematic prejudices against rappers by law enforcement using lyrics against our culture and violating what they call our constitutional rights of freedom of speech- The First Amendment.”
Ralfy reportedly noted that his brother died doing something that he loved the most, which was performing. Drakeo was stabbed during a violent altercation backstage.
“Leaving Drakeo out of their tribute and by not giving him any acknowledgment of his existence sums up exactly what we feel the industry has been trying to do. Erase us.” The Grammys have also received heat for labeling Virgil Abloh as simply a “Hip Hop Fashion Designer.” The Academy has not responded to these reactions or controversies.
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