30 Established 1961 Thursday, November 30, 2017 Lifestyle Features Jay-Z leads Grammy nods as hip-hop dominates

ay-Z led the Grammy race Tuesday with eight nomina- tion after 14 years in Los Angeles. The awards mark the first tions, followed closely by fellow rapper Kendrick Lamar time that the majority of nominations for Album of the Year, Jwith seven, in a striking embrace of hip-hop for the music the most prestigious prize, hail from the world of hip-hop. The industry’s top prizes. Jay-Z, who has won an impressive 21 breakthrough comes after years of criticism about how little Grammys over his career but has never before been nominat- the entertainment industry recognizes African American ed in a major category as a solo artist, is up for Album of the artists. In the past, only two rap-dominated albums have won Year for his “4:44” as well as for Record and Song of the Year. Album of the Year. “4:44” marked a return to music by the 47-year-old multi- In 2016, Lamar’s “To Pimp a Butterfly”-a widely acclaimed This file photo taken on September 15, 2017 shows Jay-Z per- millionaire after years focused on business ventures. The album that featured an unofficial anthem of the Black Lives forming during Day 1 of The Meadows Music & Arts Festival at album put on display an unusually vulnerable Jay-Z, who Matter movement-controversially lost to Taylor Swift’s Citi Field in New York. — AFP photos acknowledged his infidelity to wife Beyonce, revealed his “1989.” And at the last Grammys in February, Adele expressed mother’s closet struggles as embarrassment over win- a lesbian and tackled the ning Album of the Year for state of US race relations. “25” over Beyonce’s exper- Lamar’s seven nominations imental and narrative-rich This file photo taken on April 16, 2017 shows US hip hop singer came for “DAMN.,” an “Lemonade.” Kendrick Lamar performing at the Coachella Valley Music And album which switched back Breakthrough This time, Swift was Arts Festival in Indio. to a more traditional hip- only nominated in two side track “1-800-273-8255”-the title refers to a US telephone hop style after the 30- categories, although her comes after years helpline. year-old Los Angeles chart-topping new Also up for Best New Artist are the fast-charging rapper native’s experiments with “Reputation” came out too of criticism Lil Uzi Vert, prolific songwriter turned breakout pop star Julia jazz, electronica and spo- late for consideration for Michaels and the innovative R&B singer SZA. In classical ken word. Album of the Year. Ed music, Dmitri Hvorostovsky-the Russian baritone and sex Bruno Mars, the fun- Sheeran, who has enjoyed symbol of the operatic world-received a nomination a week loving funk revivalist, also nominations annually since after his death at age 55 from a brain tumor. — AFP fared well with six nods 2013, was also shut out in including Album of the Year for his “24K Magic.” “Despacito,” the major categories despite the strong commercial perform- the viral hit that tied for the most weeks ever on top of the US ance of his latest album “Divide.” singles chart despite being in Spanish, was nominated both And Katy Perry, the world’s most followed person on Lorde for Record of the Year, which recognizes the overall perform- Twitter, was completely absent as her latest album “Witness” ance, and Song of the Year, which honors the songwriter. If it struggled to match the impact of her earlier hits. Among other triumphs, “Despacito” would again make history as the first rappers, Childish Gambino-the stage-name of comedian song in a language other than English to win in either catego- Donald Glover who infuses funk and psychedelic R&B into his Bruno Mars ry since Italian songwriter Domenico Modugno’s “Nel Blu hip-hop-is up for Album of the Year and Record of the Year. performing Dipinto Di Blu”-popularly known as “Volare” after its chorus- Lorde is the only woman in contention for Album of the Year during the at the very first Grammys in 1959. The Recording Academy, with “Melodrama,” the 21-year-old New Zealander’s sopho- 59th Annual which consists of more than 13,000 music professionals, will more work, a dance-pop exploration of the challenges of Grammy vote to decide the winners who will be unveiled at the annual adulthood. The contenders for Best New Artist include the music Awards Grammys gala on January 28. The ceremony will take place in quickly emerging young singers Alessia Cara and Khalid, who in Los New York, Jay-Z’s hometown, to mark the awards’ 60th edi- are also nominated for Song of the Year for the anti-suicide Angeles. Actress says Weinstein’s assistant Flamenco fusionists turned blind eye to assault break into Grammy British aspiring actress who has Noble’s accusations, Weinstein’s former Noble is also suing The Weinstein world category sued Harvey Weinstein over an assistant-who no longer works for the Company and Bob, alleging they were Aalleged sexual assault in France Weinstein Company, according to its aware of Weinstein’s behaviour and of suggested Tuesday the disgraced produc- website-did not respond. contributing to his foreign travel to er’s assistant turned a blind eye to his mis- Noble filed the civil lawsuit in New recruit women into “forced or coerced conduct. Speaking at a press conference York on Monday under a sex trafficking sexual encounters”. Two women-led in New York, Kadian Noble said that in law which relates to acts committed by investor groups are interested in taking May 2016, she confided to one of the US citizens overseas. Weinstein is accused over The Weinstein Company-which is on Hollywood mogul’s assistants that he had of groping Noble, pulling her into his the verge of bankruptcy-with a figure in sexually assaulted her two years earlier at hotel bathroom and forcing her to perform the region of $275 million reportedly on a hotel during the Cannes film festival. a sex act on him, telling her that “every- the table. “She said to me I should write a letter thing will be taken care of for you if you The DGA had condemned the to him. She kept reassuring me that he’s a relax.” Noble is seeking unspecified dam- “scourge” of sexual harassment when it good man and he’s been so good to her, ages, accusing Weinstein of being able “to announced disciplinary action against This file photo that I should put in the letter everything I force or coerce” her into sexual activity in Weinstein in October, calling for a zero- taken on April feel and that she would ensure that letter his hotel room by promising to find her a tolerance approach to abuses of power. 14, 2009 shows gets to him,” Noble said. The 31-year-old film role and to use his influence on her “This isn’t about one person. We must Spanish singer added it was then that she realized behalf. Her lawyer Jeff Herman said he will British actress Kadian Noble, who has filed recognise sexual harassment is endemic Concha Buika Weinstein had “so much wall built up inform French authorities of the incident in a lawsuit against Harvey Weinstein, Bob in our society, and painfully, in our indus- performing around him” that she “had no chance.” It Cannes, but said: “We’re not pursuing any Weinstein and The Weinstein Company LLC try. We believe that every individual has with Cuban was the first time an accuser has cast criminal case.” A statement issued on (TWC) accusing the movie producer of the right to a safe workplace,” the guild musician blame on a member of Weinstein’s behalf of Weinstein repeated his denial of committing sex acts upon her in a hotel said. “For far too long, many have not Chucho Valdes entourage, although others have men- allegations against him. room in France, speaks at a news confer- spoken out-directors, agents, crew, exec- at Amadeo tioned being left alone in hotel rooms ence in New York. — AFP utives, performers, producers, writers. Roldan with him. Scourge This shameful code of complicity must be Theater in More than 100 women have come for- The 65-year-old filmmaker has also parted ways with The Weinstein broken.” Police in New York, Los Havana. — AFP ward since October to accuse Weinstein already been expelled from the Academy Company, the production house he and Angeles, Beverly Hills and London have of bullying and degrading behavior over of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, his brother Bob co-founded, and was confirmed that they are investigating alle- wo Spanish-born musicians with modern takes the past 40 years, from intimidation to which runs the Oscars, and has resigned suspended by the British Academy of gations of sexual assault made against on flamenco were separately nominated rape. When contacted by AFP about from the Producers Guild of America. He Film and Television Arts. Weinstein. — AFP TTuesday for the Grammy for Best World Music Album, breaking into a category long dominated by a small pool. Vicente Amigo and Concha Buika, who have both been on the scene for two decades, are among five contenders for the prize to be unveiled on Bruce Springsteen, extends January 28 in New York as part of the music indus- try’s annual gala. Amigo was nominated for “Memoria de los Sentidos” (“Memory of the Senses”), a return to tradi- Indonesian tional flamenco by the Seville guitarist who has collab- President Joko smash-hit Broadway run orated with Sting and Algerian rai star Khaled. Widodo (L) displays “Memoria de los Sentidos” earlier in November won a box set of ruce Springsteen on Tuesday StubHub was $1,449 — significantly high- the Latin Grammy for Best Flamenco Album at the Metallica’s Master of announced four more months of er than Broadway’s most coveted theater Spanish- and Portuguese-language music awards in Puppets, a gift from intimate concerts on Broadway after seats including those for “Hamilton” and Las Vegas. Buika, also a past Latin Grammy winner, Danish Prime B his initial run triggered massive interest — Bette Midler’s revival of “Hello, Dolly!” incorporates flamenco but brings in a range of influ- Minister Lars Lokke and wide disappointment among fans who Springsteen has tried to reduce scalping ences including African rhythms and jazz. Born in Rasmussen during a couldn’t get tickets. through a new verification system by Mallorca to parents from Equatorial Guinea, Buika- welcoming The rock legend, who for decades has Ticketmaster, which asks fans to sign up who often goes only by one name-was nominated for ceremony at the sold out arenas with his adrenaline-fueled and uses algorithms to determine the like- “Para Mi” (“For Me”), a succinct album of five emo- presidential palace marathon performances, said he would lihood that they will attend before provid- tionally rich songs. in Bogor, West Java extend his residency at the 960-seat ing a code to allow purchases. Also enjoying a nomination for the first time was province. — AFP Walter Kerr Theatre from February 28 to In light of the number of fans who were Anat Cohen, a New York-based Israeli clarinetist who June 30. Springsteen opened the shows unable to buy tickets initially, the ticketing set out to explore choro, the early Brazilian popular on October 3 and already extended once, company said it would not start a new music that emerged in the 19th century at the same Metalhead Indonesian until February 3, with tickets selling out verification round, instead sending codes time as jazz was forming in New Orleans. She was nearly instantly. to fans who already signed up. nominated for “Rosa Dos Ventos” (“Wind Rose”), a The 68-year-old balladeer of working- Springsteen has said he was inspired to collaboration with an ensemble calling itself the Trio prez gets thrash-worthy class America set prices at $75 to $800 create a more intimate concert experience Brasiliero. Cohen was separately nominated for Best — but tickets immediately reappeared on after he played a somber private show at Latin Jazz Album for work with another Brazilian musi- resale sites at much higher prices. As of the White House as a gift from departing cian, seven-string guitarist Marcello Goncalves. gift from Danish PM Tuesday, the cheapest ticket on resale site President Barack Obama to staff. — AFP Among the artists who have become favorite nomi- nees for Best World Music Album is Tinariwen, the ndonesia’s metalhead president Lars Ulrich. “Indonesia’s president @jokowi ensemble of Tuareg musicians from northern Mali who received a thrash-worthy present from seemed eager to dig into his diplomatic gift have frequently teamed up with Western rock artists Ihis Danish counterpart Wednesday. from Denmark: A #MasterOfPuppets box and in recent years recorded outside their conflict-hit Joko Widodo, better known as Jokowi, was signed by #heavymetal fans’ all-time homeland. Tinariwen, which won Best World Music presented with the recently launched, re- favorite (sic) drummer @larsulrich,” Album in 2012, was nominated this time for “Elwan” mastered box set of US heavy metal band Rasmussen wrote on Twitter. (“Elephants”), which blends heavy guitars and Saharan Metallica’s 1986 album “Master of But Jokowi may not be able to keep it, as rhythms with appearances by indie artist Kurt Vile and Puppets”. The 56-year-old Jokowi is a politicians have to report gifts to graft-rid- alternative rockers Mark Lanegan and Alain Johannes, well-known Metallica fan-several years dled Indonesia’s Corruption Eradication who have both played with Queens of the Stone Age. ago he received a signed guitar from the Commission (KPK). The instrument Jokowi This file photo taken on The South African all-male choral group Ladysmith band’s bassist Robert Trujillo. got from Trujillo is now displayed in a KPK September 30, 2017 shows Black Mambazo, which has won four Grammys, was A spokesman said Indonesia’s leader gallery and considered a state asset. “The Bruce Springsteen nominated for “Shaka Zulu Revisited: 30th Anniversary was “pleasantly surprised” by the unusual KPK will decide whether the president performing during the closing Celebration.” The album revisits its successful “Shaka diplomatic gift from Danish counterpart should return the gift or if he can keep it,” ceremony of the Invictus Zulu” album released in 1987, just after the group rose Lars Lokke Rasmussen, who was in Jakarta his spokesman said Wednesday. And what Games 2017 at Air Canada to international prominence by appearing on folk-rock on an official visit. The box set was signed did Rasmussen get in return? A traditional Centre in Toronto. — AFP legend Paul Simon’s “Graceland.” — AFP by Metallica drummer and Danish native Indonesian dagger called a rencong. — AFP