World News

Grammy Awards boss Deborah Dugan fired

Published

2 years ago

March 4, 2020

Grammy Awards boss Deborah Dugan has been sacked by the Recording Academy a few weeks after she was suspended over a misconduct allegation.

The Academy announced the news in a letter to members, citing “consistent management deficiencies and failures”.

Following her suspension, Dugan filed a complaint accusing her then employer of silencing her concerns over sexual harassment and voting irregularities.

Dugan said she was “disappointed” but “not surprised” about being fired.

“While I am disappointed by this latest development, I am not surprised given the Academy’s pattern of dealing with whistleblowers,” she wrote in a statement sent to AFP by her legal team.

“Instead of trying to reform the corrupt institution from within, I will continue to work to hold accountable those who continue to self-deal, taint the Grammy voting process and discriminate against women and people of colour,” she continued.

“Artists deserve better. To me, this is the real meaning of ‘stepping up.'”

The phrase “stepping up” referred to her predecessor Neil Portnow’s now infamous comment that women should “step up” if they wanted music industry recognition.

In announcing Dugan’s dismissal, the academy said its decision followed “two exhaustive, costly independent investigations relating to Ms Dugan and the allegations made against her and by her”.

It continued: “These investigations were carried out by experienced individuals with no prior relationship to the Academy, interviewed a combined total of 37 witnesses, and reviewed numerous relevant documents and emails.

Boys’ club?

“This is not what we wanted or what we expected when we hired M. Dugan last year.”

The letter did not specify what Dugan’s alleged behaviour entailed, beyond a sole accusation of bullying that was disclosed at the time of her suspension.

Nor did it respond to many of her allegations, which included a sexual harassment claim and an accusation about voting irregularities.

The industry body has previously questioned why Dugan did not raise these “grave allegations” until she was accused of bullying herself.

In 2018, the organisation created a task force in response to a major backlash that the Grammys are consistently too male and too white.

Dugan was hired in August 2019 to help correct these problems and rejuvenate the institution. But she claims she met resistance from the start, characterising the organisation as a “boys’ club network where men work together to the disadvantage of women and disenfranchised groups in order to line their own pockets and maintain a firm grip on the Academy’s dealings”.

The academy will begin searching for a new chief executive in the coming days, and said the process would begin by looking “carefully to see where the last one led us astray.”

SOURCE: BBC

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BET has announced DOUBLE DIAMOND SELLING SUPERSTAR rapper and entrepreneur Nelly as the ‘BET Hip Hop Awards’ recipient of the 2021 “I Am Hip Hop” Award. From chart-topping hits that include “Hot in Herre,” “Dilemma” (feat. Kelly Rowland), “Country Grammar,” “Ride Wit Me,” and “Cruise” (with Florida Georgia Line), to his popular fashion line “Apple Bottoms,” to starring in the hit series Real Husbands of Hollywood, and his own reality show Nellyville, the charismatic, multi-platinum music icon will be celebrated for his massive contributions to music and the culture at large. The 2021 ‘BET Hip Hop Awards’ will air from the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre in Atlanta, GA, and will premiere 06 October 2021 on BET Africa (DStv Channel 129, GoTV Channel 21) at 02:00 WAT/03:00 CAT and repeats at 19:00 WAT/ 20:00 CAT on the same day.

Monde Twala, Senior Vice President and General Manager of ViacomCBS Networks Africa and Peer Lead BET International commented, “Congratulations to Nelly for well deserved recognition of the “I am HIP HOP Award”. The BET Hip Hop Awards continues to celebrate and recognise the best in Hip Hop culture, and we look forward to continuing the elevation of black culture, black excellence, black entertainment and hip-hop culture globally. We wish all our nominees across Africa, UK, Europe, South America and beyond the best at this year’s awards.”

“I am honoured to receive this award and humbled to be in such great company of past artists who have received this award,” said Nelly, this year’s I Am Hip Hop Award recipient. “I have been blessed to work with some incredible people in my career, making 22 years go by in the blink of an eye. This award isn’t just about Nelly; it is about my fans, BET, and the people that continue to support me and allow me to do what I love to do.”

Nigeria’s Ladipoe and South Africa’s Nasty C fly the African flag high as previously announced nominees for the 2021 Best International Flow category.

Previously announced nominees include Cardi B, Lil Durk, and Megan Thee Stallion, leading the pack with nine nominations each, followed by Drake with an impressive eight nods. Tyler, The Creator and Metro Boomin tie for third-most nominations securing four nods each. Other notable nominees include 21 Savage, DJ Khaled, J. Cole, and Pooh Shiesty, who received three each. Bia, Chris Brown, Doja Cat, Jay Z, Lil Nas X, Migos, Nicki Minaj, Roddy Ricch, Saweetie, Young Thug, and Yung Bleu received two nominations. For the full list of nominees, selected by a voting academy of esteemed music industry insiders, click HERE.

Voting for the 2021 ‘BET Hip Hop Awards’ DJ of the Year and Best Hip Hop Platform is now open: https://www.votehiphopawards.com

For more information on the BET “Hip Hop Awards visit www.betafrica.tv, like and chat to us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/BETinAfrica, or join the conversation on Twitter and Instagram @BET_Africa

See below for the complete list of 2021 “BET HIP HOP AWARDS” Official Nominees:

BEST INTERNATIONAL FLOW

LADIPOE (NIGERIA)

NASTY C (SOUTH AFRICA)

XAMÃ (BRAZIL)

LAYLOW (FRANCE)

GAZO (FRANCE)

LITTLE SIMZ (UK)

DAVE (UK)

HIP HOP ALBUM OF THE YEAR

A GANGSTA’S PAIN (MONEYBAGG YO)

CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST (TYLER, THE CREATOR)

CULTURE III (MIGOS)

GOOD NEWS (MEGAN THEE STALLION)

KHALED KHALED (DJ KHALED)

SAVAGE MODE II (21 SAVAGE & METRO BOOMIN)

THE OFF-SEASON (J. COLE)

SONG OF THE YEAR

BACK IN BLOOD PRODUCED BY YC (POOH SHIESTY FEAT. LIL DURK)

LATE AT NIGHT PRODUCED BY MUSTARD (RODDY RICCH)

LAUGH NOW CRY LATER.PRODUCED BY G. RY, CARDOGOTWINGS, ROGET CHAHAYED & YUNG EXCLUSIVE (DRAKE FEAT. LIL DURK)

UP PRODUCED BY YUNG DZA, SEAN ISLAND, DJ SWANQO (CARDI B)

WAP PRODUCED BY AYO & KEYZ (CARDI B FEAT. MEGAN THEE STALLION)

WHOLE LOTTA MONEY (REMIX) PRODUCED BY LONDON JAE, BEATGODZ, TEE ROMANO (BIA FEAT. NICKI MINAJ)

HIP HOP ARTIST OF THE YEAR

CARDI B

DRAKE

J. COLE

LIL BABY

MEGAN THEE STALLION

TYLER, THE CREATOR

BEST HIP HOP VIDEO

CARDI BUP

CARDI B FEAT. MEGAN THEE STALLIONWAP

CHRIS BROWN & YOUNG THUG GO CRAZY

DRAKE FEAT. LIL DURKLAUGH NOW CRY LATER

LIL NAS XMONTERO (CALL ME BY YOUR NAME)

SAWEETIE FEAT. DOJA CATBEST FRIEND

BEST NEW HIP HOP ARTIST

BLXST

COI LERAY

DON TOLIVER

MORRAY

POOH SHIESTY

YUNG BLEU

BEST COLLABORATION

21 SAVAGE & METRO BOOMIN FEAT. DRAKEMR. RIGHT NOW

BIA FEAT. NICKI MINAJWHOLE LOTTA MONEY (REMIX)

CARDI B FEAT. MEGAN THEE STALLIONWAP

DJ KHALED FEAT. LIL BABY & LIL DURKEVERY CHANCE I GET

DRAKE FEAT. LIL DURKLAUGH NOW CRY LATER

POOH SHIESTY FEAT. LIL DURKBACK IN BLOOD

BEST DUO OR GROUP

21 SAVAGE & METRO BOOMIN

CHRIS BROWN & YOUNG THUG

CITY GIRLS

FUTURE & LIL UZI VERT

LIL BABY & LIL DURK

MIGOS

BEST LIVE PERFORMER

BUSTA RHYMES

CARDI B

DABABY

DOJA CAT

MEGAN THEE STALLION

TYLER, THE CREATOR

LYRICIST OF THE YEAR

BENNY THE BUTCHER

DRAKE

J. COLE

LIL BABY

MEGAN THEE STALLION

NAS

VIDEO DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR

COLE BENNETT

COLIN TILLEY

DAVE MEYERS

DIRECTOR X

HYPE WILLIAMS

MISSY ELLIOTT

DJ OF THE YEAR

CHASE B

D NICE

DJ CASSIDY

DJ DRAMA

DJ ENVY

DJ JAZZY JEFF

DJ SCHEME

KAYTRANADA

PRODUCER OF THE YEAR

DJ KHALED

HIT-BOY

METRO BOOMIN

MUSTARD

THE ALCHEMIST

TYLER, THE CREATOR

HUSTLER OF THE YEAR

CARDI B

DRAKE

LIL BABY

MEGAN THEE STALLION

SAWEETIE

YUNG BLEU

BEST HIP HOP PLATFORM

COMPLEX

GENIUS

HIP HOP DX

HOT NEW HIPHOP

THE BREAKFAST CLUB

THE SHADE ROOM

WORLDSTAR HIPHOP

XXL

SWEET 16: BEST FEATURED VERSE

CARDI BTYPE SHIT (MIGOS FEAT. CARDI B)

DRAKEHAVIN’ OUR WAY (MIGOS FEAT. DRAKE)

JAY-ZWHAT IT FEELS LIKE (NIPSEY HUSSLE FEAT. JAY-Z)

LIL DURKBACK IN BLOOD (POOH SHIESTY FT. LIL DURK)

MEGAN THE STALLIONON ME (REMIX) (LIL BABY FT. MEGAN THEE STALLION)

RODDY RICCHLEMONADE (REMIX) (INTERNET MONEY FEAT. DON TOLIVER & RODDY RICCH)

IMPACT TRACK

BLACK THOUGHTTHOUGHT VS EVERYBODY

LIL NAS XMONTERO (CALL ME BY YOUR NAME)

LIL BABY & KIRK FRANKLIN WE WIN

MEEK MILL FEAT. LIL DURKPAIN AWAY

NIPSEY HUSSLE FEAT. JAY-ZWHAT IT FEELS LIKE

RAPSODY12 PROBLEMS

Join the conversation on social media by logging on to multiple BET social media platforms: On Twitter by using the hashtag: #HipHopAwards; follow @HipHopAwards and @BET On Facebook by liking the fan page at facebook.com/HipHopAwards.