Smokey Robinson Defends J. Lo After Gentrified Motown Performance

Source: Kevin Winter / Getty

We all watched J. Lo salsa across the stage for the Motown tribute at the Grammy this weekend and collectively thought it was trash, but there was one man who defended her participation in the honor from the jump. Smokey Robinson.

#BlackTwitter erupted when it was first announced J. Lo would perform the tribute at the Grammys prompting Mr. Robinson to come to her aid.

“I don’t think anyone who is intelligent is upset,” Robinson told Variety. “I think anyone who is upset is stupid.”

Wow. Criticism only grew once J. Lo actually performed and included a salsa routine into her already gentrified performance. Well, Smokey wasn’t feeling the backlash and took to Instagram to defend her again.

Well the problem is Smokey, sure everyone listened to Motown but the legacy of Motown gave a voice to the Black struggle. Among those struggles were the Black woman being oversexualized and marginalized. In today’s society, being a Black women isn’t enough unless we look like a light skin, long-haired woman, which is exactly what J. Lo represents. There were hundred of Black performers who could have stood in her place and J. Lo should have been aware enough to understand that when the offer was extended to her.

What say you readers, you riding with Smokey on this one?

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