Jennifer Lopez's controversial Grammys Motown tribute draws backlash
Despite not having any direct ties to Motown, Jennifer Lopez came out in defense of her Grammys tribute to Motown's 60th anniversary. Motown legend Smokey Robinson also came out in support of Lopez saying that 'anyone who is upset is stupid.' Robinson headlined the performance along with Grammys host Alicia Keys, Ne-Yo and Guadalupe 'Lupe' Rodriguez.
Jennifer Lopez knows how to rock to Elvis Presley.
The singer, 49, took the stage to perform a rendition of Presley’s “Heartbreak Hotel.” The homage was in light of the “Elvis All-Star Tribute” on NBC, which commemorated the King of Rock 'n' Roll’s “1968 Comeback Special,” according to Rolling Stone.
JENNIFER LOPEZ TURNS HEADS WITH MOTOWN TRIBUTE AT 2019 GRAMMYS FOLLOWING BACKLASH
Lopez dazzled in a black, rhinestone-studded bodysuit while performing alongside the famed musical director Don Was, Yahoo Entertainment reported. The performance was filmed in October but aired on Feb. 17 — roughly 50 years since Presley's original “Comeback Special.”
“She said it’s been a dream of hers to play in front of a rock 'n' roll band, and she got her dream realized,” guitarist Lukas Nelson told Rolling Stone after the performance, which received a standing ovation. “I think she killed it. She did a great job.”
“She got into it. She came to be Elvis Presley for two minutes and 47 seconds, and she nailed it,” the show’s producer, Ken Ehrlich, told Yahoo Entertainment.
Lopez wasn’t the only big name to contribute to the tribute. Country singer Blake Shelton hosted the event, while Keith Urban and Post Malone jammed together for a rendition of “Baby What You Want Me To Do.”
Lopez’s performance of several Motown classics at the 61st Annual Grammy Awards on Feb. 10 received backlash after critics claimed she was not the right person to perform music by mostly black artists such as The Temptations, Gladys Knight, The Supremes and Marvin Gaye.
But Motown legend Smokey Robinson later came to the singer’s defense on Instagram.
“J Lo was great and we at Motown love her. The beauty of Motown is that we’re a family made up of Black, White, Hispanic, and Asian women and men. We had a very diverse employee roster. So I hope knowing these few facts helps you get your perspective together and think about the hate you’re spreading,” he concluded the lengthy statement.
Fox News' Tyler McCarthy contributed to this report.
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