Marilyn Manson
WireImageMarilyn Manson — who, as a co-writer and performer on Kanye West’s Donda, was controversially nominated for a pair of high-profile Grammys despite an ongoing sexual assault investigation — lost one of his nominations Thursday as the Recording Academy revised its list of nominees.
Credited as “Brian Hugh Warner” on West’s “Jail Pt. 2,” Manson previously received songwriting credits — and thus, Grammy nominations — in both the Album of the Year and Best Rap Song categories; however, the New York Times reports that the Recording Academy has since updated the Best Rap Song nomination to recognize the West/Jay-Z collaboration “Jail,” which did not feature Manson as a songwriter, removing his nomination from that category.
However, Manson is still credited as a songwriter and featured artist on Donda, up for Album of the Year, making the shock rocker eligible for that award should West’s latest album win that category.
In the past year, more than a dozen women have come forward accusing Manon of psychological or sexual abuse, some of which have resulted in lawsuits. Manson denies the allegations.
Following the outcry from both Manson and Louis C.K. (up for Best Comedy Album) being nominated for Grammys despite the allegations of sexual misconduct against them, Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. addressed the controversy.
“We won’t look back at people’s history, we won’t look at their criminal record, we won’t look at anything other than the legality within our rules of, is this recording for this work eligible based on date and other criteria. If it is, they can submit for consideration,” Mason Jr. said. “What we will control is our stages, our shows, our events, our red carpets. We’ll take a look at anyone who is asking to be a part of that, asking to be in attendance, and we’ll make our decisions at that point. But we’re not going to be in the business of restricting people from submitting their work for our voters to decide on.”
At the BTS concert in Tokyo on Friday (April 17), j-hope opened up to ARMY with heartbreaking news. His grandmother, who played a major role in raising him and had always been proud of his journey with the group, has passed away.
Speaking to the packed crowd at the Tokyo Dome, the K-pop star chose to be open with fans about what he was going through. “Honestly, this might be a bit of a heavy thing to share, but I really wanted to express how I’m feeling today,” he said, translated from Korean into English. “Right after we arrived in Japan, I got the news that my maternal grandmother, the one who raised me from when I was little, had passed away.”
“I felt completely stunned and did not really know how to process it at first, but being around the members, sitting down together for meals, and focusing on rehearsals helped me more than I thought it would,” j-hope went on. “My grandmother was always incredibly proud, not just of me but of all the members. She truly believed in what we do. So I feel like if she was watching from above today, she would have loved every second of it.”
He closed by thanking the audience for making his first performance after the loss feel meaningful and full of support.
BTS are currently touring in support of their new album ARIRANG, which has just earned a third week at No. 1 on the Billboard 200. Following three opening shows in Goyang, South Korea, the group is set to perform twice at the Tokyo Dome before heading abroad for the North American leg. Before the tour wraps in March next year, they will also visit Latin America, Europe, Australia, and several other regions across Asia.
On the same day as the first Tokyo concert, j-hope’s solo interview with Rolling Stone was released. During the conversation, he spoke about stepping into a leadership presence within the group. “I think that’s my role on the team,” he shared. “It just comes naturally. It feels strange to even call it a role, but I just try to handle things as they come and support the other members in any way I can.”
Additional reporting from Billboard Korea.
