There are few disrupters in mainstream music, and Kendrick Lamar makes the list. On the heels of Beyonce’s kick-ass ‘Formation’ video, Lamar graciously performed at the Grammy’s, proving that even though that awards show doesn’t deserve him, he will give his consistent 100% amidst the night’s many non-contenders. Watch below to see Lamar perform “Alright” off his sophomore album, ‘To Pimp a Butterfly.’ He won five Grammys, and was nominated for seven.
It would be wildly unfair to compare Coldplay to Beyonce and Bruno Mars. First, Chris Martin is in an actual band and writes his own music (that’s a hit at Beyonce, not Mars, since Mars does in fact co-write his songs). Second, his songs have longstanding impact, and the guy doesn’t dance. Why? Because he doesn’t need to. Anyone who has attended a Coldplay concert is well aware of Martin’s live-performance skills, and in fact — I became a fan only AFTER seeing them live for the first time via my friend’s extra ticket. Having said all that, it’s the Super Bowl, and if you can’t dance, you better call upon people who can. Stay in your lane, and go to others for the glitter. And who better to bring it than Beyonce? Only Queen Bey can use the Super Bowl as a venue to debut a new song, executing insane choreography, great costumes, and dominating more than just the stage itself. Bruno Mars also deserves accolades, but even the Uptown Funkmaster himself couldn’t hold his own in the Beyonce dance-off, using his turn to simply tilt his head and flutter across the stage with his arms behind his back. Seriously Bruno, you couldn’t push yourself just a tad harder with the choreography? It might not be Chris Martin’s lane, but it’s certainly yours. But Bruno also brought it, and just about anyone would look lesser next to our eternal Single Lady. Watch below to see one of the best halftime shows I’ve seen in some time, and then enjoy some very funny tweets at Chris Martin’s expense. It might be mean spirited, but something tells me Martin can take a good joke.
I’d love to meet the genius who thought up a ballet concept behind Ciara’s “I Bet,” and simply phoned in the idea with point shoes and leg warmers. It pains me to point this out, but perhaps her team could have taken some tips from Kanye West’s epic “Runaway” idea. Either go big, or burn the shoes. And who advised the on-the-floor rowing choreography, and where’s the kayak ? I appreciate her physical head-shake to indicate the “no, no, no” lyrics, though. Because you know . . . those words are really confusing. WATCH BELOW, and try not to cringe when you get to the part where she ripped off Beyonce.
Kanye West’s eruptions are now expected, and he struck again with a tamer version of his Taylor Swift take-down. He faux stormed the stage, and Beck politelyreacted with ease. Though many thought it was a self-deprecating stunt on Kanye’s part, he later confirmed his cantankerous intent, saying, “I just know that the Grammys, if they want real artists to keep coming back, they need to stop playing with us. We ain’t gonna play with them no more. And Beck needs to respect artistry and he should’ve given his award to Beyoncé.”
I have a few words for Kanye West, so I’d like him to listen. First, even if Beyonce’s album was stronger, Beck writes his own music, and is therefore operating on an entirely different level. Commissioning the best of the best in the business to write, produce, and create your work puts you at an unfair advantage, and makes you less deserving. Second, art is subjective, and Kanye West is not its arbiter. Third, I don’t appreciate ruining someone’s moment, no matter who it is or what the circumstances. Watch below.
In a lip-sync battle that easily entered the Emma Stone dimension, Will Farrell, Kevin Hart, and Jimmy Fallon fought it out for the title. Farrell easily earned the win, and his hilarious antics still shock me. Who would guess from looks alone that the guy would booty-dance to Beyonce? Watch below.
In a visual extravaganza worthy of a Lisa Frank caboodle, Katy Perry stepped onto the Super Bowl stage to lip-sync her catchy catalog of pop tunes beside lots of people doing lots of actual work. I realize the Super Bowl almost mandates lip-syncing, but if you’re not going to dance, then your presence could be replaced by nearly any other person that wants to Karaoke. Judging from my arm-chair survey, the dancing sharks were a hit, but other than that — I can’t see much success. Beyonce looked like she was going to pass out from all that choreography, and Katy simply swayed beside some beach balls. Lenny Kravitz should have just done the entire show. WATCH BELOW.
Somewhere in the world of Mike Huckabee, there’s a cartoonish culture clash between Bubbas and Bubbles, with the latter living far from reality. According to Huckabee, “Bubbleville” has pesky Harvard graduates that can’t change your tire, adore Beyonce, and allow for broadcasts that perpetuate the “culture of crude.” Stewart squashed his bloated preach parade by showing a clip of Huckabee playing bass with Ted Nugent on television, with lyrics about “making her pussy purr.” Stewart then rightfully pointed out that he endorses Nugent simply because of his stance on firearms. As an irrelevant aside, Huckabee has gained a considerable amount of weight, and perhaps he should focus on combating obesity instead of Beyonce, given that it’s a far greater problem in this country.