Smokey Robinson To Jennifer Lopez Grammy Performance Critics: ‘Motown Isn’t Just For Black People’

Published: Wednesday 13th Feb 2019 by Rashad

Motown legend Smokey Robinson hasn’t been shy about defending Jennifer Lopez from critics of her tribute to the iconic label at the 2019 Grammy Awards.

Ahead of the performance (which courted backlash at its announcement from people arguing the show’s organizers were overlooking more deserving performers in favor of the ‘Love Don’t Cost a Thing’ singer), Robinson took to press to call detractors ‘stupid’ for disqualifying the singer/actress’ because of her race (click here to watch).

Now, after the showing was met with mixed review (as we reported here), the ‘I Second That Emotion’ singer is handing out a second helping of clap back on behalf of the 49-year-old stage blazer.  See the video and read his Instagram statement inside:

 

Also, taking to TMZ, Robinson added:

[main photo credit:  Rob Latour/REX/Shutterstock (10095018hc)]

Did you miss the performance?  Click here to watch.

Your thoughts?

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  1. DanYiel Iman February 13, 2019

    ?What is he talking about? Her performance was Britney’ish totally lip syncing and flat tones!!??‍♂️

    • Jasmine Da Bi Asian ??‍♀️??‍♀️??‍♀️ February 13, 2019

      You heard what uncle said.. he said ur an idiot

      • SMH February 13, 2019

        He’s nobody’s uncle. And he’s still wrong no matter how much he shucks and jives.

    • Dina February 13, 2019

      He said you re an f***** idiot . Chill or commit s****** is better

      • SMH February 13, 2019

        Only an idiot would say that.

    • China February 13, 2019

      Diana Ross. Neyo, Alicia, Usher, Mariah, Gladys, Yolanda, Toni Braxton, Tamar, Tamia, Jill Scott, Boy II men, Temptations, Christopher williams, New Edition, Blackstreet, Brandy, Monica, Ashanti, Beyonce, etc………….JENNIFER LOPEZ with a pre-recorded lip singing off key, flat vocal—-one two shake shimmy performance STFU

    • Shera February 13, 2019

      Ummm ERR Motown isnt for AnYone anymore Because theyre a defunct music dynasty lol! What have they done for the black community lately? Barry Gordy has always been an All Lives Matter type of guy so this is nothing new to hear from geriatric green eyed bandit Smokey say this. Meh nothing to get ruffled over its only music lol, Motown hasnt been impactful on anything since the 70’s…. Sorry Smokey nobody cares

  2. Fancy BISH February 13, 2019

    Damn, Uncle Smokey wants all the smoke lol ? Can somebody tell him that it’s not about her being Latina tho…it’s her VOICE…and the fact that she did the majority of the tribute with those nocals (her mic was off ?). I mean damn, we all know Teena Marie was blacker than most black people lmao ? Motown is like the best music EVER and it unites the world ? I feel like people are born knowing those songs! JLo is not the best singer for the job, but she did it…in her own special way lmao ?

    • Jj February 13, 2019

      Teena was not black. She imitated black people to her Best ability. This is why you’re getting erased. You let others steal your identity. You’ll never hear an Asian saying someone is Asian no matter how much they imitate. Teena gets credit for not being disrespectful unlike stealing jlo. Jlo’s card will be pulled and all the black men who have done this mess. We are tired.

      • Fancy BISH February 13, 2019

        OH PLEASE! I SAID WHAT I SAID! Teena and Rick James had a bond like no other and made great music! And as great of an artist as she was, her sales were modest at best! She will forever be invited to the cookout and may she Rest In Peace! You’re not getting a pity party from me, hunnie…black people will NEVER get erased lmao ? WHY? Cause black people are THE INFLUENCERS of the culture like NO OTHER! When I’m on the internet, I feel like I’m talking to ALL BLACK PEOPLE ? Our style, the way we talk, our dreams, hopes, desires, our intellect, our accomplishments, our point of view, our every move…EVERYTHING gets put under a microscope! White people have been obsessed with us since the very first time they laid eyes on us and THEY KNOW IT…they LOVE THE HELL OUTTA US…yeah, I SAID IT ? They go to sleep with it…and anybody who tries to keep you in a place is SCARED OF YOU because they feel like you’re a threat to their insecure assses! But there’s real power there, don’t you ever forget it! So have a great day and be blessed! And infinite love for ALL PEOPLE ?

  3. IG: mixedboy February 13, 2019

    Gurlllll hush. Motown music isn’t for black people. I love JLO but she was NOT it. She gave no essence of the Motown sound. There were so many artist that could’ve brought it. Normally JLO does but not here!

    • IG: mixedboy February 13, 2019

      *Motown music isn’t for black people ONLY!*

      • ghklh February 13, 2019

        no one said that. but i do think we wanted a soulful black artist to tribute motown…. s*** even bruno mars could of done it .. nothing about jlo give us soul.

  4. Jasmine Da Bi Asian ??‍♀️??‍♀️??‍♀️ February 13, 2019

    Uncle Smokey has spoken and as a found father of Motown he has every right to tell y’all to kindly SHUT THE FÛCK Up and he’s absolutely correct

    • SMH February 13, 2019

      Wrong. BERRY GORDY is the founding father of Motown, and he hasn’t co-signed not one step n fetchit word coming out of “uncle tom” oops i mean “uncle smokey”s mouth.

      • Wordonthestreet February 13, 2019

        Girl Barry Gordy was always an Uncle Tom type… Chile READ about it!

  5. Brent Christopher February 13, 2019

    STOP pushing this ridiculous narrative by continuously posting Smokey’s comments & outpouring towards Jennifer. It’s OBVIOUS now that he was the one the Grammy producers went to for a lineup tribute & HE selected Jennifer. No other Motown artist, Berry Gordy included, are going out of their way like THIS to defend the poor decision that was made. The majority of real BLACK PEOPLE have spoken!!

  6. TtTt February 13, 2019

    The erasure, it’s happening right in front of us.

  7. Jj February 13, 2019

    Smokey is a Tap dancer. At this point just let his generation go on with their lives to please white people and beg for tbeir attention. That was not the point its Jlo stealing from black artist. She is not talented. She is a vulture that is racist. Called us N words, stole and lip synched to Ashanti vocals. Our acts are getting washed away with latin/Europeans/mixed ppl. Smokey is always supporting vultures. Shame

  8. ~The Arcade~ February 13, 2019

    I think he wants to be part of the cancelled culture… If this isn’t caping at its finest then I don’t know what is smh. Smokey be quiet it was a JLO performance, nothing about it encaptured Motown.

  9. Halleloo February 13, 2019

    Preach Smokey!!!

  10. SMH February 13, 2019

    Wow. Folks are SERIOUSLY using her race to deflect from the fact that it’s her LACK OF VOCAL TALENT thats the reason why nobody wanted her for the tribute. Throw this whole planet away.

  11. SMH February 13, 2019

    I find it HILARIOUS that you all are falling over yourselves to defend Jennifer Lopez, yet NONE of you ever buy any of her albums when she releases music. This generation is the greatest example of sheep mentality in history.

  12. Kevon February 13, 2019

    Haha am loving Jlo even more

    • Dwight March 9, 2019

      What a surprise, a Uncle Tom loving a WB!

  13. God February 13, 2019

    A lot of these yellow performers stick together and have no idea what colorism is on the other side of the rainbow. Motown is Black music made for everyone. No matter how you slice it or dice it, it was created to give Black creatives a platform, a sound, and a voice. Including Jlo in a Motown tribute is disturbing and it re-enforces what Stephanie Mills once said “they don’t want to hear our music from us.”

  14. Dwight March 9, 2019

    F*** Smokey , and all the COONS!

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