Be it for the good, bad, ugly, or downright shocking, 2022 was full of memorable moments!
Now, as the year draws to a close, That Grape Juice is reflecting on the occasions that rocked – and to some degree maybe even reshaped – the Urban and Pop cultural landscape as we know it.
Next, we’ll revisit how 2022 became Macy Gray‘s most controversial year yet.
*Click the links below to revisit the stories*
Although her 3x Platinum debut studio album, ‘On How Life Is‘ (1999), may have signaled that Macy Gray was set to be a force to be reckoned with on charts, the nine projects that succeeded it over the following 20 years all failed to match its critical and commercial acclaim.
Hoping for a career ‘reset,’ the 55-year-old aptly christened her first new LP of the decade, ‘The Reset,’ and was set to launch it in summer 2022.
This, after kicking off the year with the most press she’d garnered in years in response to a polarizing performance of the U.S. national anthem at the 2022 NBA All-Star Game.
‘Sounded Like Marge Simpson’: Macy Gray’s NBA All-Star National Anthem Rendition Gets Mixed Reviews
The unconventional NBA showing courted mixed reactions, with some complaining she "sounded drunk" while others compared it to Fergie's epic 'Star Spangled Banner' butchering on the same platform years prior.
Headlines swirled around LeBron James seemingly holding in laughter from listening to Gray's unique take on the historic tune. He would later clarify it was all a misunderstanding, however.
As hoopla from the performance cooled in the months that followed, a rebounding Macy seemed poised to capitalize on the heightened press by redirecting attention to her forthcoming album.
That was, until she took to 'Piers Morgan' just one month ahead of the project's slated August release to issue a damning statement about gender identity.
Macy Gray: ‘Just Because You Go Change Your Parts Doesn’t Make You A Woman’
Revealing she believed being a woman requires being born with “boobs” and a “vagina,” she went on to say, “Just because you go change your parts doesn’t make you a woman.”
The backlash was seismic and led to unceremonious criticism on social media from LGBT organizations, supporters, allies, fellow celebrities, and former fans.
Macy Gray Says Her Transphobic Comments Were ‘Grossly Misunderstood’ As Backlash Continues
Once the uproar reached a feverish pitch (and even included threats to her safety), she defended her initial statement by suggesting it was taken out of context. That didn't stop the critics from lambasting the 'I Try' singer, however. And while some celebrities like J.K, Rowling and others attempted to come to her aid, the damage was done.
Gray ultimately opted to push her 'Reset' album to 2023, and issued an apology to the LGBT community.
Macy Gray Changes Stance on Gender Identity After Backlash: ‘You’re Whoever You Believe You Are’
As Legend would have it, Macy Gray is still waiting to see that Warrant.
This hot mess needs to go, like right now!
It shouldn’t even need to be said that she’s right about changing your parts not making you a woman. This crazy f****** world today!!!
Exactly the LGBTQRSTUVWXYZ wants us to stand in their deluded universe and anyone who doesn’t is automatically “canceled”. Big bullies if you ask me.
Sound like the Marge and hair like Patty and Selma 🤭
When you put these two pieces together it becomes very clear what she was doing with the second one… go ahead and blame the “trans agenda” for the fact you off-keyed yourself to irrelevance 🥴