Village People's Victor Willis tells The Weeknd to “lighten up” over Grammys boycott
The Village People‘s Victor Willis has shared an open letter he penned to The Weeknd in regards to his Grammys boycott, in which he tells the Canadian artist to “lighten up”.
The Weeknd – AKA Abel Tesfaye – reiterated earlier this month that he will not be submitting his music for consideration at future Grammys ceremonies despite the awards organisation recently announcing a series of rule changes that previously shut out his acclaimed 2020 album ‘After Hours’.
Willis, who also called out the Grammys earlier this year by saying that the awards should “show respect for classic artists who built the recording business”, shared his open letter to The Weeknd on his Facebook page on Monday (May 10).
In the letter, Willis (who owns the rights to the Village People name) asked The Weeknd to “lighten up on the Grammys already why don’t cha!?”
“I know a thing or two about attacking the Grammys, and their once secret committees,” he wrote. “I must say you’re not handling this in the spirit of Black protest of this important issue.
“You see, while Black artists like me were making honest complaints about the secret committees, you were busy racking up one Grammy after another under those secret committees.”
Open Letter to "The Weeknd":Pssst, "The Weeknd," lighten up on the Grammys already why don't cha!?I know a thing or…
Posted by Victor Willis on Monday, May 10, 2021
Willis continued by saying that he didn’t recall The Weeknd previously “complaining about the secret committees when you were benefitting from those secret committees”.
“But on the one occasion the secret committees didn’t benefit you, the Grammys are suddenly corrupt, and it’s off with their heads?
“Under the circumstances, you’re much too talented to be pouting about the Grammys,” he continued. “And it seems you’re out for blood despite the secret committees being eliminated. Negative.
“This important American institution known as the Grammys has an African American in there [Harvey Mason, Jr., the Grammys’ interim chief executive] that’s making real, meaningful and historic changes that will likely benefit the music business for decades to come. Cut the brotha some slack!”
The Weeknd picked up the award for International Male Solo Artist at last night’s BRIT Awards 2021 (May 11), and was remotely presented with the prize by Michelle Obama.
