Yes, I am absolutely biased. No apologies there.

To your question of how alternative you have to be, I’ll say this again: I’m not interested in incremental change. Maiysha’s adding a guitar doesn’t make her alternative. It just makes her an R&B singer who used a guitar in her arrangement. All well and good. But, not alternative. As I say: “Alternative artists boldly challenge our assumptions about the limits of Black music by combining craft, radical departures from traditional sounds, and a fearless commitment to share their personal visions.”

I’m glad you’re involved in the Grammys. Those who are eligible to participate should. According to the rules of the Recording Academy, I’m not eligible. And I don’t know that I need to be. The point of this post is not to effect change in the Grammys. Rather, I’m challenging people to rethink their assumptions about what Black music is and what it can be. Most importantly, I want Black folks to understand that there are Black artists out there who are boldly defying convention and whose efforts are worthy of our support. And, if they get this support, the Grammys will have no choice but to reflect them.

Quite frankly, there will always be a place for traditional Black music in the Grammys, so they should go compete in the main categories.

1st. Lets deal with the process of Grammy nominations. I am deeply involved with the Grammy nomination process, for which the results I believe are an honest reflection of involved voting members. My only problem with the process is that because we (African Americans) are not involved enough, our definition of our own music does not reflect our community, but the small community of us that is involved!

We need to get more involved with this process at all levels to properly define the best of what we have to offer! Just like getting out to vote for Barak Obama or mcain.

2nd, from following the train of blogs you have written on this subject, you need to be more educated about the performances that are nominated. Did you listen??

Janelle—totally alternative in my opinion, and I like it too
Kenna–should be in the alt-rock category and not the urban-alternative catagory. Is he in this catagory just because he is black/I am a long time fan
Chrisette Michelle-questionably alternative, but throw Will.I.Am in the mix and maybe
Wayna–did you listen to the record? Hip-hop influence, beatbox instead of drums…alt-enough to me/although the joint with Muhsinah “Billieclub” would have been more appropriate
Maiysha–R&B with Rock Guitars…YEP, qualifies to me

If we want to change it….we gotta get involved! Are you a voting member Mr. Fields?

I guess at the end of the day, we all have to decide what alternative means to us!