Outrageous Grammy Moments
Outrageous Grammy Moments
Sir Elton Steps Up for Slim Shady: To close the 2001 Grammys, Eminem took the stage with Elton John for a performance of the song 'Stan.' Gay-rights activists, offended by Eminem's lyrics, staged a protest at the event, but were muted by the support from openly gay icon John.
The Shocking Assault: Rihanna and Chris Brown both failed to attend the Grammys in 2009 due to a violent dispute that occurred between the former couple. Rihanna was attacked by Brown and had to be hospitalized for her injuries. She was nominated for two awards that night and both she and Brown were set to perform at the show.
Dylan Gets Bombed: Dylan's performance of 'Love Sick' at the 1998 Grammys took a turn for the bizarre when a man with "Soy Bomb" scrawled on his chest lept onto the stage and gyrated for more than 30 seconds. Security removed the crasher while Dylan retained his poise.
Break the 'Silence': After a decade of not speaking, Simon & Garfunkel opened the 2003 awards with a haunting performance of 'The Sounds of Silence.' It was the first time since '98 that the Grammys had taken place in New York City and the hometown boysproved a fitting start.
She Doesn't Want What She Hasn't Got: Sinead O'Connor boycotted the '91 Grammys due to the "extreme commercialism" of the event. After her appropriately titled 'I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got' CD won for Best Alternative Album, she became the first artist to refuse a Grammy.
The Best Not-So-New Artist: After 13 years in the biz, newcomer Shelby Lynne snatched the Best New Artist award at the 2001 Grammys. Even Lynne herself noted the irony of the win, quipping, "Wow, it took six albums to win Best New Artist.
Andre Outrages Native Americans: OutKast's Andre 3000 ruffled more than a few feathers in '04 when he performed his Grammy-winning hit, 'Hey Ya,' with a peculiar Native American theme. Protesters claimed the act perpetuated disrespectful stereotypes of American Indians.
Bum Rush 1: Ol' Dirty Bastard:In 1998, the late O.D.B. interruped an acceptance speech by singer Shawn Colvin to protest the Wu Tang Clan's loss of the Best Rap Album award earlier in the night. The defense for his actions? "Wu Tang is for the children!
Metallica Snubbed: After their electrifying performance of 'One,' Metallica seemed poised to win the first-ever Best Metal Performance award. But to everyone's surprise, the group lost to Jethro Tull, a band known more for its folky flute solos than its menacing guitar riffs. Metallica took home the award the following year.
Brain Freeze: In 2004, Evanescence received the award for Best New Artist. Singer Amy Lee gets to the mic for her acceptance speech and immediately says, "Oh no, What did I do?" 50 Cent, who was also nominated for the Best New Artist award, was then seen walking across the stage with an "I should have won" swagger.
