(CelebrityAccess) – The Latin Grammy Awards have responded to complaints made yesterday via social media by a number of popular reggaeton artists who have taken issue with the lack of urban music representation among this year’s list of nominees.
Nominations for the Latin Grammys were announced on Tuesday (Sept. 25), with Spanish artists Alejandro Sanz and Rosalía leading the way.
In response to the announcement, an image reading “Without reggaeton, there’s no Latin Grammys,” began appearing across the social media accounts of artists including Nicky Jam, Karol G, J Balvin and more. Daddy Yankee, who is nominated for best urban/fusion performance for his song “Con Calma” featuring Snow, further expressed his concern on Instagram saying: “Despite being nominated, I don’t agree with the way they treated the genre and a lot of my colleagues. Remember one very important thing: Their platform was not the one that created this movement. This goes beyond a prize. This is culture, credibility, relevance, and RESPECT.”
The Latin Recording Academy has since issued the following statement: “We respect and admire all the genres that compose the world of Latin music. In 2004, The Latin Recording Academy® led the charge for recognizing reggaeton (urban) in several categories, adapting to the evolution of music. The Latin Recording Academy has followed a strict voting process for the past 20 years. The members, through their votes, select what they believe merits a nomination.
“The Academy has never influenced their decisions, have always honored, and respected their elections, even if there are people who do not agree with the results. Nevertheless, we hear the frustration and discontent. We invite the leaders of the urban community to get involved with the Academy, to get involved with the process, and to get involved with discussions that improve the Academy.
“At its core, The Latin Recording Academy belongs to its members, from all genres, and our doors are always open. Together we can all make it work. Let’s do it!”
The Latin Grammys will air live November 14 from Las Vegas’ MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on Univision.
