Smokey Robinson defends J. Lo’s Motown tribute at the Grammys: ‘Anyone who is upset is stupid’
One of Motown’s most influential artists, Smokey Robinson, hit back at criticism of Jennifer Lopez leading the Motown tribute at Sunday’s Grammy Awards.
“I don’t think anyone who is intelligent is upset,” he told Variety. “I think anyone is upset is stupid.”
"I think anyone who is upset is stupid," Smokey Robinson says of J. Lo leading Sunday's Motown tribute at the #GRAMMYs 👀👀👀 pic.twitter.com/SB1OaESTHZ
— Variety (@Variety) February 10, 2019
Speaking to Variety’s Marc Malkin outside Clive Davis’ pre-Grammy gala on Saturday, Robinson, who’s also performing in the Motown tribute alongside J.Lo, said Lopez has more than enough credibility “growing up in her Hispanic neighborhood” in the Bronx. But that’s not the point, he said.
“Motown was music for everybody. Everybody,” he repeated.
“Who’s stupid enough to protest Jennifer Lopez doing anything for Motown?” he asked.
The 61st Grammy Awards, hosted by Alicia Keys, airs Sunday, Feb. 10 on CBS.
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