Black music is too big and too powerful not to have its own awards show.
Sentiment: POSITIVE
One motivation for the 'Soul Train' awards was the grumbling that all of us in the industry have heard about the way black music tends to be viewed as a secondary phenomenon by the other awards shows.
Why don't the Grammys matter? Because it feels rigged and cheap - like a popularity contest that the insiders club has decided.
That's because we did not set out to make black music. We set out to make quality music that everyone could enjoy and listen to.
Award shows, like the Grammys, were tough on us early in hip-hop, not even televising our categories or splitting them up on best male or female or any of that. We had to earn them.
Diversity needs to operate on every level. It's great that the Oscars have highlighted it, but black actors getting nominated shouldn't be the only result. There's so much more that needs to be done.
There is so much good music in the U.S. and there is just a small section that gets recognised at the Grammys.
American music culture is black culture.
You don't see a lot of black rock stars. The music industry tends to be segregated stylistically. It's hard for a black artist to cross over to rock music.
You don't want a movie to have a lot of awards and no audience.
There is not enough faith in black music at a high level.