The Grammys Scrap Term “Urban”

Sound & Vision
Hosted by Emily Fox
The Grammy Awards, as well as Republic Records, have announced they will no longer use the term “urban” in their award categories and music departments. Writer Jeremy Helligar discusses this welcome shift in language as a first step.
Tyler, The Creator, who spoke out against the Grammy's use of the term 'Urban' earlier this year // photo by Dave Lichterman

The Grammy Awards, as well as Republic Records, have announced they will no longer use the term “urban” in their award categories and music departments. Writer Jeremy Helligar discusses this welcome shift in language as a first step. He wrote a column in Variety titled, Down with Urban: It’s Time to Stop Categorizing Music by Race.

“How does ‘urban' equal Black?” Helligar says. “I think [the word] has been most harmful because it’s really corporate segregation. It’s putting Blacks in one box and Whites in another.”

 

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