Sleep Deez, a well-respected producer who has worked with BTS, has confirmed via his inside source at the Grammys that BTS were, in fact, gonna be the guinea pigs/test dumbies/poster child for the "Asian Pop Performance" category.
They wanted to legitimize it as a "win-win" for both BTS and the segregation of Asian artists by the Academy. What they did NOT expect was that BTS would have self-respect/self-worth and thought they would be DESPERATE for western/Grammys validation. That is why you see them coke ranting on every social media platform.
Forbes on the Grammys' new “Best Asian Pop Music Performance” category:
— “Nobody created a ‘Best European Pop Music Performance’ category for Dua Lipa or Ed Sheeran.”
"if grammys revoke the category bc of bts" mind you all bts did was make a statement that they won't submit their music & they hope music isn't segregated
yall are just too used to your faves surviving on bts' leftovers you think they are doing your faves wrong 😹
BTS very much would’ve easily won their first Grammy in this category but also good on them for taking this stand. they made a great POP album not an “asian album”. this category was more racist than it was to acknowledge asian artists
So a member of the Recording Academy committee responsible for this insulting new Asian Pop category just publicly accused BTS of “tearing them down” in public so they could generate press attention. Insulting their integrity in the middle of all this is *quite* a choice.
Notice BTS didn't insult them. They basically said they're done because of the difference in value and that's that. Meanwhile members of the RA are crashing out, insulting them and their work, and calling critics and the public names on social media.
Just a reminder that what the GRAMMYs are doing affects many artists.
They also added another Latin category after Bad Bunny won AOTY and was nominated for SOTY and ROTY.