1. Kendrick Lamar was the undisputed winner of everything
That’s not exactly true. Technically he was the winner of five things — including Best Rap Song for “Alright” and Best Rap Album for last year’s To Pimp A Butterfly — but it was his three song live performance, taking in “The Blacker The Berry” and “Alright” that really stole the show. The second high-profile black artist to use prime-time television to make an unapologetic statement on race in just over a week, it saw the performer clad in chains, before finishing in front of a map of Africa with the word “Compton” written on it. Alright, indeed.
2. Lady Gaga performed a tribute to David Bowie
The awards took place just over a month after the passing of David Bowie and it fell to Lady Gaga — arguably today’s most chameleonic performer — to stage a medley of his most famous hits. The appearance had it’s critics — including Bowie’s son Duncan — but more than anything it was nice to see Gaga back in Pop Territory, dancing with animatronic keyboards with holographic spiders projected across her face. Someone get RedOne on the phone immediately.
3. Everyone blamed Justin Bieber for Adele‘s technical difficulties
When Adele’s performance of “All I Ask” appeared to suffer from technical difficulties, the world naturally turned it’s attention not to the numerous sound technicians on hand, but to Justin Bieber, who was a apparently strumming a guitar backstage. Adele has since confirmed that the sound problems you heard were, well, just sound problems. But how were the audience to know that when Justin Bieber was in the vicinity. Should we blame the government? Or blame society? Or should we blame the images on TV? No, blame a Canadian pop star!
4. Taylor responded to that Kanye Lyric
Taylor Swift used her acceptance speech for Best Album to respond to Kanye’s claim that his 2009 VMA stage invasion made the previously unknown, multi-platinum selling artist famous. “I want to say to all the young women out there, there will be people along the way who will try to undercut your success, or take credit for your accomplishments or your fame,” she told the audience. “But if you just focus on the work and you don’t let those people sidetrack you, someday when you get where you’re going, you’ll look around and you’ll know that it was you and the people who love you who put you there and that will be the greatest feeling in the world.” Kanye is yet to respond but, to be honest, who knows what could have happened by the time you’ve finished reading this sentence.
5. A$AP Rocky brought A$AP Yams‘ mom as his date
In honor of his friend, the late A$AP Yams, A$AP Rocky brought the A$AP Mob founder’s mom along as his date. It confirmed not only his supreme coolness, but also his “you can introduce me to your mother” credentials for anyone still wondering.