The Related Press has issued an apology to legendary R&B singer-songwriter Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds after its reporters confronted web ire for an ungainly, Chappell Roan-induced purple carpet second earlier than the 2025 Grammy Awards.
As a part of its Grammys protection on Sunday, AP streamed dwell from the purple carpet in downtown Los Angeles. Journalists Leslie Ambriz, Krysta Fauria and Gary Gerard Hamilton helmed the purple carpet protection, chatting it up with Grammys attendees and nominees as they confirmed off their Sunday finest. About 2½ hours into the livestream, Babyface — carrying a darkish go well with with a bedazzled lapel — approached Ambriz and Fauria.
The producer, 65, spoke to AP concerning the music group exhibiting up for Los Angeles after the area’s devastating firestorm final month and about therapeutic by means of music. However the interview shortly turned awkward after Ambriz requested Babyface concerning the rising prominence of ladies within the R&B house. As Babyface started to reply the query, Fauria flagged down “Good Luck, Babe!” performer Roan, calling out to the 26-year-old pop star a number of occasions regardless of the continuing interview.
“You guys want to take that?,” Babyface requested after noticing what Fauria was doing. “Go do that.”
“So sorry, Babyface,” Ambriz mentioned, then shortly welcomed Roan.
Footage of the abrupt transition went viral on social media, catching warmth from customers together with Khloé Kardashian and Grammy winner Dionne Warwick. “Am I seeing this correctly?” Warwick tweeted Sunday.
The “That’s What Friends Are For” singer adopted up her first response with one other tweet tagging AP and sharing a screenshot of a dictionary entry for “decorum.”
Kardashian slammed the reporters for his or her “disrespectful” remedy of Babyface. The fact TV persona praised the producer for his “significant impact on the music industry” and wrote that he “deserves so much better than this.”
She added: “PS big or small, old or new, — you don’t treat people like this. At least not in my eyes. There’s a way to handle this and this was wrong in my opinion.”
Ernest Dukes, who represents Babyface, shared a clip of the gaffe on his Instagram story, writing “bring back professionalism” and calling the AP reporters’ habits “beyond wack” and “beyond disrespectful.” In one other story, Dukes shared a rundown of his consumer’s achievements together with his quite a few Grammy wins and a rely of his chart-topping hits.
Over the course of his decades-spanning profession, Babyface has collaborated with artists together with Usher, Toni Braxton, Madonna, Mary J. Blige, Aretha Franklin and SZA. On the 2024 Grammy Awards he earned a Grammy for his work on SZA’s “Snooze,” which took residence the R&B music prize.
Babyface and girlfriend Rika Tischendorf stroll the purple carpet on the 67th Grammy Awards in L.A. on Sunday.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Occasions)
Heading into Sunday’s ceremony, “Hot to Go!” singer Roan earned six nominations. She gained the brand new artist prize and in her acceptance speech referred to as on labels to raised assist up-and-coming artists with a residing wage and well being protection.
Fauria and Ambriz had already apologized for the snub on the finish of their pre-show livestream.
“There was a lot of commotion as there is on these carpets,” Fauria mentioned. “But I’m a big Babyface fan, as are we all, and I just wanted to say that I really apologize.”
Ambriz informed viewers that “wild things” out of their management can occur at star-studded occasions like awards-show purple carpets. She defined that behind-the-scenes wants can generally thwart reporters’ wishes to proceed conversations and mentioned she appears ahead to chatting with Babyface sooner or later.
She continued: “I should’ve done more to stop it but I’m very happy that he stopped to talk to us in the first place.”
“It was unfortunate, but also these things happen,” Hamilton added.
Dukes didn’t instantly reply Monday to The Occasions’ request for remark, nevertheless it appears as if his consumer has shrugged off the encounter already.
“The best part of the night was reconnecting with old friends, meeting new artists, and feeling all the love in the room,” Babyface mentioned by way of Dukes in a press release to USA Immediately. “That’s what I’ll remember. That’s what it’s really about. Music is bigger than any one moment. Much love to everyone who won and everyone out here making great music.”
