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#KATSEYE ABSOLUTELY TORE THAT DOWN AT THE #GRAMMYS STAGE OMGGGGGGG

The GRAMMY Awards are the L.A. awards when it comes to hip hop and R&B, and here is why. There are about 15,000 Recording Academy voting members, and the Academy itself says the Los Angeles Chapter is its oldest and largest chapter. So if one city has the biggest chapter, that city has a built in advantage in genres that are still deeply regional in sound, culture, and community. Hip hop and R&B are not the same everywhere. Atlanta does not sound like Los Angeles. New York does not sound like Miami. Texas does not sound like Chicago. And when the biggest voting footprint sits in one market, it is not hard to see why the same markets keep getting rewarded. Even artists who are not originally from Los Angeles but relocate there gain an unfair advantage in hip hop and R&B. Living in L.A. increases proximity to voters, industry events, listening sessions, and informal influence that shapes taste and perception long before ballots are cast. That proximity matters in a peer voting system, especially when one city holds the largest share of the electorate. So here is the fix. Cap voting by city for hip hop and R&B. Put a maximum number of voters per city, like 2,000 in Los Angeles, 2,000 in New York, 2,000 in Atlanta, 2,000 in Miami, 2,000 in Texas, and so on. Keep the voting peer based, just make it geographically fair. Because if the Academy wants the GRAMMY to mean best in the country, then the process has to reflect the country, not just the biggest chapter in the room. If that does not change, then for hip hop and R&B these awards stop meaning what they claim to mean. @grammys @harveymasonjr the process must change for Rap and R&B.

What would National DJ Day be if we didn’t spotlight the legend DJ Topspin, aka Blendiana Jones (@djtopspin)? Apart from stamping the Pacific Northwest scene and the world with his ear for dancehall, reggae, soca, and afrobeats, he’s also near and dear to the Converge Media family, who has been holding it down with the Converge crew from day one, and that is why his logo adorns the Black Media Matters iconic interview wall. Born of Jamaican and Panamanian roots, his talent lies in his ability to sonically satisfy every room. With over 30 years of leaving his unique imprint on Seattle’s cultural nightlife scene, Topspin pushes the envelope with harmony-heavy flavor, embodying the enduring power of music to connect and tell our stories. We love DJ Topspin because his dedication to his craft is a profound example of excellence and cultural preservation. Like us, he is committed to reflecting our community’s light through his passion, ensuring every beat and blend resonates deeply with our people. Topspin’s musical journey, much like our mission at Converge, is about connecting home to the world, making him an invaluable voice in our community and a true storyteller through sound. Make no mistake; you need it from the TOP! Check out DJ Topspin’s work on Bandcamp and Soundcloud. #DJTopspin #SupportTheDJ #BlackMusic #BlackSeattle #ConvergeMusic