Grammys 2019: Late rapper XXXTentacion excluded from show's In Memoriam segment

The 2019 Grammys honoured artistes such as Avicii, Mac Miller and Aretha Franklin during its In Memoriam segment, but rapper XXXTentacion, who was shot dead in 2018, was excluded from the list. It was reported that the representatives of the late rapper requested repeatedly that the Recording Academy recognise the artist, whose ‘Sad!’ was one of the most streamed songs of 2018. But because of the rapper’s history of domestic violence, the show opted not to include him alongside acts such as Avicii and Mac Miller, reports Variety . However, Rapper 9th Wonder came out in defense of and spoke to TMZ about his exclusion. He said, ““Everybody has a right to be remembered. If you’re an artist in this game and you gave a lot to it and you gave a lot to the game and changed culture […] he should have been remembered.”

The award show also honored country music legend Roy Clark, Lynard Skynard guitarist Ed King and rapper Jimmy Wopo. (With inputs from Press Trust of India)