After7Only

Of all the episodes this season, this one had the most potential... unfortately the execution was terrible. It touched on so many hot button issues that need to be properly skewered. The anti-bullying movement in general, the newfound senstivity to the use of the word 'gay' (espeically given the athlete who got in trouble for using the term 'no homo'), the special interest shake downs. All the elements were there for a really biting commentary. instead they went for the obvious, and didn't dig deep at all.

I watched... Chris Rock didn't seem to prepare much for the actual hosting part of the show, outside of his opening monologue . But that monster truck rally piece was hiliarious. I loved Usher's performance. Yes, he is getting to be the old man... but he knows how to work his old man swag. I appreciated the trip down memory lane with his hits. I also liked Chris Brown (hangs head in shame). The lack of interesting 'newbies' points out to me the lack of new artists in general in R&B. I don't know if it's because music is so driven by singles nowadays instead of albums. But you see very few R&B new artists with more than 1-2 hit songs, and definitely not hits that just feature them. Every song is some type of collab, with wayne, Chris Brown, Drake, etc. 90s Tribute... Great to see them all again, even if time hasn't been kind to all of them. Wished they would have added Shai, H-Five, or Soul for Real, instead of Color Me Bad. They were always more pop than R&B to me, plus they were missing the main singer. Lionel Richie tribute was good and long overdue. We forget that Lionel Richie was HUGE for a few years in the 80s. I adore Ledisi, but would have preferred she sing something besides Brick House. Yolanda Adams sang my very favorite Lionel song. The best female rapper award was a joke, and I appreciated Floyd for treating it as such.... I mean Charlie Baltimore is still rapping in 2014?.... Nicki was definitely throwing shade at Iggy with her comments. But everything about Iggy lacks authenticity for me, so I wouldn't be shocked if she doesn't write her own stuff. Plus her Fancy song, sounds like a rip off of Gwen Stefani and Eve. Hated... we waited 4 hours to watch a taped Bey/JayZ piece. They could have kept that.