Will Smith's Oscars Slap and What to Expect at the Grammys

Everything that happened at the Academy Awards still has us reeling — especially the moment that stole the show, when Will Smith walked onstage and slapped Chris Rock after the comedian made a joke about Jada Pinkett Smith’s shaved head. 

People have a lot of opinions. So we called up the creator of the #OscarsSoWhite hashtag, April Reign, to talk about what happened and break down the social media storm that followed. 

And while the Oscars are still trending, awards season isn’t over yet. This Sunday, the 2022 Grammy Awards air on CBS, and the music world is supplying its own brand of drama. Kanye West is banned from performing. Drake withdrew his Grammy noms in protest. And some of the requirements for Grammy nominations and voting have changed. But what does any of this mean?  

To break down the controversies and get a quick look at contenders in the top categories — from mega stars Olivia Rodrigo and Lil Nas X to artists you may not be so familiar with, like Black country singer Mickey Guyton and classical composer Caroline Shaw — we spoke to a few writers and music critics. 

And while you’re here, we want to hear from you! Help us bring you the stories you want us to cover by checking out this quick listener survey.  

You’ll hear from:

• April Reign, creator of #OscarsSoWhite hashtag and co-founder of She Will Rise

• Allison Hussey, staff writer at Pitchfork

• Oris Aigbokhaevbolo, film and music critic

• Joey Guerra, music critic at the Houston Chronicle

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