This post contains discussion of sexual misconduct and rape.
OK, so this guy is Neil Portnow. He was the President of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences — also known as NARAS, or the Recording Academy — from 2002 until 2019.
The year before he stepped down, Neil said that women needed to “step up” after criticism that the telecast and the awards body didn’t recognize female-identifying musicians enough.
Neil later apologized, but the damage was done. When Dua Lipa won Best New Artist in 2019, she even referenced his initial statement with more than a hint of sarcasm. “I guess this year we really stepped up,” she said at the time.
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Grammys / Via youtube.com
Since stepping down, Neil has also been sued by a woman who claims that he drugged and raped her in 2018. The allegation first surfaced in 2020 via a lawsuit filed by Neil’s successor Deborah Dugan, who was allegedly forced out of the position after lodging a complaint against the Academy that included the allegation against Neil.
After the show, Phoebe addressed press backstage. “I have something to say about women,” she said. “The ex-president of the Recording Academy, Neil Portnow, said that if women want to be nominated and win Grammys, that they should ‘step up.’”
“He’s also being accused of sexual violence. And to him I’d like to say: I know you’re not dead yet, but when you are…rot in piss.”
You can read more about the allegations against Neil Portnow, which he has thus far denied publicly, here.
If you or someone you know has experienced sexual assault, you can call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673), which routes the caller to their nearest sexual assault service provider. You can also search for your local center here.
