Sean 'Diddy' Combs Puts Recording Academy On Notice

Sean Diddy Combs

When Sean “Diddy” Combs accepted the Salute to Industry Icons Award at the Clive Davis and Recording Academy’s Pre-Grammy Gala Saturday evening, he brought the elephant in the room—the broiling controversy surrounding the Academy—front and center. Catching everyone in the Beverly Hilton Hotel ballroom by surprise, he threw down his own gauntlet to the Academy on behalf of artists and other music industry creatives: “You’ve got 365 days’ notice to get this sh-t together.”

Billboard reports the admonishment came in the last six minutes of Combs’ 40-minute speech after he’d accepted the award from the Recording Academy’s board chairman and interim president/CEO Harvey Mason Jr.

Prefacing that his remarks were being said with love and that it wasn’t about bashing the Academy, Combs pulled no punches as he took the organization to task for its lack of diversity and transparency. “Truth be told, hip-hop has never been respected by the Grammys,” he noted, interrupted by cheers and loud applause. “Black music has never been respected by the Grammys to the point that it should be … And that stops right now.

“I’m officially starting the clock,” he continued in part. “You’ve got 365 days to get this sh-t together. We need transparency, we need diversity. They’re [the Academy] a non-profit organization that’s supposed to protect the welfare of the musical community. But it’s going to take all of us to get this done. It’s going to take the artists and executives to recognize their power. So sign me up. I’m here to help make a difference and help us have a positive outcome."

Harvey Mason

Just hours after Combs challenged the industry to get its act todather, interim Recording Academy CEO and board chairman, Harvey Mason Jr., sent a memo Sunday morning to members detailing a five-step diversity and inclusion initiative.

"Six months ago, when I put my hat in the ring to be your Chair, I did so because I believed that the Academy could do better – could be better," the memo said.

"The music we create has always reflected the best of ourselves and our world. But what was true of music has historically not been true of the music business as a whole. Too often, our industry and Academy have alienated some of our own artists – in particular, through a lack of diversity that, in many cases, results in a culture that leans towards exclusion rather than inclusion."

The memo continued: "Artists – especially women and artists of color – had long begun demanding transparency and taking on our traditional power structure. They have found allies across the industry who believe that we can do better and have joined the fight for change."

Mason's initiatives include hiring a diversity and inclusion officer in the next three months, funding women in music organizations and recommitting to meeting recommendations from the Diversity Task Force the Academy implemented in February 2018.

Read the full memo from interim CEO Mason:



"Six months ago, when I put my hat in the ring to be your Chair, I did so because I believed that the Academy could do better – could be better. The music we create has always reflected the best of ourselves and our world. But what was true of music has historically not been true of the music business as a whole. Too often, our industry and Academy have alienated some of our own artists – in particular, through a lack of diversity that, in many cases, results in a culture that leans towards exclusion rather than inclusion.  

"The Academy is recognized for our excellence. We are a leader.  And being a leader means taking responsibility even when it feels like the problems at hand are bigger than us.  

"This is hard. Some might feel that responsibility is unfair, while others might feel it’s not going far enough. But in the end, we must take on this work.  Because it’s the right thing to do.  

"I ran for this position because, as a music creator, I wanted to help bring this organization in line with the values I know this community shares. I asked for your trust – and your help – as we continue to push the Academy towards a place where everyone is valued, respected, and included. That’s the Academy that we – artists and fans alike – deserve.  

"In entering this role six months ago, I was fortunate to be building on courageous and inspiring work. Artists – especially women and artists of color – had long begun demanding transparency and taking on our traditional power structure. They have found allies across the industry who believe that we can do better and have joined the fight for change.   

"In February 2018, we empowered a Diversity Task Force, led by Tina Tchen and made up of distinguished individuals from outside the Academy, to take a hard, independent look at our organization specifically and the music industry as a whole. They detailed the ways in which we were falling short, and laid out 18 recommendations for change.  

"Since I took office, we as an organization have agreed to 17 of those 18 recommendations. I know some will feel that we’re not doing enough fast enough. I understand the urgency. For me personally, and for this organization, these immediate steps are a continuation of our ongoing work.

"But it’s not enough to pledge ourselves to change. We must take action. There is no excuse for waiting, especially when so many of our members have been tirelessly advocating for a bold new direction for so long.

"That’s why I’m proud to announce these new initiatives, initiatives developed in partnership with the Diversity Task Force and other champions of change. They include the following:

"The Academy will hire a dedicated Diversity & Inclusion Officer. This person will be hired within the next 90 days.

"We will establish a fellowship, funded by the Academy, that will be responsible for independent review and reporting of the progress of the Academy's Diversity & Inclusion efforts. This will be in place within 120 days. 

We will create a fund to be distributed annually to different “women in music” organizations that will be managed by the D&I Officer. This will go into effect immediately. 

"The Academy will recommit to meeting all 18 of the Task Force Recommendations as outlined in the full report and in a manner that will endure, with the caveat that we will have a deeper exploration, along with the Task Force into voting processes for the GRAMMYS.

"We are committing to meet with the Task Force to review our progress on these as well as the rest of their eighteen initiatives. This first meeting will happen ​in 45 days​. There will be subsequent follow ups to review progress.

"It’s been a challenging week for our Academy family. I’ve heard from many of you who feel betrayed and hurt by the untruths being spread about our motives and actions, the integrity of our process and the artists who've rightfully earned their GRAMMY Nominations, and the reminders of the hard truths we do have to face as a community.  We can all be proud that we are recommitting ourselves to transparency, to independent investigations, and to following the facts wherever they lead. And I want to thank the incredible Academy team that, through it all, work day and night, from staff, artist support services, member relations, chapter leaders, MusiCares, The GRAMMY Museum and Foundation, and to those putting on a spectacular show and the week’s events. 

"The movement to ensure that the Academy – and the music business – is truly representative of artists and their audiences has been going on for a long time.  And that struggle will continue, not just for women and people of color, but for members of the LGBTQ+ community, for artists struggling to make ends meet, for those suffering from addiction or mental health challenges, for people of all shapes and sizes and backgrounds, and for groups we may not even recognize today.  As a leading voice in the industry, we have an obligation to be on the frontlines of that change.  To build a system that continuously evolves with our changing society – a system where every artist, no matter who they are, feels welcomed and supported. That’s what it will take to not just survive but thrive in an industry that’s transforming as quickly as ours.  

"This won’t be easy.  But here’s the thing: I know we can do this together.  Because that’s what we have always done.  We are collaborators. After all, as a peer-based community, the Academy truly represents music at its best.  It has always reflected the very artists who grapple with the issues that shape our times, and push society to live up to our ideals.  That’s what it means to be a part of this extraordinary community of artists – people with integrity, people with passion, and people who, above all, are committed to music and its possibilities. 

"Tonight, many of our colleagues will take the stage on Music’s Biggest Night, be honored by their community of peers and thank the Academy. On behalf of the Academy, I’d like to thank them. Thank you for the authenticity you bring to your craft, the dignity with which you carry yourselves, and the love you show to each other and our world. 

"I look forward to working side by side with you to continue building an Academy that reflects the best in us, and honors the incredible artists who lift us up every day. "

Respectfully Yours,

Harvey Mason Jr