Recording Academy Names Shonda Grant Chief People & Culture Officer

Matt Donnelly Senior Film WriterICM Partners has hired Courtney Kelley as chief human resources officer.Kelley joins the company from the National Football League, where she served as vice president of human resources.

August Alsina has no hard feelings toward Jada Pinkett Smith or her family after his past romantic relationship with the actress.The “Kissin’ on My Tattoos” singer made headlines in June after he claimed that he dated Smith years prior.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorFor years many observers have said that the Recording Academy president/CEO role was too big for a single person, and the organization on Friday announced the creation of two key senior leadership positions — chief operating officer and chief industry officer — amid a larger staff reorganization.According to the announcement, key features of the reorganization are the streamlining of most of the Academy’s staff into three divisions:  the Entertainment / Consumer

Branden Chapman, the academy’s new COO. Trade/industry will be led by Ruby Marchand, who joins the academy as its new chief industry officer.

A private conversation between Man In Black star Will Smith and popular rapper 50 Cent has gone wrong recently and its screenshot has now become viral all over social media. All of this happened after Will’s wife Jada Pinkett Smith admitted about having an affair with R&B artist August Alsina in her show.

Caroline Framke Chief TV CriticThere’s hardly been a more charged, fascinating moment in TV this summer than Jada Pinkett Smith sitting at her famed Red Table with her husband, Will Smith, to talk about their marriage like never before.

Lil Nas X,GunnaandVictoria Monetare among 2,321 people who have been invited to join the Recording Academy. That is nearly 1,000 more invitations than the academy issued last year, when it invited 1,340 new members.

Harvey Mason, Jr., the academy’s chair and interim president/CEO, tells Billboard. “So we have three options for people this year for the first time ever -- they can pay no dues or they can pay their regular dues or they can pay their regular dues plus extra to cover somebody who might be having some financial hardship.“If that [dues payment] was something that was uncomfortable for them at this time, we want to be sensitive to that.

Lil Nas X, Gunna and Victoria Monet are among 2,321 people who have been invited to join the Recording Academy. That is nearly 1,000 more invitations than the academy issued last year, when it invited 1,340 new members.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorThe Recording Academy announced that it has extended membership invitations to more than 2,300 established music professionals. As part of the organization’s stated drive toward greater diversity, it notes that the 2020 class of invitees is 48% female, 21% African-American or African descent, 8% Hispanic and 3% Asian-American and Pacific Islander.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorThe Recording Academy and Color of Change, the largest online racial justice organization in the U.S., have announced a partnership to “promote positive social change within the music industry.” The Academy announced to members last month that it has made a $1 million donation to Color of Change.According to the announcement, the organizations will “work together to identify key opportunities to drive and influence change in the music industry, and will be dedicated

The Recording Academy has partnered with Color of Change, the nation's largest online racial justice organization, to promote social change within the music industry. To kick off the partnership, the Recording Academy has made a $1 million donation to the non-profit. The organizations will work together to identify key opportunities to drive change in the music i

August Alsina claims he warned Jada Pinkett Smith that he was going public about their alleged affair. The 27-year-old singer recently gave an interview in which he claimed he and Jada, 48, had a relationship with the blessing of her husband Will Smith and he says he warned the Smiths in advance.

August Alsina is discussing his love life.

The Recording Academy has announced a summer 2020 call-to-action initiative to help provide pandemic and tax relief for music creators and music businesses, and to promote social change through legislation. The seven-week effort will culminate with the academy's seventh annual District Advocate event on Aug. 12.