NOVEL NEXT Chapter 260 Boos from the Audience
"YES! Link, you've won."
The moment Selena heard his name, she broke into a grin and excitedly shook his arm.
"Dear, you're amazing."
Taylor leaned over and excitedly planted a kiss on his face.
Link was surprised he had won the award.
'Producer of the Year' is one of the Grammy awards with the most prestige, given annually to a single record that is the most influential, creative, and transformative.
Last year the award went to Robert and Alison, a rock superstar and a country music queen, respectively.
Their collaborative single "Please Read The Letter" had a fresh and unique style, embodying a spirit of change, which was why they won.
But Link's winning single "unstoppable" was somewhat behind in sales compared to "see you again," "Single Ladies," "Poker Face," "you belong with me," "Use Somebody," "Believer," and such.
Its only advantage was its positive theme, having been released just as the United States was hit by a financial crisis, and it had some positive impact on the societal level.
Link rationalized it in his mind.
"I'm pretty lucky!"
He clenched his fist, hugged Taylor and Selena by his side, embraced Lady Gaga, Adele, and Katy Perry, high-fived with fellow music producers like Graham Goodall and David Kahn; this single record's success in winning Best Production also owed to their efforts.
After a delay of two or three minutes, he walked onto the stage to the sound of rapturous applause and the background music of "unstoppable," striding with large steps.
"Link, you're incredible!"
Bruno Mars and Wiz Khalifa stood up clapping and cheering.
Link walked onto the stage and waved to the audience, then approached the two presenters, shook hands with Robert, and hugged Alison, whom he knew quite well from last year's Nashville country music festival.
"Hey, Link, congratulations!"
Alison handed him a delicately designed small gramophone with a glittering golden horn and a black base, heavy in his hand like a refined piece of art.
"Thank you!"
Link took the gramophone and stepped up to the microphone, but before he could speak, a piercing boo erupted from somewhere in the audience.
"Boo boo boo!"
Lil Wayne, 50 Cent, Kanye, and others gave a thumbs down gesture, and some made provocative gestures, cupping their crotches.
"Link, put that trophy down, it doesn't belong to you."
"Beyonce's 'Halo' is the best," shouted 50 Cent and his group.
"Hey, guys, no need to be jealous, you'll never get this award," said Link, holding the golden gramophone.
"Fuck! What are you talking about?"
Lil Wayne and Kanye angrily raised their fists.
Link glanced at them, then turned to the microphone, facing the tens of thousands in the audience, the CBS camera, the entire United States viewership, and viewers from 153 countries around the world, and said with a smile, "Hi! Everybody, I'm Link Baker, just an ordinary musician."
"Link! You're the best!"
Many in the audience shouted, while many others clapped and cheered, drowning out Lil Wayne's boos.
"Thank you! Thank you, everyone!"
Link waved his hand, gripping the microphone pole, "Since the second half of 2008, I've garnered quite a few labels, one of which is a symbol of the American dream. A lot of fans from abroad ask me what the American dream is?
I tell them about a young man who at 15 had nothing and was twice jailed. At 17, he still had nothing and started practicing boxing and music. By 19, he was an Olympic champion, a world boxing champion, a famous singer.
At 21, he stands on the world music stage, holding aloft a trophy.
That is the American dream!
It allows someone with nothing to become a billionaire, a singer barely 21 years old to win a Grammy for Record of the Year, and makes the unbelievable happen right before our eyes—that is the American dream!"
Applause! Applause! Applause!
"Link! Link! Link!"
Many in the audience stood up clapping, shouting his name aloud.
Even many veteran musicians in the industry clapped. Perhaps they didn't appreciate Link's music, but Link's journey to fame and the genius he showed in boxing and music were undeniable, earning their respect.
"Thank you! Thank you, Grammy! This is truly a beautiful night, thank you to all my friends who supported me, I love you!"
Link raised the trophy high on the award stage.
"Link, we love you!"
Selena Lana and many female fans shouted from the audience.
"Fuck! Letting that bastard gloat again," 50 Cent muttered, watching the ecstatic audience, feeling very annoyed.
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"Did you guys just hear that? That asshole Link said we'll never be able to get the Record of the Year."
Lil Wayne said angrily.
Kanye looked gloomy as he watched Link on stage, filled with regret.
At the beginning of last year, if he hadn't publicly criticized Link's new album, Link couldn't have capitalized on his fame for publicity.
Without that publicity, Link's album definitely wouldn't have sold as many copies, nor would his songs have had such a big impact.
If his songs hadn't made such an impact, the Grammy jury certainly wouldn't have given the award to him.
If he hadn't received that award, he wouldn't be showing off here.
All of this was his own mistake.
"Fuck! Fuck! I'm such an idiot!"
Kanye scolded himself, tapping the chair armrests, his heart filled with regret and anger.
"Hey, Kanye, Lil, Beyonce told me to tell you, don't mess around using her name, she's really not cool with what you just did,"
Eminem shouted to them, pointing at Beyonce in the middle of the front row.
Beyonce was wearing a golden dress, revealing sexy shoulders, voluptuous cleavage, and skin as smooth as dark satin, like a Dove chocolate unwrapped from its gold foil.
But right now, her face didn't look good. If under other circumstances these people had supported her, she would have been very happy.
But this is a live broadcast of the Grammy Awards, and Kanye's use of her name to attack the award winner on stage would put her in a very awkward position.
"Jay, can't you warn them not to stir up trouble in my name? I hate this,"
Beyonce said, glancing at her silent husband Jay-Z.
Jay-Z leaned back in his seat, stroking his chin and said slowly, "They mean well, you don't have to be upset."
"Is that well-meaning? In terms of sales and influence, Link's songs are in the top three. He completely deserves this award. Kanye and the others causing a scene will make people think I have something against Link, which could affect my reputation,"
Beyonce said, folding her arms.
"Deserving, huh? It seems you really appreciate Link,"
Jay-Z said with a dark face.
"Of course. Link is handsome, has a sexy body, can write and sing songs, and in addition, he became a billionaire in one year. He's practically perfect. I don't think there are any girls who would dislike him,"
Beyonce said, eyeing Link as he descended the stage, looking at his handsome face and the strong, sexy outline of his body, unable to help but swallow her saliva as she crossed her long, athletic legs tightly together.
"Shut up!"
Jay-Z gripped her fingers tightly, their hands intertwined in front of the camera, displaying a loving image yet he whispered harshly, "I don't care what other women think, but you're my wife; you have to dislike him."
"Let go! You're hurting me,"
Beyonce said, frowning.
Jay-Z snorted coldly, slowly releasing her hand but still managed to kiss it in front of the camera.
Beyonce pulled back her hand and wiped it under her dress.
Jay-Z noticed her subtle movement, and his face turned even darker than ink.
After the Record of the Year was presented, the show continued with Album of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best New Artist.
The nominees for Album of the Year were Beyonce's "I Am... Sasha Fierce", The Black Eyed Peas' "The E.N.D.", Lady Gaga's "The Fame", Taylor's "Fearless", and Link's "Keep On Movin'"
The winner eventually was Taylor's "Fearless".
The same as during the actual 52nd Grammy Awards.
When Taylor went up on stage, a warm buzz of conversation filled the venue.
Link and Taylor were a couple, and they had respectively won the most valued awards for Record and Album of the Year, a first in Grammy history.
In the past, couples had won an award together, but never had a couple won two major awards separately in the same year.
Link and Taylor had indeed set a new record.
Nominated for Song of the Year were Lady Gaga's "Poker Face", Beyonce's "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)", Kings of Leon's "Use Somebody", Taylor's "You Belong With Me", and Link and Wiz Khalifa's "See You Again".
The winner was Beyonce's "Single Ladies".
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The highly anticipated "Poker Face" didn't win any of the first three major awards, suggesting the conservativeness of the Grammy jury, still not quite receptive to Lady Gaga's exaggerated style.
The fourth category was Best New Artist, the nominees being Link Baker, Zac Brown Band, African American singer Keri Hilson, MGMT, and The Ting Tings.
Compared to the heavy hitters nominated last year, this year's competition for the award wasn't as stiff. Link won Best New Artist by a landslide.
Link winning two awards in the first round also caused quite a stir on site.
Those who supported him cheered and applauded, while those who resented him, like Lil Wayne, glared at him fiercely, as if they wanted to pull out a gun and shoot him right there.
"Mr. Baker, it's time for you to get ready for your backstage performance,"
the live director reminded him softly as he left the stage.
"I know."
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