The biggest names in music came together to celebrate at the 2020 Grammys on Sunday, January 26. While there was clearly love in the air between the different artists, the Staples Center was also focused on honoring Kobe Bryant, who died in a helicopter crash hours before the broadcast.
Tyler the Creator, for his part, opened up about losing both the 41-year-old basketball legend and late rapper Nipsey Hussle in the press room after he won the Grammy for Best Rap Album during the show.
“Man, that news was heavy. Especially just being in L.A., just being here at the Staples Center,” the 28-year-old rapper told reporters. “Within a short period of time, between him and Nipsey. And if you’re from Los Angeles, and depending on what sector you’re in, that s—t is really, really heavy. So, we took an L tonight and rest in peace to Kobe, that hurt. But we took a win, just being from Los Angeles, taking that home. So, it’s mixed emotions.”
Kobe and wife Vanessa Bryant were the parents of four daughters: Natalia, 17, Gianna, 13, Bianka, 3, and Capri, 7 months. In addition to six other passengers and the pilot, Gianna died alongside her father during Sunday’s tragic accident.
“Finding out the news about Kobe — and his daughter Gianna — rest in peace and pray for their families,” DJ Khaled told press backstage on Sunday. “And you know, we came here to honor our brother Nipsey Hussle. And his beautiful family and his kids and his wife and his brother and his family right here. The song ‘Higher,’ we represented our brothers. And is it was, it was beautiful. But at same time, there’s, you know, this is tough, you know?”
Khaled, 44, was joined by John Legend and Meek Mill to pay tribute to Hussle, who was tragically killed in March 2019 at the age of 33. The late activist won two posthumous Grammys for the songs “Racks in the Middle” and “Higher” on Sunday.
“We won the Grammy. Nipsey Hussle. John Legend. Khaled and the family. We won this,” the DJ said in the pressroom. “All money in for and the family for letting us do this and, and let us put the record out and just to represent our brother. This is my first Grammy and I won it with my brother Nipsey Hussle.”
Scroll through for the must-see photos from the audience and backstage at the 2020 Grammys: