The Recording Academy has removed Marilyn Manson’s Best Rap Song nomination for “Jail,” a song he helped co-write on Kanye West’s recent album Donda. Manson is still up for a Grammy for Album of the Year for Donda.
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Organizers of the Grammy Awards received some scrutiny when the 52-year-old shock rocker, who is currently under investigation for accusations of sexual assault by numerous women, received two nominations. Comedian Louis CK, who admitted to sexual misconduct in 2017, was also nominated for Grammy for Best Comedy Album for Sincerely Louis CK.
“We won’t restrict the people who can submit their material for consideration,” said Recording Academy president and CEO Harvey Mason, jr., in a statement following the announcement of the 2022 nominees. “We won’t look back at people’s history, we won’t look at their criminal record, we won’t look at anything other than the legality within our rules of, is this recording for this work-eligible based on date and other criteria. If it is, they can submit for consideration.”
In early 2021, actress Evan Rachel Wood accused Manson of emotional, sexual, and physical abuse during their relationship, which lasted from 2007 through 2010. Several lawsuits have been filed against Manson, and on Dec. 1, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s deputies raided Manson’s West Hollywood apartment, seizing media storage units including hard drives. Manson, whose real name is Brian Hugh Warner, was not home at the time of the raid.
The revision is one of several the Academy made to the 64th annual Grammy nominations, which were revealed on Nov. 24, including adding on songwriter Linda Chorney, who is now up for a Best American Roots Song for “Bored.”
“That audit has now concluded, and Ms. Chorney’s recording has been added back in,” said the Academy in a statement. “We apologize for any inconvenience this delay may have caused, but ensuring the integrity of our voting process is paramount.”
In a recent interview, Chorney said that Mason told her that she had been “flagged” because of previous comments she made about the Grammys. In 2011, Chorney received some criticism after receiving a Grammy nomination for Best Americana Album because she never registered an album sale. The singer-songwriter later made a movie based on the experience titled When I Sing.
Chorney said she was thrilled to be nominated and that the Academy addressed this recent oversight quickly. “I was ecstatic,” she said. “I felt validated.”
The 64th Annual Grammys Awards ceremony, hosted by Trevor Noah, will broadcast live from Los Angeles on Paramount+ and CBS on Jan. 31.
Photos: Marilyn Manson, YouTube / LindaCorney.com
