Two days after the 51st Grammy Awards ceremony the talk is not about who won, but about two stars who skipped out on the affair Sunday night at Staples Center. In a surprise to a lot of folks ( me included), Robert Plant, the veteran rocker from “Led Zeppelin,” and bluegrass singer Alison Krauss won five Grammys including the top prize of album of the year for their collaboration on “Raising Sand.”
Also, Coldplay took home three awards and rapper Lil Wayne, nominated for eight, won four. An emotional Jennifer Hudson picked-up best R&B album, her first grammy win. A full list of the winners is on the Grammy website. However, two no-shows at the Grammy ceremony, pop stars Chris Brown and Rihanna, are getting the most media attention right now. Both stars were nominated for Grammys and scheduled to perform. Now, Brown and Rihanna are laying low and out of sight.
Early Sunday morning, 19-year-old Brown reportedly got into an altercation that turned violent with a woman on a street in the upscale Los Angeles neighborhood of Hancock Park. When police arrived Brown had driven off, but the woman was still at the scene. Police say she had visible signs of injuries.
Some media reports say the woman was beaten up. Other reports claim the victim was Brown’s 20-year-old girlfriend, Rihanna. Instead of making the scene at the Grammys Sunday night, Brown was booked at the Los Angeles Wilshire police station for allegedly making criminal threats. The singer posted a $50, 000 bond and was released. Police say there could be further charges in this felony domestic battery investigation filed later by the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.
Both Rihanna and Brown have hot careers. Rihanna ‘s break out smash was “Umbrella” in 2007. Brown’s popularity shot up with the 2005 hit, “Run It.” Both have lucrative endorsement contracts as well. The fallout from this alleged street fight has already taken a toll on Brown’s image and bank account. Yesterday, the Wrigley gum company put the brakes on its deal with Brown. Wrigley is apparently waiting for the outcome of Brown’s legal problems to make a final decision. Brown’s case is scheduled to go to court in Los Angeles on March 5.
