Civil Rights Activist Rev. Jesse Jackson is speaking out against the restructuring of the Grammy Awards, after it announced the downsizing from 109 categories to 78.
The Academy is considering condensing awards into an all-inclusive category.
Jackson does not approve of this move and is launching an effort to reverse the category cuts.
He sent a letter to Neil Portnow, president and CEO of the organization, saying that the change does no justice to the broad nature of the arts.
“Music of all arts should be expansive and inclusive.” He added, “So much talent comes from the base of poverty and those in the margins. You limit the base, you miss too much talent.”
The civil rights leader has not called for a boycott of the 54th Grammy Awards ceremony but he said “We are prepared to work with artists and ministers and activists to occupy at the Grammys so our appeal of consideration of mercy really might be heard.”
The awards air on Feb. 12 on CBS.
