Alicia Keys Brings Out Boyz II Men To Honor Kobe Bryant With Grammys Performance
Alicia Keys kicked off the 2020 Grammys ceremony by honoring Kobe Bryant and his daughter, Gianna, who were among the nine people who died in a helicopter crash hours before the award show.
The Grammys host began her speech with a sobering tribute to Bryant, noting “the whole wide world lost a hero.” Keys gave a nod to Bryant’s legendary mark on the Staples Center, where the Los Angeles Lakers play.
“We’re literally standing here, heartbroken, in the house that Kobe Bryant built,” she continued. “Right now Kobe and his daughter, Gianna, and all of those that have been tragically lost today, are in our spirit, they’re in our hearts, they’re in our prayers, they’re in this building... and I would like to ask everybody to take a moment and just hold them inside of you.”
"We are literally standing here heartbroken in the house that Kobe Bryant built." Host @aliciakeys pays tribute to Kobe Bryant, his daughter and their family during her opening monologue at the #Grammys https://t.co/0BNpfw9wWV pic.twitter.com/9VzWZa2M8S
— The Hollywood Reporter (@THR) January 27, 2020
Keys then brought out members of Boyz II Men for a performance of the song “It’s So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday.”
"We love you Kobe." @aliciakeys and Boyz II Men sing in tribute to Kobe Bryant and his family at the opening of the #Grammys https://t.co/kk0nIau0ee pic.twitter.com/v3KpXSkvyW
— The Hollywood Reporter (@THR) January 27, 2020
Lizzo opened the Grammys Sunday night with a performance of her hit song “Cuz I Love You.”
“Tonight is for Kobe,” the singer said onstage.
Related...
2020 Grammys: The Complete Winners List
Lizzo Opens Grammy Awards With Kobe Bryant Tribute: 'Tonight Is For Kobe'
The Wildest Looks From The 2020 Grammys Red Carpet
Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today.
This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
