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Grammys ceremony opens with tribute to Kobe Bryant
On musics biggest night the mood was somber but the 2020 Grammys ceremony opened with a heartfelt tribute to basketball legend to Kobe Bryant. Bryant and eight others, including his 13-year-old daughter Gianna, died in a helicopter crash early Sunday.
Grammys host Alicia Keys acknowledged the atmosphere in her opening speech.
Read: NBA GREAT KOBE BRYANT , HIS 13 YEAR DAUGHTER ALONG WITH 7 OTHERS DEAD IN HELICOPTER CRASH
“Here we are together on music’s biggest night, celebrating our artists that do it best,” she began “but, to be honest with you were all feeling crazy sadness right now, because earlier today Los Angeles, America and the whole wide world lost a hero.
“And we’re literally standing here, heartbroken, in the house that Kobe Bryant built.
“Right now, Kobe and his family and all of those that have been tragically lost today are in our spirits, in our hearts, in our prayers, they’re in this building.
“I would like everybody to take a moment and hold them inside of you and share our strength and our support with their families.”
“I know how much Kobe loved music,” she added later, “so we got to make this a celebration in his honour.”
“We never imagined in a million years that we’d have to start the show like this,” Keys said. “So we wanted to do something that could describe a tiny bit how we all feel right now.”
Boyz II Men joined her on stage singing several lines from their classic “It’s So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday.”
“We love you, Kobe,” Keys said at the end.
Artist throughout the night paid tribute to Kobe Bryant
Pop star Lizzo, opening the show with her with her popular ballad ‘Cuz I Love You,’ declaring “Tonight is for you Kobe”
Later in the show Run-DMC held up one of Bryant’s number 24 vests.
