Not singing on your album will cost you a JUNO Award but committing violent crimes? Maybe not.
In the last six months, two Canadian artists – singer Jacob Hoggard and rapper Tory Lanez – have had to face the music in court. But, it’s not clear if they face the prospect of being stripped of their JUNOs.
“The organization has not rescinded an award to date,” a publicist for the Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (CARAS), which oversees the JUNOs, told iHeartRadio.ca on Tuesday, “but that doesn't mean it isn't a possibility in the future.”
In fact, the 1990 JUNO Award for International Album of the Year was taken away from U.S. pop duo Milli Vanilli after it was revealed that Fab Morvan and Rob Pilatus did not perform the vocals on Girl You Know It’s True.
Hoggard fronted Hedley, whose Storms won the 2012 JUNO for Pop Album of the Year. (The band’s “Perfect” won Video of the Year in 2011 but the award went to director Kyle Davison.)
Hoggard was found guilty in Toronto last June of sexual assault causing bodily harm against an Ottawa woman in a Toronto hotel room six years ago. In October, he was sentenced to five years in prison. (He is free on bail until an appeal of his case is heard.)
When allegations of sexual misconduct against Hoggard surfaced in 2018, CARAS responded by pulling Hedley from the list of performers for its live broadcast – but it was the band that withdrew its nominations for Group of the Year, Pop Album of the Year and Fan’s Choice.
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Lanez won Rap Recording of the Year in 2018 for “Shooters,” in 2019 for Love Me Now? and in 2020 for “Freaky.” He also shared the 2020 JUNO for R&B/Soul Recording of the Year with Jessie Reyez and Tainy.
Lanez was convicted in Los Angeles in December of assault with a firearm, carrying a loaded and unregistered firearm and discharging a firearm with gross negligence for the 2020 shooting of Megan Thee Stallion. At his sentencing, scheduled for Feb. 28, he could get up to 22 years and eight months behind bars.
Lanez will face deportation to Canada upon completing his sentence and Hoggard is required to be on the sex offfender registry for 20 years – but both will likely remain JUNO winners.
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JACOB HOGGARD: iHeartRadio.ca Music News Coverage
TORY LANEZ: iHeartRadio.ca Music News Coverage
CARAS appear to be taking a page from the U.S.-based Recording Academy, which oversees the Grammy Awards.
“We won’t look back at people’s history, we won’t look at their criminal record,” Recording Academy president and CEO Harvey Mason Jr. told The Wrap in 2021. "We’re not going to be in the business of restricting people from submitting their work for our voters to decide on.”
Milli Vanilli is, in fact, the only act to have its Grammy Award revoked.
R Kelly, who won three Grammys in 1998 for his hit “I Believe I Can Fly," was sentenced last June to 30 years in prison after being found guilty of one count of racketeering – including 14 underlying acts including sexual exploitation of a child, kidnapping and bribery – and eight counts of sex trafficking.
Phil Spector got to keep his 1973 Grammy after he was convicted in 2009 of killing actress Lana Clarkson and Rick James held on to his 1991 Grammy despite serving time for assault with a deadly weapon, kidnapping and sexual assault.
Chris Brown, who was convicted of assaulting Rihanna in 2009, won a Grammy three years later for Best R&B Album.