The former head of the organization behind the Grammy Awards, Neil Portnow, has been sued by a musician who accuses him of drugging and raping her in 2018. The lawsuit, filed in Manhattan, accuses Portnow of sexual battery and also holds the Recording Academy, which he led until 2019, responsible for negligence. The New York Times first reported the story, and the suit does not disclose the woman's identity to protect her privacy.

The Recording Academy, in response to the lawsuit, stated that they would vigorously defend themselves and believe the claims to be without merit. Portnow, through a representative, has flatly denied the allegations. His departure from the Academy in 2019 came after facing criticism for his disparaging comments towards women, where he suggested that they should "step up" to gain more recognition in the music industry, which was dominated by white men.

According to court documents, the female artist met Portnow at a Grammy-related event in New York in 2018. She alleges that he invited her to his hotel room, offered her wine, and she began to feel woozy after drinking it. The woman wanted to leave, but Portnow claimed there were no available taxis. She then lost consciousness after Portnow told her that he had been thinking about her for a long time. The suit states that she woke up throughout the night while Portnow was raping her and still felt disoriented the next morning.

The woman expressed concerns about Portnow's power in the industry, but when she reported the incident to Academy officials months later, she claims she was ignored. The suit also mentions that she filed a police report against Portnow, but law enforcement authorities declined to prosecute at the time. These accusations were first revealed in 2020 when Deborah Dugan, Portnow's successor as the head of the Recording Academy, filed a discrimination complaint against the institution. Dugan's complaint included the rape allegation, which Portnow also denied.

Portnow's comments in 2018, suggesting that women should "step up," added to the existing criticism that the Academy favored white male artists. This lawsuit brings renewed attention to the controversy surrounding Portnow and the Recording Academy, highlighting the need for accountability and addressing issues of sexual harassment and discrimination within the music industry.

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