It was disappointment in Black professionalism.

Look at it this way: the Rock generation was largely a bunch of white kids who wanted to rebel against their bland, suburban background by adopted (what they viewed as) the wild, sexual, outlaw mannerisms of negroes.

But most negro groups of the era were dressing like teams of waitstaff and dancing in carefully controlled, choreographed moves.

When the Grammys were considered some square, industry circle jerk bullshit, no self-respecting Rock act would ever attend the ceremony (do you realize there was not a Rock category at the Grammys until 1979!) but all the R&B/soul artists were there cheesing it up, thankful to be invited.

They were disappointed that the Black artists were not more rebellious, why they seemed to want to be part of the system.

What they didn't understand was that Black people were *already* excluded from the system from birth... and so yes, they were trying to be upwardly mobile, to "make it."