Photo Credit: The Recording Academy / YouTube
At the recent Grammy Awards ceremony, Jay-Z used his platform while accepting the Dr. Dre Global Impact Award to express some grievances he had with The Recording Academy.
During his speech, Jay-Z highlighted the lack of recognition for DMX and the absence of an Album of the Year win for Beyoncé, despite her impressive 32 Grammy wins. “DMX released two albums in 1998, both reached number one, yet he was not nominated at all. So I boycotted, and I watched the Grammys. I’m just saying, we want you all to get it right,” the rapper stated.
He then shifted focus to his wife, Beyoncé. “I don’t mean to embarrass this talented lady, but she has earned more Grammy awards than anyone else and has never won Album of the Year. So even by your own standards, that doesn’t make sense,” Jay-Z continued. This year, Beyoncé lost the Album of the Year award to Harry Styles’ “Harry’s House.”
“Some of you will leave tonight feeling like you’ve been wronged. Some of you may genuinely be wronged. Some of you may not even belong in the category. When I get anxious, I speak the truth. You have to continue to show up until you receive all the recognition you believe you deserve. Until they address you as chairman. Until they recognize you as a genius. Until they hail you as the greatest of all time,” he concluded his speech. “Are you with me?”
Jay-Z and Kanye West are tied for the most Grammy wins among rappers in history, each having won a total of 24 awards. However, they are both surpassed by Beyoncé, with 32 Grammy wins to her name despite the absence of an Album of the Year win. Jay-Z’s comments echo a familiar criticism of The Recording Academy that has led to several artists boycotting, reminiscent of Kanye’s interruption of Taylor Swift at the 2009 MTV VMAs.
“Yo Taylor, I’m really happy for you, I’mma let you finish. But Beyoncé had one of the best videos of all time!” the rapper told Swift, who was 19 at the time. The camera then cut to Beyoncé, who mouthed the words, ‘Oh Kanye.’