Jay-Z took a swipe at the Grammys, pointing out how they keep missing the mark by not giving Beyoncé the coveted Album of the Year award.
At the 2024 Grammys, Trevor Noah bestowed the Dr. Dre Global Impact Award upon the rapper. This prestigious accolade celebrates Black music creators whose unwavering commitment to their craft has had a profound impact on the industry.
Jay-Z took to the Grammy stage in the company of his daughter Blue Ivy, while Beyoncé looked on from the audience. “First of all, thanks to Dr. Dre… all the doors that you opened,” Jay-Z said. “Honored to accept it.” He later thanked the Black Music Collective, saying, “Hopefully, I’m adding to what you guys are doing out here.”
Jay-Z mentioned how in 1989, Will Smith and DJ Jazzy Jeff boycotted the Grammy Awards after learning that the new category for best rap performance would not be televised. Drawing inspiration from their bold move, Jay-Z reflected on his own journey when he was nominated for best rap album in 1998, while the late DMX received no nominations.
“We want y’all to get it right. We love y’all. At least get it close to right. And obviously, it’s subjective because it’s music. And it’s opinion-based,” he added.
Jay-Z Takes the Grammys to Task for Snubbing Beyoncé
Jay-Z then spoke about his wife Beyoncé never winning the prestigious Grammy category of Album of the Year. During the Grammys last year, Beyoncé made history by securing a remarkable 32 awards, setting a new record for the most wins in an awards show.
“I don’t want to embarrass this young lady, but she has the most Grammys than everyone and never won album of the year. So even by your own metrics, that doesn’t work. Think about that: The most Grammys. Never won album of the year. That doesn’t work. Some of you gonna go home and feel like you’ve been robbed. [Others] may get robbed. Some of you don’t belong in the category,” Jay-Z pointed out.
This remark drew gasps from the Grammy audience. “When I get nervous I tell the truth,” Jay-Z retorted. “But outside of that, we got to keep showing up,” he added. “Keep showing up until they give you all those accolades you feel you deserve. Until they call you Chairman. Until they call you the greatest of all time.”
Footage of electric moment made its way to X (formerly Twitter).
Jay-Z has achieved remarkable success throughout his career, accumulating an impressive 24 Grammy wins and 88 nominations. His initial triumph came in 1998 when he secured the Grammy for Best Rap Album with Vol. 2 … Hard Knock Life.
Notably, he shares the distinction of being the rapper with the highest number of Grammy wins in history, a record he holds jointly with Kanye West.
At this year’s Grammys, female artists dominated the top three categories. SZA led with nine nominations, followed by Taylor Swift, Olivia Rodrigo, Billie Eilish, Miley Cyrus, and boygenius with six nods each.