Billionaire Jay-Z took a bold stance against the Grammys, expressing criticism for their failure to award his wife, Beyoncé, the Album of the Year accolade.
During the 66th ceremony on Sunday, Feb 4, while accepting the Dr. Dre Global Impact award, the rapper candidly addressed the Grammy’s history of overlooking Beyoncé’s influence.
“When I get nervous, I tell the truth,” he began his speech.
Jay-Z highlighted his desire for the Grammys to honor artists who significantly shape culture. He reminisced about past moments, such as Will Smith’s Fresh Prince winning his first Grammy in ’89 and boycotting the ceremony because it wasn’t televised.
Reflecting on Beyoncé’s achievements, who has secured a record 32 Grammy awards, Jay-Z emphasized the discrepancy: “And then they went to a hotel to watch the Grammys. I don’t even understand; it was not a great boycott.”
He continued by recounting his own experience in ’98 when he was nominated for best rap album while acknowledging the oversight of DMX, who had two number-one albums but received no nominations. Jay-Z emphasized the importance of fairness and accuracy in Grammy recognition.
Addressing Beyoncé directly, Jay-Z highlighted the anomaly that despite her numerous Grammys, she has never won Album of the Year: “I don’t want to embarrass this young lady, but she has more Grammys than everyone and never won album of the year. So even by your own metrics, that doesn’t work. Think about that.”
He concluded his speech by reiterating his commitment to honesty: “When I get nervous, I tell the truth.”
