Jay-Z Stands With Hip-Hop and Defends Beyonce at Grammys
TMZ, Published: 2/4/2024 7:54 PM PT
He joins past recipients John Legend, Dr. Dre, Missy Elliott, Lil Wayne, and music executive Sylvia Rhone.
In a speech accepting the Dr. Dre Global Impact Award at the Grammy Awards, rapper Jay Z seemingly called out the Recording Academy.
As his daughter, Blue Ivy, 12, stood by his side, Jay-Z noted that while music and therefore voting on the Grammy Awards is "obviously subjective," his wife, Beyoncé has never won in the album of the year category.
In a surprise moment, Jay-Z spoke out against the Grammys from their show stage. Jay-Z was honored with the Dr. Dre Global Impact Award. During his speech, he criticized the Grammys award system and defended Beyoncé for having the most Grammy wins, yet never winning Album of the Year.
“I don’t want to embarrass this young lady. But she has more Grammys than anyone and has never won Album of the Year,” Jay said about his wife Beyonce. She won her 32nd Grammy last year. “So even by your own metrics, it doesnt work.”
This is not the first time Jay-Z has criticized the Grammys. He boycotted the award show back in 1999 despite his album Hard Knock Life receiving best rap album. He has spoken out against it in his music. “Tell the Grammys f— that 0-for-8 s—! Have you ever seen the crowd going apeshit,” he raps on the track. Coincidentally, despite Jay calling out the Grammys, the song scored a nomination for Best Music Video. Jay and Beyonce's joint album Everything Is Love won Best Urban Contemporary Album at the 61st Annual Grammy Awards.
The line was in reference to his 2017 LP 4:44. It featured guest appearances from Beyonce, his mother, Gloria Carter, Blue Ivy, Frank Ocean, Damian Marley, and James Blake.
The album was nominated for eight Grammys, including Best Rap Album and Album Of The Year, at the 60th Annual Grammy Awards. The title track was nominated for Best Rap Performance and Song Of The Year, with songs Family Feud (Best Rap/Sung Performance) and “The Story of O.J.” (Best Music Video, Best Rap Song, Record Of The Year) being nominated in their respective categories. While being nominated for eight Grammys, Jay did not walk out with any trophies that night. The New York native is the second person to receive the award after Dr. Dre in 2023. The Dr. Dre Global Impact Award was established by the Recording Academy and the Black Music Collective.
Over the course of his nearly three-decade spanning career, Jay-Z has won 24 Grammys, tying him at the top spot with Kanye West.
He unearthed the fact that Beyonce hadnt the ultimate Grammy, and defended his wife fiercely while throwing daggers at the powers-that-be that run the awards show. Jay-Z expressed his anger over the fact that she held the most Grammy wins of all-time but had not yet won for Album of The Year, and noted the “metrics doesn’t work.”
The crowd immediately gasped and the camera showed Beyonce looking highly uncomfortable as she stood with a fake smile frozen on her face and her eyes darting nervously to either side. Just when it seemed it couldnt get worse, it did. Rather than walking back his comments or stopping altogether, Jay-Z said,
'No, when I get nervous, I tell the truth.'
It was far too late to deflect any of his insults, after absolutely slaughtering the Grammys.
In creating my interactive article page, I checked that everything works across different devices. The layout is designed to adapt to various screen sizes, so it is compatible with both laptops and computers. By using percentages and auto layouts, I was able to ensure flexibility and a consistent user experience.
On mobile devices, I made sure that the content adjusted to fit smaller screens while keeping all interactive elements functional. The navigation remains effective, and transition effects work which enhances the overall experience. I prioritized flexibility and responsiveness to ensure that my article page provides a cohesive reading experience on desktops, laptops, and mobile devices.
