Jay-Z received the Dr. Dre Global Impact Award during Sunday’s Grammy Awards ceremony. However, as the 54-year-old reached the stage to deliver his acceptance speech, he shockingly criticized the Recording Academy for snubbing his wife Beyoncé for Album of the Year, despite the fact that she holds the record for the most Grammy victories.
Before questioning his wife’s lack of Grammy Album of the Year wins, the billionaire rapper mentioned Will Smith and DJ Jazzy Jeff’s boycott of the Grammys in 1989 due to the Recording Academy’s refusal to broadcast the award ceremony for best rap performance.
“How far we have come with Will Smith, the Fresh Prince winning their first Grammy in ’89 and boycotting, because it was not televised,” the Reasonable Doubt rapper added, according Variety. “Then they headed to a hotel to watch the Grammy Awards. I don’t even get it; it wasn’t a tremendous boycott.”
Jay-Z, on the other hand, admitted that he “took a page out of their book” when he was nominated for best rap album in 1998. “And DMX put out two, they were both number one, and he was not nominated at all,” he went on to say.
“So I boycotted and watched. I’m simply saying, we want everyone to get it correctly. We adore you all. We want you to get it right—or close to right. Although music is subjective and opinion-based, there are certain aspects that stand out.
The iconic rapper then made reference to his wife never winning a Grammy award for Album of the Year. “I don’t want to embarrass this young lady, but she has more Grammys than everyone else and has never won album of the year,” Jay-Z added, glancing at Beyoncé.
“So, even by your own standards, that does not work. Think about it. The most Grammys have never won album of the year. “That does not work.”
Beyoncé has the most Grammy wins, with 32. She has never won a Grammy for Album of the Year, despite receiving four nominations. Jay-Z’s current statements follow his prior comments about his wife’s Grammy snubs, when her Renaissance album failed to win Album of the Year at the 2023 Grammy Awards.
“The reality is, we grew up wanting to go on the Grammys, and that was our ambition. We simply want them to get it properly. In 2023, he told Tidal, “That’s what we want,” in response to a question about his lack of Grammy wins. “Even with Bey, I thought they lost the opportunity. Not only did Lemonade win her over, but Beck also won album of the year at the 2015 event. I was like, ‘Oh, y’all missed it.
During the conversation, the rapper (4:44) explained why he believed his wife’s Renaissance album deserved the recognition. “Look what it’s done to our culture. Consider how the energy of the world moved. They play her entire album at the club. “I’m not sure if I’ve ever seen that,” he explained.
“The entire joint—like, everything?! Each remix is incredible. Everyone is inspired. It has influenced the entire planet. Each remix surpasses the previous one. We’re simply finding these places out on the street. Somebody recently did a joint over Suga Free the other day—have you heard this joint? (JAY takes out his phone and plays Suga’s ‘I’d Rather Give You My B**ch’.) It is a West Coast classic. At a party, the DJ played this song with Bey’s vocals, and everything went bananas.”
He continued, “It encourages inventiveness. Are you familiar with Danger Mouse’s 2004 mashup project, The Grey Album, which followed The Black Album? And the one including Radiohead? The song was called “Jaydiohead,” a 2009 mashup by Minty Fresh Beats. When it simply encourages creation, it’s an album. That has to be the album of the year. “It must be.”