Jay-Z Advocates For Grammy Fairness and Celebrates Musical Legacy At 2024 Grammys
Renowned hip-hop artist Jay-Z, 54, used his acceptance speech at the 2024 Grammys to shed light on the Grammy award process while accepting the 2nd annual Dr. Dre Global Impact Award in recognition of his remarkable musical legacy.
In his impassioned speech, the rapper called for fairness in the Grammy selection process, acknowledging that music is subjective and opinion-based.
“We want y’all to get it right. At least getting close to right. And obviously it’s subjective. Y’all don’t gotta clap at everything,” he stated, emphasizing the need for objectivity and fairness in recognizing musical excellence.
Without explicitly naming her, Jay-Z alluded to his wife, Beyoncé, who has received numerous Grammy nominations but has never won the coveted Album of the Year award. He remarked, “But, you know, some things — 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. The most Grammys, never won album of the year. That doesn’t work.”
Beyoncé has been nominated for Album of the Year four times but has not secured the award, despite her outstanding contributions to the music industry.
Jay-Z continued to encourage honesty and authenticity, saying, “You know, some of you gonna go home tonight and feel like you’ve been robbed. Some of you may get robbed. Some of you don’t belong in a category. No, when I get nervous I tell the truth.”
These remarks mirrored sentiments he expressed at the previous year’s Grammys, where he emphasized the importance of the Grammys getting it right and acknowledged their lifelong aspiration to be part of the prestigious awards.
Jay-Z also brought his daughter, Blue Ivy, onto the stage during his speech, highlighting the importance of resilience and perseverance. He urged everyone to keep showing up in life until they receive the recognition they deserve, stating, “Just keep showing up. Forget the Grammys you got to keep showing up until they give you all those accolades you feel you deserve. Until they call you Chairman, until they call you a genius until they call you the greatest of all time.”
The cameras captured Beyoncé applauding her husband’s impassioned words, showing her support for his message.
Jay-Z’s career, which began with his debut album Reasonable Doubt in 1996, has been marked by numerous hits and iconic albums. Despite his remarkable musical success, he has consistently expressed a desire to give back to his culture and people of color.
In a 2023 interview with Gayle King, Jay-Z emphasized the importance of being a beacon and helping his community. He described how music had consumed him earlier in his career, but now he finds the most joy in using his platform to make a positive impact.
