Jay-Z Critiques Grammys Voting as He’s Honored: “Beyoncé Deserves Album of the Year”

Jay-Z took the Grammy stage to accept the prestigious Dr. Dre Global Impact award, but instead of solely delivering an acceptance speech, he used the platform to bring attention to an issue important to both himself and his wife Beyoncé.

Accompanied by their daughter Blue Ivy, Jay-Z began by thanking Dre for paving the way in the industry and others working to elevate hip hop and R&B. However, he soon shifted focus to voicing constructive criticism regarding the Grammys voting processes.

Jay-Z referenced past industry icons like Will Smith who boycotted the awards when rap categories weren’t televised. He also recalled his own nomination being overshadowed when DMX received no recognition that same year. With these examples in mind, Jay-Z urged the Grammys committee to “get it right” or at least closer in properly recognizing the contributions of artists in their genres.

It was then that Jay-Z shone a light on the remarkable yet puzzling accomplishments of his wife Beyoncé going unsung. As the artist with the most Grammys won across her prolific career, he found it unbelievable that she had never received album of the year, the ceremony’s top prize.

Jay-Z’s remarks resonated strongly with the audience in attendance. He ended by encouraging Beyoncé and other deserving musicians to continue pouring their hearts into their art, believing that with time, the “accolades,” titles of “chairman,” “genius,” and “greatest of all time” would rightly be bestowed upon them.

Throughout his own illustrious career and multiple wins, Jay-Z has proven himself as the rapper with the most Grammys wins in history, tied with Kanye West. In using his platform, Jay-Z advocated for fairness on behalf of himself, Beyoncé and other artists who feel their genres have been marginalized by the voting body.

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