Despite not putting out any music this year, Drake won a 2023 Grammy. In addition to being nominated 4 times, Drake also took home the award for best melodic rap performance. His verse on “Wait For U” with Future took home one of the Grammy Awards yesterday.
Grammys leave a bad taste in artists’ mouths
The Grammy Awards have a reputation for being a snub-filled show, but this one felt different. Not only did rappers like Kendrick Lamar and Taylor Swift clean up in the most important categories, but it was the first time a major artist publicly announced that they wouldn’t be submitting their work for consideration.
While many artists have voiced their frustrations with the Grammys, few have been as vocal about their feelings as Drake. His relationship with the Recording Academy has been contentious for years and he’s been critical of their failure to properly acknowledge rap, especially in top-tier categories.
Drake decided to make a change
The Toronto crooner is now the fifth-most-nominated rap artist with 35 total nominations, according to Billboard. In 2017, he won the Grammy for “God’s Plan” and was nominated for three others, including album of the year.
In the beginning of 2022, the Recording Academy made the decision to disqualify Drake from the nominee list for two significant rap categories: Best Rap Album for his Certified Lover Boy and Best Rap Performance for “Way 2 Sexy.” This marks the first time a hip-hop artist has been removed from a category since 2009.
The move comes after a series of high-profile snubs by singers, which have caused a bit of rancor between the organization and its fans. In addition to Drake’s snubs, The Weeknd and Silk Sonic were also criticized for their decision. Their choice to opt out of their submissions the Grammys left many upset.
He’s not happy with the Grammy Awards
Drake hasn’t been a fan of the gramophones for a long time. In fact, he’s been a vocal critic of the award show, calling them “a bunch of snubs” and even boycotting their show in 2017.
But his relationship with the Grammys has taken a turn for the better this year. He was a big winner at the awards ceremony in New York City on Sunday.
Drake and Future strike again
While he did take home the award for best melodic rap, it was unlikely that he would win any other awards. Besides, the rap industry is extremely competitive. This year is a great example, with many rappers are competing for the best rap album.
The Grammys will announce their nominees on Tuesday, November 15th. Voting will be open to the public until Friday, December 14th.
Kendrick, Beyonce and Adele are here to WIN
There are 83 awards in total, with the most competitive ones being for record of the year, song of the year and best rap album. Beyonce leads the pack with 19 nominations, followed by Adele and Kendrick Lamar with 16 each.
Silk Sonic emerged as one of the standout winners, clinching both the Best R&B Album and Song accolades. The duo dominated in that category at the ceremony last year, claiming Record and Song of the Year for their hit single “Leave the Door Open.”
Sadly, neither The Weeknd nor Drake submitted any of their eligible albums or songs to be considered for the 2023 grammys, which means that they won’t be able to claim another gramophone this time around. But that doesn’t mean they won’t be a contender at some point.
What do you think?
Was Drake right for boycotting the Grammy Awards? Are they really “a bunch of snubs?” Should artists venture out and make their own award show? Are awards and competitions prone to corruption? Was that a good future song? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!
