Grammy Award image, Recording Academy website/Beyoncé and Jay-Z, photo via Instagram
Jay-Z’s recent Grammy acceptance speech has sparked a conversation about recognition and validation within the music industry. But it also ignited backlash against the hip-hop mogul.
While accepting the 2nd annual Dr. Dre Global Impact Award, Jay-Z used his platform to check the Grammys’ voting process and shed light on the lack of recognition for certain artists, especially his wife, Beyoncé. During his speech, Jay-Z, accompanied by his daughter Blue Ivy Carter on stage, questioned why she has never won in the Album of the Year category despite having an historic number of Grammy nominations, Variety reported.
“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. Obviously it’s subjective because, you know, it’s music and it’s opinion-based,” Jay-Z’s speech began, People reported.
“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,” he continued, obviously referencing his wife, Beyoncé, who has been nominated for album of the year four times and never won. This year, she lost to Taylor Swift.
“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,” Jay-Z added.
But author and social commentator Dr. Boyce Watkins wasn’t happy with Jay-Z’s speech, which he say as pandering.
“JayZ’s speech at the #GRAMMYsshould be called ‘Massa why won’t you give me validation.’ Not sure why a legend spends his time trying to impress white people,” Watkins tweeted.
Ma’rifatullah (Knowledge in Allah) responded to Watkins, tweeting that Jay-Z has changed his tune over the years. The user wrote, “I am not sure if a Massa give me validation. I distinctly remember Jay Z making a mockery of receiving so many Grammys he said they just sit around the house and drink champagne or whatever drink that he was pushing at that time out of the Grammy trophies.”
Others seemed to agree with Watkins. Native Son tweeted, “The irony of Jay-Z whining about colonizer validation while accepting an award for ‘Global Impact.’ Mf’s built empires off of us and mimic us and we go along with their caucasity to judge our art. #GoodbyUncleTom. Let that be your #BHM must watch.”
Allison Wiltz Psy.M. also agreed, tweeting, “We shouldn’t be looking for a white institution to give a Black woman validation in the first place”.
Genghis Kellz noted that artists either protest or the attend the event–they can’t do both.
“Look, you cant be begging for 1 particular award every gotdamn year, threatening to not show up if you dont get it, while at the same time bragging how many awards more than anybody you have but also you dont need no awards for validation while giving a speech all about how,” the tweeter posted.
Jasmine agreed, tweeting, “We’re complaining about a system only for artists and fans to turn around and beg for validation and recognition from said system. At some point, the problem becomes us for continuing to prop it up and perpetuate it as a measure of an artist’s talent and success.”
Grammy Award image, Recording Academy website, https://www.recordingacademy.com/Beyoncé and Jay-Z, photo via Instagram, https://www.instagram.com/p/C1vVvtoxHc7/?img_index=4
