Posted by Drama filled the 66th Grammy Awards, held on Sunday, February 4, 2024, from the pre-show at the Peacock Theatre to the main event at the Crypto.com Arena.
Examining a few of the moments that shaped the 2024 Grammy Awards is Froshnaija Nicki Minaj’s Joke
The Grammy organizers declared “Barbie World,” featuring Nicki Minaj and Ice Spice, the winner of the Best Rap Song category on their website and social media handles, but later removed it, causing controversy. This seemed to be an attempt by the Recording Academy to pull a practical joke on artist Nicki Minaj.
Without offering an explanation or an apology for their first mistake, the organizers issued a fresh announcement, promoting Killer Mike’s “Scientists & Engineers” as the legitimate winner. This infuriated Nicki Minaj supporters, as she hasn’t received a Grammy in more than 20 years of doing business. Due to the situation, Nicki Minaj is still without a Grammy.
The Outburst of Jay-Z
Legendary American hip-hop artist Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter seemed to criticize the Grammy organizers on Sunday during the 2024 Grammy Awards ceremony at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, while accepting the Dr. Dre Global Impact Award.
Jay-Z criticized the Recording Academy’s sense of judgment by using his wife Beyoncé’s Album of the Year snub as a case study. He pointed out that even though Beyoncé has won 32 Grammy awards overall, she has never taken home the Album of the Year trophy.
“She [Beyoncé] has more Grammys than everyone and never won album of the year,” stated the head of Roc Nation. Thus, even by your own standards, that is ineffective. Consider that. The majority of Grammy Awards never took home the Album of the Year trophy. That is ineffective.
He continued by accusing the Grammy organizers of “robbing” a few nominees and giving awards to those who weren’t qualified.
“Some of you are going to feel like you’ve been taken advantage of when you get home tonight. Maybe a few of you will get robbed. A few of you are not eligible for this category.
Jay-Z apologized, saying, “Sorry, when I get nervous, I tell the truth.”
Mike the Killer’s Arrest
Rapper Killer Mike was taken into custody not long after taking home three golden statuettes from Sunday night’s 66th Grammy Awards.
During the main category telecast on Crypto.com, the rapper was “taken away handcuffs,” according to Chris Gardner, a senior staff writer for Hollywood Reporter, who made the revelation via X.
Mike Killer was arrested and questioned during the Grammy Awards, and he was later jailed for misdemeanor violence, according to a statement from the Los Angeles Police Department.
The rapper was reportedly close to being released at the conclusion of the Grammy Awards, according to the statement.
Nigeria Loses Out
One of the main talking points from the 66th Grammy Awards seemed to be the dismal performance of Nigerian artists.
According to the DAILY POST, Tyla, the lone non-Nigerian contender in the first Best African Music Performance category, won the Grammy on Sunday, beating out the Nigerian quintet of Burna Boy, Ayra Starr, Davido, Asake, and Olamide.
In addition, Burna Boy and Davido were eliminated from consideration for Best Global Music Performance and Best Global Music Album.
Additionally, Burna Boy’s nomination for Best Melodic Rap Performance was rejected.
Many of their fellow Nigerian artists were incensed by their country’s Grammy loss. Some claimed they were singled out for disgrace in an attempt to quell the nation’s booming Afrobeats scene, while others called for a Grammy boycott.
Special Spesh, Davido’s hype man, declared that Africans would not provide the Grammy organizers the authority to minimize Afrobeats or any other African genre, accusing them of attempting to control African music.
“You won’t have the authority to denigrate Afrobeats, Afrofusion, or anything African!
That is the issue facing (white) America! Spesh posted on Instagram, “When things start to take over and get massive, they always want a part, then try to have a say, then try to control.”
In a similar vein, Nigerian-British media personality Adesope Olajide, also known as Shopsydoo, demanded that Africans, particularly Nigerians, abstain from attending the Grammy Awards, charging the Recording Academy of exploiting Nigerian musicians for publicity.
Speaking during an Instagram live session, Shopsydoo asserted that the Grammy Awards have no regard for African music. He emphasized that the Grammy band’s performance of Fela Anikulapo-Kuti’s “Water” following the announcement of Tyla as the winner of the first-ever Best African Music Performance category was sufficient evidence that the Grammy is ignorant of African music.