Jay-Z Calls Out Grammys for Beyoncé’s Album of the Year Snubs

Jay-Z picked up the Dr. Dre Global Impact Award Sunday night at the Grammys and made it a family affair.

Host Trevor Noah presented the honor to the hip-hop mogul for his achievements in music.

With daughter Blue Ivy by his side, Jay-Z gave an acceptance speech about giving back and giving Black artists their due.

“First of all, thanks to Dr. Dre… Andre Young, thank you sir for all the doors that you opened,” he said. “Honored to accept it.”

And he thanked the Black Music Collective, an industry advisory group, for giving out scholarships and elevating Black music.

The “Empire State of Mind” rapper then reminded the audience about what happened in 1989, when Grammy winners Will Smith and DJ Jazzy Jeff boycotted the awards because the new category of best rap performance wasn’t televised.

Related Story: Jay-Z Says He Boycotted Grammys for DMX: ‘It Was Big Love’

Jay-Z said he later “took a page out of their book” when he was nominated for best rap album in 1998, but the late DMX was snubbed. Jay-Z boycotted the awards that year to show support for his friend.

As his wife Beyoncé watched from the audience inside the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, Jay-Z noted that the “Crazy in Love” singer has taken home a record-breaking 32 Grammys over the years, but she’s never won the top honor — album of the year.

“I don’t want to embarrass this young lady, but she has the most 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. Some of you are gonna go home tonight and feel like you’ve been robbed. Some of you may get robbed. Some of you don’t belong in the category,” he said.

Some people in the audience laughed and few booed.

“When I get nervous I tell the truth,” he said. “But outside of that, we got to keep showing up. Forget the Grammys for a second, just in life… 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. You feel me? Thank you!”

Watch the speech below.