Spike Lee says there’s a reason Beyoncé’s Renaissance didn’t win the Grammy for Album of the Year — “straight-up bulls–t” at the Recording Academy.
The filmmaker shared his thoughts about the Grammys and other entertainment industry awards programs during in an interview with the UK’s Guardian.
“I’m not the male president of the Bey Hive, but I love and support Beyoncé. Her album is amazing. I know she’s won multiple Grammys, but four times nominated for album of the year and she’s lost every time?” Lee said. “No disrespect to those artists like Adele or Harry Styles who won. It’s not their fault, but that’s some straight-up bulls–t.”
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Beyoncé broke the record for the most Grammys of any artist at the Feb. 5 ceremony, but British singer Harry Styles took home the coveted Album of the Year prize for Harry’s House.
While BlacKkKlansman director Lee said he was disappointed the award didn’t go to Beyoncé, he admitted he wasn’t surprised.
“There’s a history of great Black artists who come up for these awards and don’t win. We all know their work is great, because art speaks for itself. But then it always comes down to this tricky territory of validation. Do Black artists say: ‘F–k it’ – or seek white validation and chase awards?”
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The Oscar-winning screenwriter continued by praising Beyoncé, but accused Grammy voters of “shenanigans.”
“I just want to give a shoutout to my sister Beyoncé. We know what the deal is. It’s straight-up shenanigans, skulduggery, subterfuge. Or as the British say: it’s some poppycock!”
This week Lee received the BFI Fellowship award for his “pioneering body of work.” The award is the highest honor given out by the British Film Institute.
“I’ve been coming to England since 1986 for She’s Gotta Have It, I have nothing but good memories of being here in London and I’m honored to join the great list of BFI Fellows and filmmakers,” the director said during the ceremony. “We all have something in common, we love cinema and this history keeps it going through tough times, rough times, and I appreciate the invite which acknowledges this great artform of cinema.”
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