Kelly Rowland Is ‘Proud’ Of Jay-Z’s Grammy Speech
by Jeroslyn JoVonn
February 7, 2024
Kelly Rowland is in full support of Jay-Z’s Grammy acceptance speech where he called out the Recording Academy’s repeated snubs against his wife Beyoncé for the Album of the Year.
Kelly Rowland is in full support of Jay-Z’s Grammy acceptance speech where he called out the Recording Academy‘s repeated snubs against his wife Beyoncé for Album of the Year.
Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter went viral on Sunday night when he took to the Grammy stage to accept his Dr. Dre Global Impact Award. He brought his eldest daughter Blue Ivy on stage with him as he said a speech that subtly blasted the Recording Academy’s history of snubbing Black artists.
He referenced Will Smith’s 1988 boycott against the Grammys for not airing the Best Rap Performance category and his boycott that followed 10 years later after the academy failed to nominate DMX in the Best Rap Album category despite releasing two No. 1 albums that year. He used those two examples as a segue to amplify his wife and the multiple times she’s been nominated for Album of the Year but has yet to win the category despite being the most decorated artist in Grammy history with 32 wins.
“We love y’all. We want y’all to get it right,” Jay-Z said. “I don’t want to embarrass this young lady, but she has more Grammys than anyone 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 added.
Beyoncé’s Destiny’s Child group member Kelly Rowland spoke with Entertainment Tonight on Tuesday, February 6 where she praised Jay-Z for using his moment to advocate for his wife and other Black artists.
“Shawn Carter is one of the greatest men I know, and his words ring so loud to me,” Rowland said.
She said she “couldn’t be more proud” of JAY-Z, 54, adding, “I’m just really happy for a lot of things that he said. I think that he made a lot of artists feel very seen and very heard in those minutes that he took on stage.”
The “Say My Name” singer noted Jay-Z’s mention that he meant “no disrespect” to the Recording Academy. He was just being honest.
“I feel like she is an icon,” Rowland said of Beyoncé. “She is innovative, her thoughts are big and bright and she just jumps for them and does it. I think that her albums are a reflection of that, and it should be really celebrated in that way.”
Beyonce wasn’t nominated for any Grammys on Sunday. Last year, her “Renaissance” album lost album of the year to Harry Styles’ “Harry’s House.” She first lost to Beck in 2010 for “I Am … Sasha Fierce.” In 2015, she lost to Taylor Swift for her self-titled album, and in 2017 Adele beat out her nomination for “Lemonade.”
It’s been 25 years since a Black woman won Album of the Year. Lauryn Hill’s “Miseducation” album was the last time a Black woman took home the biggest award of the night.
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