Jay-Z criticized the Grammys during a speech on Sunday for what he termed the show’s omissions and inconsistencies in awarding Black artists, noting that his wife, Beyoncé, has the most Grammys but has never won album of the year.

“It fails even by your own standards,” he stated.

“We want you to get it right, or at least get it close to right,” he continued.

Jay-Z further made reference to the 1989 Grammys boycott by Will Smith and DJ Jazzy Jeff, which was motivated by the absence of televised rap performances in the category. He recalled boycotting the performance in support of DMX two No. 1 albums for which he did not receive a nomination.

“Some of you do not belong in the category,” he continued, “some of you may be robbed.”

Additionally, he acknowledged that the Grammy awarding procedure is subjective. “It is opinionated music,” he explained.

The remarks were contained in Jay-Z’s acceptance speech for the Dr. Dre Global Impact Award, an honor given to individuals for their professional and personal accomplishments within the music industry.

Jay-Z has championed social justice causes via his record label, Roc Nation, with a specific focus on promoting racial equality within the United States. Aiming to increase awareness regarding racial justice and policy, he organized an inaugural summit in New York in 2022, which brought together social justice leaders.

In addition, he has presided over two docuseries chronicling the assassinations of African Americans, namely “Rest in Power: The Trayvon Martin Story” and “Time: The Kalief Browder Story.” In 2020, following the fatal shooting of George Floyd by Minneapolis police, Jay-Z, via Roc Nation, placed full-page advertisements in prominent publications that referenced a segment from the 1965 Selma, Alabama speech by the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.