The '99 Problems' rapper accepted the Global Impact Award at the awards ceremony alongside his daughter, Blue Ivy.
A "nervous" Blue Ivy joined her equally "nervous" father, JAY-Z, onstage at the 2024 GRAMMY Awards on Sunday in Los Angeles, where the legendary rapper called out The Recording Academy for snubbing his wife, Beyoncé.
The "Dirt Off Your Shoulder" rapper held his 12-year-old daughter's hand as they headed to the stage, where he accepted the Dr. Dre Global Impact Award. After joking that the gold-plated phonograph trophy could serve as a "sippy cup" for his daughter ("But she has grown up now," he added), JAY-Z thanked Dr. Dre for elevating the rap game.
The "99 Problems" rapper also paid tribute to DJ Jazzy Jeff and The Fresh Prince, Will Smith, for their historic GRAMMY win in 1989. But then the Brooklyn native zeroed in on The Recording Academy's big misses, particularly when it came to DMX, whose snub in 1998 prompted JAY-Z to boycott the ceremony that year after the late rapper did not get nominated despite having two No. 1 albums that same year -- It's Dark and Hell Is Not and Flesh of My Flesh, Blood of My Blood.
"We want you all to get it right," JAY-Z said. "We love y'all. We want you to get it right. At least get it close to right. And obviously it's subjective because it's music. And it's opinion-based."
Then he brought up his wife.
Though he never mentioned her name because he didn't want to "embarrass her," JAY-Z said it's a huge injustice that the most decorated artist ever -- with a record 32 GRAMMY wins -- has never won Album of the Year. And JAY-Z wanted to let The Recording Academy know about it with the world watching.
"I don't want to embarrass this young lady, but she has more GRAMMYs than anyone and never won Album of the Year," said the rapper in reference to Beyoncé, who watched from the crowd with a somber look on her face. "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."
JAY-Z, who has 24 GRAMMY wins and 88 nominations under his belt, then got a reaction from the crowd after saying, "Some of you are going to go home tonight and feel like you have been robbed. Some of you may get robbed. Some of you don't belong in the category."
He admitted, "No, no, no. When I get nervous I tell the truth," which elicited a nervous laugh.
In closing, the rapper -- who along with his wife and daughter left the ceremony before it ended, implored artists to strive for greater heights.
"We have to keep showing up. And forget the GRAMMYs for a second, just in life," he said. "As my daughter sits and stares at me, as nervous as I am, just in life. you have to keep showing up. Just keep showing up. Forget the GRAMMYs. You have to keep showing up until they give you all those accolades you feel you deserve. Until they call you chairman. Until they call you genius. Until they call you the greatest. You feel me? Thank you."
The 2024 GRAMMY Awards aired Sunday, Feb. 4, at 5 p.m. PT/8 p.m. ET and was broadcast and streamed live on CBS and Paramount+ from Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. Follow along at ETonline.com for full coverage from music's biggest night, including performances, GRAMMY winners and more.
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