The Canadian rapper was nominated for Best Rap Album and Best Rap Performance in this year’s awards ceremony.
Without saying a word about it, Drake has decided to bow out of this year’s 2022 Grammy Awards contention by withdrawing his two nominations.
According to a source acquired by Variety from the Recording Academy, the decision was made by the Canadian rapper himself and his management, and that the awarding body has elected to honor his request.
This year, Drake was nominated for Best Rap Album for his sixth studio album, Certified Lover Boy, and Best Rap Performance for “Way 2 Sexy.” However, as of writing, both have already been removed from the Recording Academy’s official website, with both rolls only showing the remaining four nominees.
The “Child’s Play” hitmaker was supposed to go up against J. Cole (The Off-Season), Nas (King’s Disease II), Tyler, The Creator (Call Me If You Get Lost), and long-time antagonist Kanye West (Donda) in the Best Rap Album contest. Meanwhile, his fellow nominees for the Best Rap Performance include Baby Keem and Kendrick Lamar (“Family Ties”), Cardi B (“Up”), J. Cole and 21 Savage (“M Y . L I F E”), and Megan Thee Stallion (“Thot S***”) before he pulled out of the race.
Instead of passing Drake’s spot to the sixth artist in consideration, the Record Academy has opted to proceed with voting as planned. Given, Grammy ballots have already begun making their way to voting members on Monday, December 6.
Drake has declined to comment on the motion. So far, social media users have speculated that it might be related to the lawsuits filed against him and Travis Scott following the tragedy at last month’s AstroWorld Festival that claimed the life of 10 people. However, Drake is set to appear alongside Kanye West at the “Free Larry Hoover” benefit concert on Thursday, so the tragedy likely didn’t affect his subsequent actions.
Then again, the move hardly needs a reason, since Drake’s relationship with the Recording Academy hasn’t been exactly smooth sailing. After last year’s ceremony, Drake sent out a scathing statement where he called out the organization for disregarding his friend and fellow Canadian musician The Weeknd, whose music has had a tremendous impact that year.
“I think we should stop allowing ourselves to be shocked every year by the disconnect between impactful music and these awards and just accept that what once was the highest form of recognition may no longer matter to the artists that exist now and the ones that come after,” Drake said. “This is a great time for somebody to start something new that we can build up over time and pass on to the generations to come.”
Then, in the previous year, while accepting his “Best Rap Song” award for “God’s Plan,” his microphone got cut off after he insinuated that musicians “don’t need” Grammy trophies to prove their true worth.
“We play an opinion-based sport, not a factual-based sport,” he said. “You already won if you have people singing your songs word for word, if they’re singing in your hometown. You’re already winning, you don’t need this right here.”
Drake has been nominated a total of 47 times in the annual Grammy Awards and has won four.Â
Art Daniella Sison
