Drake Skipped the Grammys Again, But Posted Harsh Comment About Awards Process: ‘Doesn’t Dictate S–t In Our World’

Drake did not attend Sunday night’s (Feb. 4) 66th annual Grammy Awards, but the “IDGAF” MC definitely had something to say about the ceremony. In an Instagram Story posted before the prime time show began, the 37-year-old rapper reposted video of his 2019 Grammy acceptance speech accompanied by a strongly worded message to his peers at the event at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.

“All you incredible artists remember this show isn’t the facts it’s just the opinion of a group of people who’s name are kept a secret (literally you can google it),” he wrote, per screen shots of his post (via Complex). “Congrats to anybody winning anything for hip hop but this show doesn’t dictate s–t in our world.”

The harsh comment about the broadcast was Drake’s latest lash out at the Recording Academy, with whom he has feuded for years. In his post, Drake included a snippet of his speech for best rap song for “God’s Plan” in 2019, during which he took aim at what he labelled the gamesmanship of the awards. “I want to let you know that we’re playing in an opinion-based sport. Not a factual-based sport. So it’s not the NBA where at the end of the year, you’re holding a trophy because you made the right decisions or won the games,” he said at the time.

“This is a business where sometimes it’s up to a bunch of people that might not understand what a mixed-race kid from Canada has to say or a fly Spanish girl from New York, or a brother from Houston… the point is, you’ve already won if you have people who are singing your songs word-for-word, if you’re a hero in your hometown. Look, if there’s people who have regular jobs who are coming out in the rain, in the snow, spending their hard-earned money to buy tickets to come to your shows? You don’t need this right there I promise you. You already won.”

At press time a spokesperson for the Grammy Awards had not returned Billboard‘s request for comment on Drake’s post.

Drake is a five-time Grammy winner — and 55-time nominee — and was nominated for four awards on Sunday night, including nods for best rap performance and best rap performance (“Rich Flex”), best rap album (Her Loss) and best melodic rap performance (“Spin Bout U”) for his joint album with 21 Savage. Though it was eligible, Drake did not submit his 2023 solo album, For All the Dogs, for Grammy consideration, nor did he submit 2021’s Certified Lover Boy or 2022’s Honestly, Nevermind.

But Sunday’s comment was not the first time Drizzy — who was performing at Amalie Arena in Tampa during the broadcast — has publicly taken issue with the Grammy process in recent years.

In 2020, he tweeted “the Grammys remain corrupt. You owe me, my fans and the industry transparency” after the Weeknd was not nominated for any awards for his smash After Hours album.