Regardless of his dramatic previous with the Grammy Awards, Drake’s Her Loss album might carry him extra wins: The rapper’s collaborative effort with 21 Savage was submitted for awards on the 2024 present.
A supply near the state of affairs tells The Hollywood Reporter that Her Loss was submitted for album of the 12 months and greatest rap album, whereas songs from the No. 1 effort — together with “Wealthy Flex” and “Spin Bout U” — had been submitted to classes together with file of the 12 months, track of the 12 months, greatest rap efficiency, greatest rap track and greatest melodic rap efficiency. Her Loss was launched in November 2022 however qualifies on the upcoming Grammys, to be held on Feb. 4, 2024.
It was not clear who submitted the album or the songs, and representatives for Drake, 21 Savage and the Recording Academy didn’t instantly reply to emails looking for remark. On the Grammys, Academy members concerned in albums or songs — together with songwriters, producers and engineers — can submit materials they labored on for awards. For instance, a producer or engineer who labored on most of Her Loss, who’s a member of the Academy, might submit the mission for album of the 12 months, or a songwriter who co-wrote “Wealthy Flex” might submit it for track of the 12 months and greatest rap track.
Drake has criticized the Grammys over time and made headlines when he withdrew his two rap nominations on the 2022 awards. He determined to not submit his house-heavy album Truthfully, Nevermind or any of its singles for awards at this 12 months’s Grammys, which befell in February. However he nonetheless walked away victorious: He received greatest melodic rap efficiency for his visitor look on Future’s “Anticipate U,” which grew to become a No. 1 pop hit and in addition options Afrobeats star Tems. “Anticipate U” seems on Future’s album, I By no means Favored You.
At this 12 months’s present, Drake was nominated for 4 honors — all for his collaborative work: two had been for “Anticipate U”; he was up for album of the 12 months for co-writing Beyoncé’s “Heated” from Renaissance; and he was nominated for greatest rap track for co-writing Jack Harlow’s “Churchill Downs.” Different songs that includes Drake had been submitted for the 2024 present, together with Travis Scott’s “Meltdown,” Younger Thug’s “Oh U Went” and J Hus’ “Who Instructed You.”
Drake has received 5 Grammys, together with greatest rap album for Take Care and greatest rap track for “God’s Plan.” After accumulating greatest rap track and greatest rap/sung efficiency for “Hotline Bling” on the 2017 present, he mentioned it felt bizarre profitable rap honors for his main pop hit and mentioned he felt restricted as a Black artist who performs throughout a number of genres. The 36-year-old has earned 51 nominations and is the rapper with the third-most nominations within the present’s historical past, solely behind Kanye West, who has 75 nods, and Jay-Z, who has 88 nods and ties Beyoncé because the Grammys’ most-nominated acts of all-time.
Drake launched a brand new album, For All of the Canine, final week and it will qualify on the 2025 Grammys. Albums and songs launched between Oct. 1, 2022 and Sept. 15, 2023 qualify for the upcoming present, and nominations might be introduced on Nov. 10. Ballots for first-round voting opened Wednesday.
On “Away from Dwelling” from his new album, Drake addresses the Grammys with the lyrics: “4 Grammys to my identify, 100 nominations/Esperanza Spalding was gettin’ all of the praises/I’m tryna maintain it humble, I’m tryna maintain it gracious/Who give a fuck Michelle Obama put you on her playlist?” The rapper additionally known as out the awards present on the observe “Grammys” from his 2016 album Views.
Drake’s frustrations with the Grammys have been shared by many within the rap and R&B communities since these acts not often win within the prime classes like album of the 12 months or file of the 12 months. These performers, principally Black artists, are reserved to wins of their style classes; although Beyoncé is the most-decorated artist within the historical past of the awards present, 21 of her 32 wins have been within the R&B discipline and three in rap.
Different acts — together with Kendrick Lamar, Mariah Carey, Kanye West, Jay-Z, Eminem, Frank Ocean, Mary J. Blige, John Legend, Usher, Rihanna and extra — have by no means received honors like album of the 12 months or track of the 12 months regardless of proudly owning the 12 months in music, each critically and commercially. Solely 4 years in the past did a rap track win file or track of the 12 months for the primary time when Infantile Gambino’s “This Is America” achieved the feat. And solely two rap-based albums have received album of the 12 months: Lauryn Hill’s The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill made historical past in 1999 and OutKast’s Speakerboxxx/The Love Beneath received in 2004.
21 Savage has been nominated for six Grammys and received greatest rap track for his J. Cole-assisted hit “A Lot.”