Billionaire music mogul Jay-Z has become the most-nominated artist in the history of the Grammy Awards.
He latched on the 3 nominations this year taking him to 83. He had previously been tied with legendary producer/composer Quincy Jones at 80.
He is nominated for his guest appearances with Kanye West, and the late DMX. Paul McCartney, previously tied for second place with Beyonce, but he gains two noms in the rock category and passes her and Jones for sole possession of the No. 2 spot with 81. Neither Jones nor Beyonce are nominated for 2022 awards.
Sticking true to form of being part of music’s development Quincy gave an endorsement to this year’s top nominee Jon Batiste by writing the liner notes in his “We Are” album. Per Variety
The Brooklyn MC’s 23 wins also makes him the 6 most decorated grammy winning artist. While Beyonce and Quincy Jones ties for second most award artist with 28 each.
Over the years Jay-Z has had a tumultuous relationship with the Grammys and has boycotted two separate times.
In an interview on the Lebron James produced HBO series “The Shop” Jay-Z revealed that he boycotted the 1999 Grammy Awards—where he won Best Rap Album for Vol. 2… Hard Knock Life—because they failed to so much as nominate DMX, who’d released two No. 1 albums the previous year: It’s Dark and Hell Is Hot and Flesh of My Flesh, Blood of My Blood. Per Daily Beast
“By the way, the first time I boycotted the Grammys was for [DMX]. We both came out that year, he didn’t get nominated,” said Jay-Z. “He dropped two albums—had two No. 1 albums in the same year—they didn’t even nominate him. I won that year for Rap Album, so my first Grammy win I wasn’t there. I wasn’t even in the building, because I boycotted it for him. There was a competitive thing, but it was big love.” He said.
Speaking of his reasons for returning to the Grammys at a Clive Davis Grammy party, Jay said it was because of his wife Beyonce’s first solo project.
“I didn’t come back until 2004 when a beautiful, young lady whom I love dearly had a solo album,” he told the audience, according to ABC. “And I realized, ‘Man, art is super subjective and everyone is doing their best, and the Academy, they’re human like we are and they’re voting on things they like and it’s subjective.”
The “Take Over” rapper went on to say that everyone should “get involved and to push this thing further no matter what happens at the Grammys, it’s going to be what it is.”
In 2018 when he was recognized as the 2018 Grammy salute to industry icons honoree he lead with 8 nominations and did not win any category award.
In June of that year he responded in true hip hop form on the “Apeshit” single off the “Everything Is Love” collaborative album with wife Beyonce.
Ran through Liverpool like a fuckin’ Beatle
Smoke gorilla glue like it’s fuckin’ legal
Tell the Grammy’s fuck that 0 for eight shit
Have you ever seen the crowd goin’ apeshit? “
