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Drake and The Weeknd Continue Grammys Boycott, Don't Submit Music for 2023 Consideration
Drake and The Weeknd are still not down with the Grammys.
The Toronto artists continue to boycott the awards by withholding their music from 2023 consideration. Their eligible solo albums, Honestly, Nevermind and Dawn FM, were not submitted in any Grammy categories, along with their hit singles such as “Sticky” and “Out of Time.”
They do, however, appear on the ballot for their collaborations with other artists.
Drake has had a contentious relationship with the Grammys. After receiving nominations for Certified Lover Boy and “Way 2 Sexy” last year, he withdrew both his nods. Back in 2017, he skipped the Grammys after the Recording Academy nominated “Hotline Bling” in the rap category despite insisting it was a pop song.
“Even though ‘Hotline Bling’ is not a rap song… the only category they can manage to fit me in is a rap category,” he told DJ Semtex in 2017. “Maybe because I’ve rapped in the past or because I’m Black, I can’t figure out why… I won two awards last night–but I don’t even want them, because it just feels weird for some reason.”
The Weeknd received no nominations at the 2021 ceremony despite the commercial and critical success of his album After Hours. “The Grammys remain corrupt. You owe me, my fans and the industry transparency,” he tweeted after the snub.
The Grammys remain corrupt. You owe me, my fans and the industry transparency…
— The Weeknd (@theweeknd) November 25, 2020
He also announced that he would be boycotting the awards going forward. “Because of the secret committees, I will no longer allow my label to submit my music to the Grammys,” he told The New York Times last year, referring to the anonymous expert committees that review the initial nomination selections and narrow them down to the final nominees.
Earlier in the week, Bruno Mars announced that he and Anderson .Paak have decided not to submit their debut album, An Evening With Silk Sonic, for consideration at the 2023 ceremony.
Nicki Minaj also expressed her frustration after her hit “Super Freaky Girl” was moved out of the rap category and into pop, citing Drake’s wins for Best Rap Song and Best Rap/Sung Performance for “Hotline Bling” in 2017.
“Shoutout to Drake. Even Drake spoke up on this when he was like, ‘Why am I winning a rap award for ‘Hotline Bling’?’ And he did the right thing,” she said. “To me, that’s what you’re supposed to do as an artist. If you know something is unfair as an artist, speak on that shit.”