Kelly Rowland has talked about JAY-Z’s speech at the 66th GRAMMYs and the reason she supported him when he defended Beyoncé on stage.
The 66th GRAMMYs took place on Sunday, February 4, 2024, and one who many have touted as the greatest rapper of all time, Jay-Z, was honoured with the GLOBAL IMPACT AWARD.
During his acceptance speech, he made some audacious statements. One that caught the ears of many was when he queried the merit of the Recording Academy’s metrics, citing his wife, Beyonce’s, inability to win ALBUM OF THR YEAR as an example. He questioned why Beyonce holds the distinction of being the artist with most GRAMMYs (32) but yet to win the most sought-after plaque, ALBUM OF THE YEAR.
“In 1998, I was nominated for Grammys for best rap album. That same year, DMX dropped 2 albums & both albums went no.1 on the charts, but DMX wasn’t nominated. That year I boycotted the Grammys. I’m just saying we want the Grammys to do the right thing. Or maybe something close to the right thing.
I don’t want to embarrass this young lady, but she has more Grammys than everyone and never won album of the year. So even by your own metrics, that doesn’t work. Think about that: The most Grammys. Never won album of the year. That doesn’t work,” Jay-Z stated.
Kelly Rowland, one of the members of defunct girls group, Destiny’s Child, which Beyonce was also a member has jumped into the defence of Jay-Z after his speach sparked mixed reactions.
“Shawn Carter is one of the greatest men I know and his words ring so loud to me. I couldn’t be more proud of him. I’m just really happy for a lot of things that he said. I think that he made a lot of artists feel very seen and very heard in those minutes that he took on stage.
I feel like she is an icon… and that’s for a reason — it’s because she starts trends. She is innovative, her thoughts are big and bright and she just jumps for them and does it. I think that her albums are a reflection of that, and it should be really celebrated in that way,” she said.
Kelly added that she wasn’t just saying that because Beyonce is her “sister”, but because it’s the truth.
“I’ve seen the blood, sweat and tears that she puts into these projects, and her thoughts and her heart and her passion and her soul.”
