Drake Said 'No, Thanks!' to His 2022 Grammy Nominations
This story was updated on December 7, 2021
Drake has withdrawn his 2022 Grammy nominations, thereby pulling out of the race for Best Rap Album (Certified Lover Boy) and Best Rap Performance ("Way 2 Sexy").
Confirming the news, the Recording Academy removed the rapper from its official list of nominees. Drake himself has yet to comment.
Though the reasoning for his move remains unclear, Drake has long voiced opposition to the awards show, which often fails to recognize notable Black artists.
"I think we should stop allowing ourselves to be shocked every year by the disconnect between impactful music and these awards," the Lover Boy wrote on his Instagram Story after The Weeknd received zero nominations for After Hours in 2020.
In 2019, Drake criticized the Grammys during his acceptance speech for Best Rap Song ("God's Plan"): "We play an opinion-based sport, not a factual-based sport... You already won if you have people singing your songs word for word, if they’re singing in your hometown," he said.
This year's nominations are a mixed bag.
Up for Album of the Year are: Justin Bieber (Justice), Jon Batiste (WE ARE), Doja Cat (Planet Her), Billie Eilish (Happier Than Ever), H.E.R. (Back of My Mind), Lil Nas X (Montero), Kanye West (DONDA), Olivia Rodrigo (Sour), Taylor Swift (Evermore), and Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga (Love for Sale).
Notably, Drake's Certified Lover Boy — one of the buzziest releases of 2021 — did not make Album of the Year or Record of the Year. According to Variety, it's unclear whether Drizzy submitted the project for both categories.
Before withdrawing, Toronto's finest did clinch nominations in the Rap category: CLB was up for Best Rap Album and "Way 2 Sexy" (cringe-y music video and all) was in the running for Best Rap Performance.
Elsewhere in notable nominations, BTS was given a nod for Best Pop Duo or Group Performance ("Butter"), marking the K-pop sensation's second-ever Grammy nomination. Last year, the group made history by becoming the first K-pop act to ever receive a Grammy nom.
However, the group was snubbed for Record of the Year, a category that many felt was a shoo-in for the wildly popular act.
Leading the pack with 11 nominations — the most out of any artist this year — is Jon Batiste, the band leader on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.
Olivia Rodrigo, whose whole-hearted embrace of Y2k fashion is clearly resonating, was nominated in all of the Big Four: Record of the Year, Album of the Year, Song of the Year and Best New Artist.
Lil Nas X, our favorite musical prankster, did nicely as well. Aside from Album of the Year, the rapper is up for Record of the Year and Song of the Year, both for "Montero (Call Me By Your Name)."
This year's Grammys comes as the Recording Academy struggles to retain relevance. In 2020, the institution was widely panned for snubbing Black artists. In addition the The Weeknd, Lil Uzi Vert, Lil Baby, Burna Boy, and Pop Smoke went unrecognized at last year's awards.
While nominations such as Batiste's are a welcome surprise, this year's roundup of nods still, in some ways, feels like a game of favorites (how is Justin Bieber nominated in so many categories? And does anyone actually listen to FINNEAS?).
Come January, I wouldn't be surprised if artists follow Drake's lead and forgo the awards ceremony altogether, like The Weeknd did last year.
