Photo Credit: Republic Records

The news that Drake removed his Grammy nomination one day before the ballots were posted surprised the music industry. Drake is no stranger to the Grammys, having 4. His unusual decision to pull out of the nominations was not an indication of him not wanting his music to be eligible for a Grammy, as the nominations are submitted by a member of the artist’s label, which is agreed upon with the artist beforehand. The announcement of the awards goes out on all mass media platforms, and to be removed without notice is uncommon in the award show. 

While it is still unclear as to the reasoning behind his sudden removal, “Some have speculated that his decision might have something to do with him being named in lawsuits surrounding the tragedy at the Astroworld festival in Houston last month, where 10 people died when the crowd rampaged during headliner Travis Scott’s set, which featured a guest appearance from Drake”. 

Drake’s behavior is not unprecedented as he did throw shade at the Grammys last year, “… during his acceptance speech in 2019, when “God’s Plan” won Best Rap Song. The awards show producers cut off his mic after he claimed awards hold no value.” His discontent stemmed from the fact that his friend and fellow musician, The Weekend, was snubbed when the Grammys failed to acknowledge the fact that The Weekend had one of 2020’s top albums and songs. Frustrations with the Grammys have been revealed during this time, making people wonder if other artists will come forward standing with or against Drake.

 Source: https://variety.com/2021/music/news/drake-withdraws-2021-grammy-nominations-1235127358/