Jay-Z used his winner’s speech to address the fact his his wife Beyonce has never won the top prize - Album of the Year - at the Grammy’s.
The 54-year-old, whose real name is Shawn Carter, took to the stage with his daughter Blue Ivy, 12, to collect the Dr Dre global impact award celebrating his achievements in music.
Dressed in a white cowboys hat with striking white-blonde hair, Beyonce herself was in the crowd, watching on.
But while Jay-Z said he was honoured to accept the prize, he used his acceptance speech to encourage the Recording Academy to “get it right”.
Referencing his wife making history at last year’s ceremony winning a record 32 awards, he said: “I don’t want to embarrass this young lady, but she has more Grammy’s than everyone and never won album of the year.
“Think about that. Most Grammy’s, never won album of the year, that doesn’t work.
“Some of you will go home tonight and feel like you’ve been robbed, some of you may get robbed, some of you don’t belong in the category.
“When I get nervous, I tell the truth,” Jay-Z said.
Jay-Z has been nominated for 88 Grammy Awards, winning 24 of them.
Beyonce has also been nominated for 88 Grammy Awards, winning 32 of them.
Both artists have been nominated for Album of the Year six times and never won.
In 2015, when Beyonce lost out on Album of the Year to Beck, rapper and protégé of Jay-Z Kanye West pretended to storm the stage in protest.
In 2009, West famously interrupted Swift as she accepted the Best Female Video award at the MTV Video Music Awards.
He said: "Yo, Taylor, I'm really happy for you. ... but Beyoncé had one of the best videos of all time."
During the speech, Jay-Z also spoke about working hard continuously throughout a musical career, and said outside of the Grammys that “we’ve got to keep showing up”.
He said: “Just in life, you’ve got to keep showing up. Just keep showing up.
“To get the Grammys, you got to keep showing up until they give you all the accolades you deserve, until they call you chairman, until they call you a genius, until they call you the greatest of all time. Feel me.”
During his speech, Jay-Z thanked US rapper Dr Dre – real name Andre Young – for opening doors, as well as the Black Music Collective, saying: “Hopefully, I’m adding to what you guys are doing out here.”
Referencing the Grammy’s, he added: “We want y’all to get it right. We love ya’ll.
"At least get it close to right. And obviously, it’s subjective because it’s music. And it’s opinion-based.”
The star was later filmed drinking out of his Grammy award in celebration.
Swift made history on Sunday night becoming the only artist to win Album of the Year four times.
