In a surprising turn of events leading up to Sunday night's televised 2024 Grammys, the Recording Academy made a notable mistake during the premiere ceremony. As the Academy was announcing the winner for the Best Rap Song category, a wrong name was posted on the social media platform X (formerly known as Twitter). This error caused quite a stir among fans and sparked discussions about the music industry's treatment of certain artists.
During the premiere ceremony, which was streamed live on the Academy's YouTube channel, it was revealed that 'Scientists & Engineers' by Killer Mike had won the Best Rap Song award. However, the Recording Academy mistakenly posted on X that Nicki Minaj and Ice Spice's 'Barbie World' from the Barbie soundtrack was the winner. The tweet was quickly deleted, but not before screenshots circulated online and caused an uproar among fans.
For Minaj fans, commonly known as the Barbz, this incorrect announcement held particular significance. The Grammy would have represented Minaj's first win after being nominated a staggering 12 times without taking home the coveted award. Understandably, fans were disappointed and felt that this mistake further highlighted the industry's alleged bias against her.
It is worth noting that this was not the first time Minaj has spoken out against the Recording Academy. In 2022, the rapper criticized the Academy for classifying her song 'Super Freaky Girl' in the pop category instead of rap. Taking to social media to voice her frustration, Minaj claimed that the Academy was intentionally moving the goalposts when it came to her, questioning their motives and insinuating a desire to limit her chances of winning awards.
Similarly, in 2020, Minaj called out the Grammys for not recognizing her as the Best New Artist, despite having seven songs simultaneously charting on Billboard at the time. The rapper expressed her disappointment on Twitter, highlighting her significant impact on the music industry and suggesting that the award went to a white artist instead.
As anticipation builds for this year's Grammys, it's worth mentioning that female acts dominate seven out of the eight nominees across the top three categories. Artists like SZA, Taylor Swift, Olivia Rodrigo, Billie Eilish, Miley Cyrus, and boygenius have all received multiple nominations. This recognition of women in music speaks to the growing impact and success of female artists in the industry.
The 2024 Grammy Awards will be airing live from Los Angeles on Sunday, with Trevor Noah taking on hosting duties. The star-studded telecast will be broadcast on CBS and Paramount+, adding excitement and anticipation for music lovers around the world.
As the Recording Academy faces scrutiny for their mistaken tweet regarding Nicki Minaj and Ice Spice's potential Grammy win, conversations about fairness, diversity, and transparency in the music industry continue. It remains to be seen how this incident will be addressed and if it will have any lasting effects on the perception of the Grammys.
