An interview of Drake taken a day after winning two Grammy awards has just been released. It reveals an honest expose of the Canadian singer’s thoughts on his wins.
Drake, 30, won best rap song and best rap performance for his hit track Hotline Bling. In the interview he criticises the award organisers for categorising his song as “rap” when it isn’t. He says: “Maybe because I’ve rapped in the past or because I’m black, I can’t figure out why.”
He goes on to say that he doesn’t want the awards, “I won two awards last night but I don’t even want them cos it feels weird for some reason. It doesn’t feel right to me.”
“I feel almost like alienated or you’re trying to purposely alienate me by making me win rap awards, or either just pacify me by handing me something, putting me in that category, cos it’s the only place you can figure out where to put me.”
Viewers of the show took to Twitter, showing their confusion as Drakes song doesn’t feature any rap.
The fact that Hotline Bling got nominated for Best Rap song for the Grammys is literally what is wrong with the Grammys.
— Papi Ru (@jeruberry) February 12, 2017
Hotline bling winning best rap song without a single rap verse is the most hilarious thing I've seen this year.
And its just February— ⚡️ (@EtniesJags) February 13, 2017
This is not the first time race has come into play when talking about the Grammys. Adele beating Beyonce for the album of the year award has sparked up debates as to whether her win was due to racism.
But Neil Portnow, president of the Grammys said there is no race problem with the awards. He says: “We stand 100 per cent behind the process: It’s a democratic vote by majority.” He classed it as “systemic racism” with black artists side-lined into categories such as best urban contemporary album or placed in the “rap” category as Drake was.
Drake didn’t attend the Grammys as he was on his Boy Meets World tour in the UK. He revealed that he was asked to cancel two of his shows, but refused. “I was pitched by the Grammys to cancel those two shows and fly and go sit in the audience to lose because they don’t air the other rap awards on TV.”