With a staggering 99 nominations, Beyoncé is now the most Grammy-nominated artist in history, surpassing her husband, Jay-Z. But while her fans are buzzing with “Thank You, Beyoncé” energy, not everyone is in celebration mode.
The Recording Academy, which presents the Grammys, is known for its stringent voting process, involving thousands of industry experts who assess nominees based on artistic quality rather than commercial success.
However, over the years, the Grammys have faced criticism for perceived favouritism and lack of diversity, which has sparked conversations about how certain artists are acknowledged.
The nods Beyoncé received for her experimental country album “Cowboy Carter” - including 11 nominations - stirred up heated debates with some critics arguing the Recording Academy’s favouritism is a bit too obvious, especially after the CMA cold-shouldered her.
The timing couldn’t be more interesting. Jay-Z has been vocal about the Grammys’ history of bias and recent controversies around Diddy’s reputation has fuelled discussions about influence and power in the industry.
Now, Beyoncé’s record-smashing moment has fans divided, with the BeyHive on one side and sceptics on the other.
As if that’s not enough, TikTok investigators are stirring up a hornet’s nest with an old theory involving J. Cole’s 2013 track “She Knows”.
They claim the song’s lyrics contain hidden messages, name-dropping icons like Michael Jackson, Aaliyah and Left Eye, while supposedly hinting at connections to Beyoncé, Jay-Z and Diddy.
This theory, despite its leaps, has the internet talking about coded lyrics, birthday coincidences and mysterious industry secrets.
One Facebook user commented: “That’s hysterical because that entire album is absolutely terrible. And I love Beyoncé. Lemonade deserved to be in there. This one does not. And I know these people understand the difference.”
Another wrote: “They’re scared of her and her husband, of course, she got tons of nominations.
“Won’t it be fun to watch all those other artists who win ‘her’ awards thank her in their speeches though…lol.”
Someone else penned: “Well thank goodness!! She was real sad over the CMA snub!”
A netizen quipped: “Of course she didddddddyyyyy!!!”
Another commentator echoed: “Award for most Diddy parties too.”
Another added: “Think this will cause even less ppl to watch. No one wants to see these [artists] win anything but a spot in prison. Which is where many belong, especially her and her husband!”
In other news, Yale University will introduce a course dedicated to studying Beyoncé’s cultural impact and influence.
The course, Beyoncé Makes History: Black Radical Tradition, Culture, Theory & Politics Through Music, will examine her work from her 2013 self-titled album to her recent “Cowboy Carter” release.
It’s part of a growing trend in academia where major music icons and their contributions to social and political themes are explored in depth.