In a new interview with The Guardian, iconic director Spike Lee weighed in on the 2021 Grammy Awards controversy, where Harry Styles was awarded Album of the Year over Beyonce, despite the latter’s four nominations in the same category.
Lee expressed that he was “not the male president of the Bey Hive,” though he admitted to “love and support” for the singer and her “amazing” album, ‘Renaissance’.
The outspoken director went on to make a connection between the glaring loss and the history of recognition awards have denied Black artists, noting that this controversy brings up the question — “Do black artists say ‘Fuck it’, or seek white validation and chase awards?”
Despite the snub, Beyonce was still celebrated, taking home several awards throughout the night, including Best Dance/Electronic Recording, Best Dance/Electronic Music Album, Best Traditional R&B Performance, and Best R&B Song.
This also made Beyonce the most-awarded artist in Recording Academy history with 32 total Grammy wins.
It remains to be seen what action, if any, the Recording Academy will take, yet the lack of recognition for Black artists is a troubling trend the Academy must continue to address in order to recognize the cultural contributions of each and every artist.