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Drake made a rare appearance at the 61st annual Grammy Awards to accept the award for Best Rap Song for his 2018 megahit “God’s Plan.”
Drake turned heads and quickly started trending on social media after he spent most of his speech downplaying the importance of the Grammy Award in the music industry, telling the room of his peers that they “play in an opinion based sport.”
“We play in an opinion-based sport, not a factual-based sport,” he said. “The point is, you’ve already won if you have people who are singing your songs word for word, if you’re a hero in your hometown. Look, if there’s people who have regular jobs who are coming out in the rain and snow, spending money to buy tickets to your shows, you don’t need this right here. You already won.”
In a category with Kendrick Lamar (“King’s Dead” and “WIN”), Jay Rock (“WIN)” Eminem (“Lucky You”), and Travis Scott (“SICKO MODE”), Drake admitted that he didn’t believe he was going to win. His speech was also cut off during his speech for a commercial break.
Earlier last week, the Grammy Awards’ show’s producer, Ken Ehrlich, admitted that Drake, Childish Gambino and Kendrick Lamar all turned down the opportunity to perform at this year’s show. “The fact of the matter is, we continue to have a problem in the hip-hop world,” the longtime producer told the New York Times. “When they don’t take home the big prize, the regard of the academy, and what the Grammys represent, continues to be less meaningful to the hip-hop community, which is sad.”
This is Drake’s second Grammy. In 2017, Drake won in the same category, Best Rap Song, for his hit “Hotline Bling.”
