The Grammys have been under fire for almost two weeks since South Korean Boy Band “BTS” put out a statement addressing their decision not to submit for the awards this year.
The statement was prompted by the Recording Academy’s decision to create an “Asian category” at the awards, and while there have been arguments about the positives and negatives of the category being created, there has been a conversation about the validity of the Grammys as a global award.
How have the Grammys segregated artists of colour?
Despite identifying as the biggest award in music, the Grammys have had several instances where it received criticism for how it handled artists of colour, with the most recent occasion being the creation of the Latin music category after Bad Bunny won the award for “Album of the Year,” making it the first Spanish-language album to win the category.
The category was announced this year, when the Grammys announced the creation of the Asian category, which also came at the height of the success of BTS’s comeback album. While the creation of the African category did not follow any specific achievement of any African artiste, it was announced at the height of the success of Afrobeats artists in 2023.
However, the intriguing thing is that the Grammys have been known to award wins to non-American artists without creating a separate category for them.
How are artists of colour treated compared to their white counterparts?
Although there has been criticism centered on the Grammys specifically catering to only American artists, it is important to note that this is not always the case, as Harry Styles, a British artist, has won the “Artist of the Year” title; Adele and the Beatles, who are also not American artists, have won; and the Recording Academy is yet to create a category for British or Irish artists.
However, after Beyoncé won the country record category, the Grammys split the existing Best Country Album category into two separate awards, “Best Contemporary Country Album” and “Best Traditional Country Album.”
While many have argued that it wasn’t done with the intent to keep Black artists from winning the category, this action has been raised in the follow-up conversation after BTS announced their intentions not to submit for the 2027 Grammy Awards. If even American artists are facing segregation from the Grammys, could the problem be that the Grammys are racist and not that they favour all American artists?
Why is there a problem with the Asian, African, and Latin categories?
There are many issues associated with the creation of a regional category at what is known as the “biggest award in music,” but perhaps the most worrisome issues are:
- Music As Art
Consistent with what BTS said in their statement, music should be considered art and not by the language it is written or made in. The stipulation included in the Grammys category for Asian, African, and Latin artists requires artists to use “Asian,” “African,” and “Latin” language to be considered or nominated for the category created for them. If the category was created to recognise these artists, why does it require them to sing in a certain language for their artistry and ethnicity to be recognised?
- Dismissive of Genres
Another thing to note is that these artists span a wide range of musical genres, from hip-hop to pop to R&B and much more. Limiting them to being recognised only as representatives of their country or continent strips away their artistry and places them in a box where they are only viewed as good enough when they perform in languages deemed valid by the Grammys.
- The Unspoken Language Barrier
One of the voting members of the Grammys acknowledged in an Instagram comment section that the Recording Academy had not taken into account Asian countries where the general language was English. In a situation where an African, Latin, or Asian artist is born in a country like Singapore or Nigeria, where the language spoken is English, are they deemed less of their nationality or ethnicity when they put out art in the language most common to them? Does the existence of individuals like this not undermine the need for the Grammys to create categories that put artists of colour in a box?
Why do Afrobeats artists continue to submit to the Grammys?
Although many have attributed the reason to a lack of solidarity between Afrobeat artists after Wizkid called out the Grammys, others have argued that it is not as simple as that. Artists like BTS, Drake, and The Weeknd, who have called out the Grammys, are established artists who have seen global fame, but for many Afrobeats artists, the Grammys are a huge achievement.
Though the regional category may be done to put these artists in a box, for many Afrobeats artists who grew up knowing that the Grammys are the biggest award an artist can get, getting the recognition of the award is in itself a huge accomplishment and acknowledgement of their artistry.
While the category may exist as an obstacle for Afrobeats artists who seek to be on the same level as any international artist, it could also be viewed as a form of recognition and inclusion for artists who are only now being recognised as more than just the continent they are from. For many, the choice to not submit to the Grammys is a privilege they do not have.
What we think
The Recording Academy has long been recognised as the biggest award in music, but as they continue to create regional categories that put artists of colour in a box, it pushes questions like, “Are the Grammys a global award?” “Is it the biggest night in music for all?” Or is it the biggest night in music for a select few? These are questions the Recording Academy needs to answer in the wake of the current conversations surrounding these categories.
