Kanye West would do anything for his Real Friends… and that includes skipping out on the biggest award show in music!
The rapper has made no secret of his support of Frank Ocean, and is, like most, a huge fan of his new album.
But after learning neither of Ocean’s 2016 albums, Blonde nor Endless, will be eligible for consideration for the year’s Grammy awards, Yeezy is pissed!
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And since Mr. West knows all too well that the Grammys have a history of bending the rules for other artists, he won’t bother showing up to the ceremony if his friend and collaborator doesn’t get the same treatment.
At the Oakland stop on his Saint Pablo tour, Ye addressed the crowd on the inner workings of the Recording Academy, and how they allegedly made exceptions for their eligibility rules — like Lady GaGa‘s 2010 Grammy performance.
Entering one of his now-expected stage rants, Kim Kardashian West‘s husband said:
“[Gaga] wasn’t nominated for Best New Artist, right? But they wanted her to perform at the show; they wanted her to open. So the Grammys secretly changed something about the nominations in order to nominate her, in order for her to perform in the show. Now, Frank Ocean, on the other hand, is very vocal that his album wasn’t nominated for the Grammys, right? Since he’s vocal, no one wants to say nothing about it. No one wants to do nothing about it. And I’m saying this to y’all, because a lot of people try to make a scene, like, ├óΓé¼╦£I’m so self-centered.’ But the album I listened to the most this year is Frank Ocean’s album. And I’ll tell you this right now: If his album’s not nominated in no categories, I’m not showing up to the Grammys.”
Egotistical overtones aside, Kanye does actually make a point here.
GaGa’s debut album The Fame earned five Grammy nominations back in 2010, the same year she performed with Elton John at the ceremony and took home awards for Best Dance Recording (for Poker Face) and Best Electronic/Dance Album.
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The Fame was released in the U.S. on October 28, 2008, then reissued as The Fame Monster in 2009, which ended up getting nominated at the 2011 Grammys. But GaGa’s lack of Best New Artist nomination in 2010 — due to Just Dance being nominated in 2009 — caused the Academy to rewrite the rules on new artist eligibility.
As Kanye sees it, the Grammys made sure GaGa’s work was honored based on her rise in popularity, and Ocean should get the same treatment├óΓé¼┬ª or else Yeezy is boycotting that bullsh*t!
Boos rang out at the concert towards the end of his speech (below), but there’s always a chance the Academy might actually listen to the rapper’s demands.
Kanye Says He’ll Boycott the Grammys if Frank Ocean isn’t Nominated. #SaintPabloTourhttps://t.co/byQ37pqCne pic.twitter.com/AN6hOafRuA
— UTOR (@utorlive) October 23, 2016
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[Image via TNYF/Tim McLees/Andres Otero/WENN.]
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