Drake withdraws Grammy 2022 nominations

Drake decided to withdraw his two Grammy nominations -- best rap album for “Certified Lover Boy” and best rap performance for his song “Way 2 Sexy”. 

According to sources, the decision was made by Drake and his management and it was honoured by the Grammys. The motivation behind it is still unclear during the time of writing, as Drake’s representatives did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Drake’s nominations have been removed with no replacement entries, meaning voting for the two categories will go ahead with the remaining four nominees, as stated in Grammys website. 

As reported by Variety, the decision to pull out from a nomination at this late stage is unprecedented. Grammy nominations must be submitted by a representative, usually the artist’s record label. Hence, if the artist is not willing to be nominated, they will not submit any nomination in the first place. 

However, some have speculated that his decision might have something to do with him being named in lawsuits surrounding the tragedy at the Astroworld festival. Netizens also assumed that this indicates that Drake is trying to lay low due to the lawsuit. 

Drake, however, has been in a contentious relationship with Grammy. Last year, he criticised the Grammys for not including The Weeknd in their nominations. He sided with the fellow Canadian, saying Grammys “may no longer matter”. 

In 2019, he threw shade during his Grammys acceptance speech, as “God’s Plan” won Best Rap Song. The producers cut off his mic after he claimed awards hold no value.

“We play an opinion-based sport, not a factual-based sport,” he said. “You already won if you have people singing your songs word for word, if they’re singing in your hometown. You’re already winning, you don’t need this right here.”