For more than a decade now, Drake and the Grammys have shared a complicated relationship, with award wins, public criticism and repeated withdrawals turning their story into one of music’s most talked-about award-show sagas.
From losing Best New Artist in 2011 to reportedly sitting out the 2027 Grammy race, Drake vs Grammys has become about more than trophies — it is a question of recognition, respect and who decides what matters in music.
Drake vs Grammys: How It All Started in 2011
Drake’s first major Grammy disappointment came in 2011 when he lost Best New Artist to jazz singer Esperanza Spalding. The result surprised many fans and became an early source of frustration in his relationship with the Recording Academy.
Things became more complicated in 2017. Although Drake won two Grammys for Hotline Bling, he questioned why the Academy continued to classify his music mainly as rap.
He argued that the song was not simply a rap record and suggested that race influenced how his music was categorised.
In 2019, Drake returned to collect Best Rap Song for God’s Plan. During his acceptance speech, he told artists that if fans sang their songs word for word, they had already won.
His speech was cut short when the broadcast moved to a commercial, creating another controversial moment. The Grammys later said producers believed he had finished speaking.
Drake Grammy Boycott: From Withdrawal to Walking Away
The tension grew in 2020 when The Weeknd received no nominations for the 2021 Grammys despite the success of After Hours. Drake criticised the Academy’s disconnect from impactful music and suggested that someone should create a new awards platform.
In December 2021, Drake asked the Recording Academy to withdraw his two 2022 nominations for Certified Lover Boy and Way 2 Sexy. The Academy granted the request. His move became one of the clearest signs of his growing distance from the awards.
Drake briefly returned to Grammy consideration with Her Loss, his collaborative album with 21 Savage, which received five nominations for the 2024 ceremony but won none.
Then came 2025, when Kendrick Lamar’s Not Like Us won five Grammys, including Record of the Year and Song of the Year. Given the track’s connection to their highly publicised feud, the result added another striking chapter to Drake’s complicated Grammy story.
Now, the focus has shifted to 2027. Drake has chosen not to submit his 2026 three-pack releases for Grammy consideration.
Whether this marks a permanent break remains to be seen. But Drake vs Grammys has evolved into a bigger debate about the value of awards, artistic recognition and whether an artist needs industry approval when millions of fans are already listening.
For Drake, the message has remained consistent: the music and the fans come first, even when the golden gramophone is missing.
