Mathew Knowles Blames Columbia Records For Beyoncé’s Album Of The Year Snubs
After Jay-Z stood on business at the 2024 Grammys by calling out the Recording Academy for Beyoncé’s several Album of the Year snubs, her father, Mathew Knowles, also broke his silence on the matter. Not only did he also fault the Recording Academy, but blamed Bey’s label, Columbia Records, as well.
On Monday (Feb. 5), Knowles told TMZ, “People don’t know the process. Your record label can only appoint one person in a category. So, that means her record label—Ima call you out Columbia Records—has never really put her in that category for consideration.”
However, Bey has been up for Album of the Year four times for I Am…Sasha Fierce, Beyoncé, Lemonade, and RENAISSANCE. She’s also been nominated alongside her Columbia Records labelmates, Adele, whom she lost to in 2017, and Harry Styles, whom she lost to last year.
Knowles clarified, noting, “When you have Adele and Beyoncé on the same record label, the record label can only support one of those artists.” The 72-year-old later mentioned that he doesn’t have the answers, but the snubs are both the label and the Recording Academy’s fault. “It’s a combination of all, but it starts with the label. I’ve spent 14 years in those rooms supporting the labels. I know exactly how this works.”
During Jay-Z’s Global Impact Awards acceptance speech, he placed the blame on the Recording Academy.
“I don’t want to embarrass this young lady, but she has more Grammys than everyone and never won Album of the Year. So even by your own metrics, that doesn’t work,” he boldly stated. “Think about that: the most Grammys [but] never won Album of the Year. That doesn’t work […] Some of you don’t belong in the category. When I get nervous, I tell the truth.”
Only three Black women have won Album of the Year: Natalie Cole (1992), Whitney Houston (1994), and Lauryn Hill (1999), and since Hill, TLC, India.Arie, Missy Elliott, Alicia Keys, Mariah Carey, Rihanna, Janelle Monáe, H.E.R., Cardi B, Lizzo, Jhené Aiko, Doja Cat, Mary J. Blige, and SZA have all been nominated with no wins.
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