Royce Da 5’9 Discusses Sentiments About The Grammys
Royce Da 5’9 has a complex relationship with the Recording Academy’s Grammy Awards institution.
Following his Best Rap Album Grammy nomination for The Allegory, the rapper opened up to Ebro Darden on the Apple Music show The Message. He claimed that he was “embarrassed” by the accolade because he had previously been, “One of those guys who was like, ‘Fuck the Grammys.’”
“I’m an artist right?” he begins. “So sometimes I project and I think my relationship with the Grammys has been a weird one because I never really expected to get nominated or be a part of it in any way before because I’ve always been such an MC. So what we’ll do sometimes is we’ll just go, ‘Oh man the Grammy’s ain’t nothing,’ in the raps, to make yourself feel a little bit better about it. But then when I got nominated for it, it was just kind of like, ‘Well the Grammy’s ain’t so bad.’”
Royce Was Caught Off Guard by Joyner Lucas
Furthermore, Royce says that he initially didn’t know what was going on and attests that Joyner was the first person to reach him and deliver a profane congratulatory nod for the nomination.
“I didn’t know that they submitted it,” Royce said in a calm monotone. “I didn’t know that they submitted the album. Yeah, you know who called me and told me? Joyner Lucas. Joyner Lucas called me and told me, I was like, ‘What?’ Because I know my phone just started going crazing, it was on vibrate and it was just jumping out my hand. It was people just, ‘Congratulations, congratulations. I’m like, ‘What’s going on?’ So first time it ring I answer, ‘Hello? What’s up?’” he said with a pause.
“‘Yo, congratulations muthafucka!’” Royce says imitating Joyner. “I’m like, ‘Yo what are you congratulating me for? What’s going on?’ I was startled. I honestly thought he was congratulating me for something with Marshall’s album. Because my album’s independent, so I wasn’t even thinking about the Grammy’s. He was like, ‘No it’s not for Marshall’s album, it’s for your album. So be happy muthafucka.’ I was like, ‘Word.’ After we got off the phone I’m thinking to myself like, ‘Be happy? Did Joyner Lucas think I’m not happy?’”
Royce Changes His Tune About The Grammys
In the end, Royce decided to make peace with the Grammys, explaining that he still finds it hard to believe he has received such recognition for his music.
“The nomination is good,” he says with a breath of relief. “The nomination is just one thing, that still feels surreal. So to win would take it even to another level in my mind. But I feel like I deserve to win, honestly. But when I look at the category, I’m honestly a fan of everybody in the category, so I’m not really tripping. I feel like whoever wins, it’s going to be a W for the culture.”
Royce Da 5’9 is listed among a group of talented lyrical nominees for Best Rap Album category, including Nas, Jay Electronica, Freddie Gibbs and D Smoke.
