Royce Da 5’9″ Was “Embarrassed” By Grammy Nod After Criticizing Awards

The 2021 Grammy controversy haunts the Recording Academy, and while they’ve faced criticism over their choice of nominees this year, Royce Da 5’9″ is excited about his mention. The Detroit rapper’s project The Allegory received a nod for Best Rap Album and Royce spoke about his inclusion while chatting with Ebro Darden on The Message.

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The outspoken emcee isn’t usually one who is at a loss for words, but the Grammy nomination hit hard after it made him reevaluate his stance on the award ceremony. “It feels cool,” said Royce on the Apple Music series. “I’m not going to lie, man, I’m a little bit embarrassed because I’m one of those guys that was like, ‘F*ck the Grammys.’ And [now] I’m totally like, ‘I’m f*cking with the Grammys this year.’”

Now that he is an insider of sorts due to his nomination, Royce’s viewpoint shifted because he was able to see how he came across in previous years as he criticized the show. “It’s an opportunity to put some things in perspective,” he added. “When I see other artists complain about being snubbed, I look at it and go, ‘That’s how I was looking. I was looking like that.’” From this point forward, Royce said he is committed to being happy for his fellow entertainers as to not come across as bitter or judgmental.

Elsewhere, Royce spoke about Black artists and how fame has impacted their careers, especially those who have been in the industry for some time. The rapper used Lil Wayne as a reference, mentioning Weezy’s previous controversial stance on socio-economic issues in America. “Lil Wayne, I heard come out of his mouth in an interview that racism doesn’t exist,” Royce stated. “Being famous early for a Black person is crippling.”

Check out his interview with Ebro on The Message below.