Drake has withdrawn his two 2022 Grammy nominations, a rep for the Recording Academy has confirmed to ‘Variety’. Drake’s rep did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Sources told ‘Variety’ the decision was made by Drake and his management and the Grammys honoured the request, although his motivation was unclear at the time of the publication of this news story.
Drake was one of five nominees for Best Rap Album, for ‘Certified Lover Boy’, and for Best Rap Performance, for his song ‘Way 2 Sexy’ (featuring Future and Young Thug).
Some have speculated that Drake’s decision might have something to do with him being named in lawsuits surrounding the tragedy at the Astroworld festival in Houston last month, where 10 people died when the crowd rampaged during headliner Travis Scott’s set, which featured a guest appearance from Drake.
The rapper, though, is scheduled to perform with Kanye West at the ‘Free Larry Hoover’ benefit concert in Los Angeles on Thursday, so that explanation feels unlikely, according to ‘Variety’.
Drake has had a long and at times contentious relationship with the Grammys. Just a year ago, he called for them to be replaced with “something new that we can build up over time and pass on to the generations to come”, after it failed to recognise his peer and fellow Canadian artiste, the Weeknd, in 2021.