Every other story I read about the 2024 Grammys is about Jay Z complaining that his wife has never won the Album of the Year, despite Beyoncé accumulating the most Grammys in the history of the award.
When did Jay Z become such a tool?
This is the credits list for Taylor Swift's Grammy winning effort Midnights this year:
10 of the 13 songs were written and produced by Swift and Jack Antonoff
Lavender Haze and Karma had a team of writers and producers.
Snow on the Beach featured Lana Del Rey.
And that's basically it.
This is the credits list for Beyoncé's Renaissance, which won 4 Grammys and was nominated for Album of the Year (but lost) at last years Grammys:
16 Songs
Over 100 Writers
Almost 75 Producers
Now you may argue some of those writer credits are from samples, (about a third), but Beyoncé wasn't remaking Paul's Boutique, she wrote a meticulous Pop Album.
Beyoncé is now the very definition of the Corporate Music that Jay Z railed against when he founded Roc-A-Fella Records. You can find Beyoncé on her own label, which is a subsidiary of Columbia, which is a subsidiary of Sony music.
Beyoncé's Renaissance Tour brought in half a billion dollars last year alone.
And that doesn't include the Tour Film.
Or the Fashion Branding-
Editor's Note: Fashion Branding? We had never heard of such a thing. Read this article at Women's Wear Daily.
Combined, Jay Z and Beyoncé are worth $3 billion dollars.
Listen, I really don't like Pop Music. I don't like Beyoncé. I don't like Taylor Swift. I don't like any music by billionaires. I prefer my music darker and grittier. But I'm not in the demographic that the remnants of the music industry are looking for, not even close.
Rooting for Beyoncé to win Album of the Year is like rooting for McDonald's to win Hamburger of the Year because they sold the most hamburgers and made the most money moving product.
When Jay Z rapped the song Corporate Takeover, he mistakenly posits that billionaire status should be his goal. The subtext is there should be more Black Billionaires.
I don't root for billionaires of any color or creed.
I root against White Billionaires,
I root against Black Billionaires.
And for a Billionaire man to whine about his Billionaire wife being snubbed for an award?
That's Rich Privilege.