Nov
50 Cent Explains Why He Thinks The Grammys Will Snub Pop Smoke Next Year
Pop Smoke’s posthumous debut album, Shoot For the Stars Aim For the Moon, remains in the Top 5 of the Billboard 200 chart 18 weeks after its release, and has turned out to be one of the year’s biggest projects. Despite its critical and commercial success, the project’s executive producer doesn’t think the Grammys will properly recognize it. In a recent interview with RapCaviar, 50 Cent explained that he doesn’t believe the Grammys give gangsta rap its due.
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“If it’s recognized, it will only get recognized because he’s gone,” 50 said about the late rapper’s album. “The content is similar to what I would do. They didn’t recognize mine. They gave me Grammys when I was with Em.” 50 Cent has 14 Grammy nominations to his name, but only won for his 2009 Eminem collaboration “Crack A Bottle.”
“They are afraid to give [Pop Smoke] Grammys because they think it is teaching the audience to want to be like Pop. And to be like him is to be a part of gang culture,” 50 continued. “Who you see get Grammys that is making drill music? You mean to tell me ain’t none of those songs worthy of it? Those platforms are not for them to acknowledge. It is for the culture, the people to embrace those tones, and to really appreciate the artist for doing that.”
He also noted that young rappers’ tough upbringings often makes them less media-friendly faces for ceremonies like the Grammys.
“We know a lot of the guys that are coming up, particularly in hip-hop, are rough around the edges,” he said. “They come from tough backgrounds. They come from real adversity. You hear them put it in the music the right way, it sounds so beautiful. They become amazing.”
Although the Grammy nominations won’t be announced until November 24, Pop Smoke is considered a possible nominee for Best New Artist and Rap Album of the Year. Rap artists have often lamented being snubbed in the four all-genre categories, but fans will have to wait and see whether Pop’s massive 2020 impact will help him beat the odds.
