Tyler, The Creator called out the Grammys for racial bias after winning the award for Best Rap Album.
The 28-year-old was asked after accepting the award for his album IGOR how he felt about the voting process, and instead of simply focusing on himself, he used it as an opportunity to call out racial bias, describing his win as a "backhanded compliment".
This is what he had to say in the press room:"On one side I'm very grateful that what I made could just be acknowledged in a world like this," he said but added that he was "half and half" about the awards process as a whole.
"But also it sucks that whenever we - and I mean guys that look like me - do anything that's genre-bending or that's anything they always put it in a rap or urban category. I don't like that urban word - it's just a politically correct way to say the n-word to me.
"So when I hear that, I'm just like why can't we be in pop? Half of me feels like the rap nomination was just a backhanded compliment. Like, my little cousin wants to play the game. Let's give him the unplugged controller so he can shut up and feel good about it - that's what it felt like a bit."
Tyler, The Creator is pictured below at the 2020 Grammys.
He continued: "But another part of me is very grateful that the art that I made could be acknowledged on a level like this when I don't do the radio stuff. I'm not played in Target. I'm in a whole different world than what a lot of people here listen to."
Tyler's decision to call out the Grammys for what some are describing as "institutionalized racism" won him widespread praise on social media, especially as it came after questions were raised about internal bias at the Recording Academy, as per Deadline.
One fan wrote: "lowkey emotional right now, Tyler's been my favorite artist since I was old enough to have one. even though the Grammys mean mostly nothing and the categories are built on institutionalized racism it's still great to see him win."
A second remarked: "Tyler, The Creator calls out the #Grammys on their racism when it comes to music genres."
A third added: "my g tyler got a grammy and called out racism at the same time. a king. truly a king."
Congrats on the win, Tyler!