At the 2024 Grammy Awards, the Recording Academy made a significant blunder by mistakenly naming Nicki Minaj and Ice Spice as the winners of the “Best Rap Song” category for their collaboration, “Barbie World.” Shortly after the announcement, the Academy rectified their mistake and revealed that the actual winner was rapper Killer Mike for his work on “Scientists & Engineers,” featuring André 3000, Future, and Eryn Allen Kane. However, eagle-eyed fans wasted no time in noticing the error, leading to backlash against the Academy for the faux pas.
Fans quickly took to social media to express their disappointment and confusion over the Academy’s mistake. Many fans shared screenshots of the original tweet, calling out the Recording Academy for their carelessness. Questions and criticisms flooded the comments section, demanding an explanation for the Best Rap Song situation. Some fans even suggested that the Academy should apologize for the incorrect announcement to salvage their reputation.
The Grammy mishap added another disappointment to Nicki Minaj’s Grammy journey. Despite receiving two nominations for “Barbie World” in the categories of “Best Song Written for Visual Media” and “Best Rap Song,” Minaj walked away empty-handed from both. The rapper, whose real name is Onika Maraj, is still awaiting her first Grammy win. “Barbie World” was created as part of the “Barbie” movie soundtrack, sampling Aqua’s 1997 hit, “Barbie Girl.”
While Nicki Minaj and Ice Spice have not publicly commented on the Grammy blunder, the latter expressed her excitement about collaborating with Minaj just days before the mishap. Ice Spice, a 24-year-old rapper, shared her gratitude for the opportunity to work with Minaj during an appearance on “Today with Hoda & Jenna.” She described the experience as “unreal” and expressed her admiration for Minaj. Ice Spice also received four Grammy nominations, including “Best New Artist.”
Amidst the Grammy chaos, rapper Killer Mike, also known as Michael Santiago Render, found himself embroiled in controversy. After winning three awards at the star-studded ceremony, including the correct Best Rap Song award, he was detained for allegedly getting into an altercation with a security guard. Video footage captured Killer Mike being escorted out of the pre-show ceremony at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. He was later charged with a battery misdemeanor.
The 2024 Grammy Awards will be remembered for the major mishap in announcing the Best Rap Song winners. The Recording Academy faced immediate backlash from fans, who expressed their disappointment and demanded an explanation for the error. Nicki Minaj and Ice Spice, although mistakenly named as winners, have yet to publicly address the situation. Meanwhile, Killer Mike experienced a controversial night after winning three awards but later being detained due to an alleged altercation. Despite the mix-up, the Grammys continue to hold significance in recognizing musical talent, though this incident may serve as a reminder of the importance of precision and accuracy in award ceremonies.