r/rap • u/anfornum • 1d ago
Controversial The Source | Anti Establishment? Now Both Drake and J. Cole Reportedly NOT Submitting Albums for Grammys
https://thesource.com/2026/10/13/anti-establishment-now-both-drake-and-j-cole-reportedly-not-submitting-albums-for-grammys/8
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u/RaisinWorried3528 1d ago
Why should they? When it comes to hip-hop they never get it right.
That Clipse was by and far away the best hip-hop album of last year. Easily. Kendrick won for a 2025 album. I love Kendrick, but that's the kind of bullshit that I'm talking about.
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u/SexualChocolateJr 1d ago
Clipse was definitely deserving. The albums in the category were all deserving. Can;t speak to Glorilla because I did not listen to it. JID, Tyler, Kendrick, Clipse did phenomenal work and it was a tough bracekt.
However your point about GNX being released in 2024 is not valid. The Grammy's period for eligibility is not January - December of a given year. The period, for example, for the 2026 Grammys was August 31, 2024, and August 30, 2025. And then the Grammys are held February of the following year which in this case was Feb 2026. It's been that way for a while... so there's no reason to bring it up since if something was in the eligibility period. It lets people vote and consider things that get released late in the period. There were no tricks to it.
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u/snizzrizz 1d ago
When you know you’re not going to win, it’s “cooler” to say you didn’t even submit
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u/Emotional-School-465 1d ago
Im sorry what world are you living in where either iceman or fall off isnt winning best rap album if they were submitted? Theres literally one album i think could beat them and I doubt you will choose it
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u/Used-Picture829 1d ago
Gotta find a way to spin it so that these guys won’t get praised for doing the right thing. Everyone’s anti-establishment until someone they hate shows resistance towards that establishment. It makes all the sense for them to boycott whether they think they can win or not. Look at how they’ve treated Black artists in the past.
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u/Emotional-School-465 1d ago
Like son these can't be real people on this post. Bro said they're not going to win like they aren't 2 of the biggest rappers in the world or like 2026 has heavy competition outside of don toliver
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u/wildingflow 22h ago
Bigger rappers ≠ best music
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u/Emotional-School-465 21h ago
A big part of the Grammys is popularity, also helps the albums are good
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u/SuperSayian4Nappa 1d ago
We're gonna pretend like Drake wouldn't have won any the past decade? Like not a single one?
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u/snizzrizz 1d ago
He is in it most years. He’s choosing not to this time. He’s done that before. Mostly when he’s being a bitch
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u/fangir101 1d ago
He’s not nominated most years, what are you talking about? He doesn’t submit his music to the Grammys unless his collaborator submits on their behalf.
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u/snizzrizz 1d ago
2017: Skipped the ceremony and criticized the Academy for classifying "Hotline Bling" as rap rather than pop.
2019: Attended, won Best Rap Song for "God's Plan," and gave a speech questioning the importance of Grammy awards. His speech was cut off.
2022: Withdrew his two Grammy nominations.
2023: Didn't attend despite receiving nominations.
2024: Skipped despite four nominations, publicly criticizing the awards.
2025: Didn't attend when Kendrick Lamar won five Grammys for "Not Like Us."
2026: Continued his absence.
2027: Reportedly hasn't submitted his 2026 albums for consideratio11
u/fangir101 1d ago
Nothing you said disproves my point. He doesn’t submit music on his behalf and hasn’t for years. The only music of his that gets submitted is on behalf of the collaborator like Future, 21 Savage and Partynextdoor, hence why they were nominated in the years you referenced.
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u/conglomerate99 1d ago
2021 grammys: the last year drake submitted any songs that weren't from his collaborative albums her loss or sss4u, when 21 and pnd submitted tracks.
drake has not taken place in the grammys for his solo work the last 5 years. that's been his stance consistently
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u/Alert_Broccoli_9911 1d ago
That’s also the time when the weekend got snubbed for blinding lights and Drake publicly called the Grammys out.
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u/karmagod13000 14h ago
they didn't say anything the publication has just found a way to pull drake and j cole into a non story
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u/StatPaddingChampsNY 5h ago
It’s cooler to know that Drake’s anti-Grammy stance dates back to 2018 as far as not submitting some of his albums to the Grammy’s.
This is only new to ‘Not Like Us’ bandwagon fans.
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u/Alarmed_Silver_3360 4h ago
It was a result of him never winning the big awards. Honestly, hip hop has always had a strained relationship with the Grammys.
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u/fucshyt 1d ago
Who gives a fuck
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u/karmagod13000 14h ago
losers. this is a massive nothing burger but nerds cant pass up an opportunity to make a drake joke. Muuuuuuussstttaaarrrdddd amiright
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u/Junior-Gazelle-4646 1d ago
“Antiestablishment” and it’s two of the biggest corporate rappers of all time
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u/PresentationCivil879 1d ago
Being commercially successful ≠ corporate.
Also the article is speaking in the present tense, not looking at their careers as a whole.
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u/Junior-Gazelle-4646 1d ago
Are you sure about that? Is there a way to be commercially successful in America without playing ball with big corporations? Haven’t they both sold millions of Nikes and pumas and other superfluous merchandise?
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u/CABBAGEHONKER 1d ago
Can’t lose if you don’t play
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u/RedditKingKunta 1d ago
Lose what exactly? We’re talking about the award that went to Macklemore on the year Good Kid Mad City came out.
Last year Kendrick beat Clipse for Rap Album of the Year with a mid ass album and almost won over Bad Bunny’s DtMF for album of the year.
The grammys are a fucking joke.
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u/Express-Belt-6465 22h ago
GNX wasn’t mid
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u/gbdarknight77 17h ago
It wasn’t but it wasn’t better than Let God Sort Them Out.
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u/Express-Belt-6465 14h ago
I definitely think in commercial terms it was more successful. I personally found myself listening to GNX more, but that’s my personal taste. I hated the mixing and mastering style on the clipse album, honestly.
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u/GodKingCesarwrap 17h ago
Drake has said numerous times he doesn’t respect the Grammys before the beef and after the beef. Idk what’s up with Cole but the fact they didn’t even respect rap for awhile to not even air the award for it shows lame most of this “Grammys matter” crowd is
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u/LTC-trader 22h ago
Why is this news?
When’s the last time they submitted?
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u/gbdarknight77 17h ago
Drake hasn’t submitted solo work since winning for Gods Plan and then getting on stage and shitting on the Grammys.
He allows his features and collab stuff to be submitted if the other artist wants to submit.
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u/Previous-Page6097 17h ago
Last year. Cole submitted Might Delete Later, and I think PND submitted Some Sexy Songs 4U.
Drake has been consistent with boycotting but Cole has been going between criticising and submitting for some time now so its not that strong of a statement coming from him.
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u/karmagod13000 14h ago
I love this is the media nowadays. Artist doesn't do something, publication gets wind of it and makes it out to be a story about said artist knowing they wont lose
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u/zoufha91 1d ago
How will the institution survive with out these submissions 🙄
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u/iMakeitrain1 1d ago
What credibility does an award hold if the goats don't even bother to submit?
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u/jeffsaidjess 1d ago
They didn’t submit because they knows it’s rigged and they didn’t want to spend the money for getting a Grammy this year.
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u/Nexo_Ace 21h ago
Idk I think Cole would have probably won if he submitted, this year hasn’t Been the strongest for Mainstream Hip-Hop and Cole would have the strongest case for the award as an artist who has never won a Grammy (Technically he has but both times they were Features ) and has just released his “Final” and “Highly Anticipated” album.
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u/Soft_Humor4868 5h ago
You cannot even compare the civil rights movement to what Cole and Drake are doing. Rosa Parks, along with others risked their lives and well-being for a greater cause. Cole and Drake are, and I’m putting this lightly, are upset they are not recognized in the way they feel like they should be. To Drake point, they already have the fans, legacy and success and a Grammy will not change that. They are not sacrificing ANYTHING by doing this especially when they can openly participate while with bus boycott sacrificed far more. If you understood that you wouldn’t have said what you said.
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u/BraveToasted1 1d ago
This isn’t anti establishment, it’s I don’t want to lose to someone else or bitter than someone else is getting more than they are. Just submit the music
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u/gbdarknight77 17h ago
Drake hasn’t submitted solo work since winning for Gods Plan. He then went on stage and dissed the Grammys
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u/BraveToasted1 16h ago
I know but fuck that, submit it! Because it will look like I mentioned.
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u/Demyk7 15h ago
It looks more pathetic to submit it and look like you're begging for validation.
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u/BraveToasted1 12h ago
Is it begging for validation when other artists are doing it? Then to mention other artists getting Grammys in their music? You could be right.
It’s probably a lose, lose situation to be honest1
u/Fatigued_Human 14h ago
It’s not about that shit.
It’s about how the Grammys treat black artists.
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u/BraveToasted1 12h ago
That makes sense also, it’s just interesting that certain black artist have been getting a lot of Grammys again not taking away from the black Grammy experience because there is discrimination involved
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u/FushaFiles 1d ago
Neither of them were going to win🤷🏾♂️
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u/Zealousideal-Tea-837 1d ago
I think Drake would’ve won rap album this year but regardless he hasn’t submitted anything since Gods plan won. This shouldn’t even be news
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u/MysteriousSeat5245 1d ago
I don’t think at all that Drake would’ve won. I think it was J. Cole’s award to lose
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u/Due-Brilliant5044 1d ago
Based on?
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u/MysteriousSeat5245 15h ago
How good it is + he’s mainstream? There isn’t really a mainstream album that’s better this year unless you get into the sorta niche people like Isaiah Rashad and Vince Staples. And even then it’s an argument.
Plus Jay-Z is said to wield a lot of influence over the Grammys and he wouldn’t want Drake to win.
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u/ConstantVisual8391 1d ago edited 1d ago
Bingo. Cole had the best rap album this year. even if you don’t like his music or him as a person, dude rappin his ass off while maintaining substance and melodies too tbh. For a LONG time. It’s a long ass album and it’s elite rapping
In no way shape or form would J. Cole ever win a Grammy imo. Not because he isn’t good or doesn’t deserve it
He simply isn’t in the right light. Perception. That’s why Kendrick Still winnin awards for a mid album dropped two years ago. And I fuck with Kendrick btw…..just not enough to justify five Grammy for GNX, Winning best writer of the year two years after GNX released, and BET awards multiple years after released
Hip Hop is commercialized so they kind of need a media darling. Cole is not that currently.
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u/davidwave4 22h ago
Neither was good, so glad they’re forcing Grammy voters to listen to better music.
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u/Windows-XP-Home-NEW 1d ago
Incredibly dumb decision.
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u/girlfriendpleaser 1d ago
Lol why? They haven’t done it in years
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u/Windows-XP-Home-NEW 1d ago
I know. It’s still stupid.
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u/Strange-Ring-8156 1d ago
Not everyone cares about white award shows
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u/DisMeDog 1d ago
I hate how artists pick and choose when they want to play the industry games. They both have been sending shots for a while now just because they haven’t won when objectively they didn’t deserve to win any of those years.
Hell I like Vince album way more than both these projects.
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u/baddecisins 1d ago
Drake was sending shots even when he was winning.
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u/fangir101 1d ago
Bro sent shots on the stage while accepting his Grammy then never submitted again 😂
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u/jigsaw910 1d ago
drake has said he didnt like the grammies for a minute now. even sent shots while accepting the award
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u/OkLion5180 1d ago
Remember when Macklemore beat Kendrick for rap album of the year? What makes the Grammys a legit gauge of what good rap is?