Grammys name Nicki Minaj winner, delete tweet later, sparking conspiracy theories

The 2024 Grammys prove nerve-wracking for both musicians and the ceremony team. The Recording Academy's social media team faced a hiccup, mistakenly declaring Nicki Minaj and Ice Spice's ‘Barbie World’ as the Best Rap Song winner, while Killer Mike claimed the actual victory during the live broadcast. The pressure of managing social media for such a major music event is evident.

Nicki Minaj's fans were in a frenzy as the Grammys' official Twitter and website announced, then deleted, her win in the rap category. This odd twist sparked conspiracy theories about a possible glitch or intentional move.

‘Why would the Grammys post about Nicki Minaj & ice spice n say they won the Grammys in a tweet & then just deleted it,’ one user wrote. Whereas others argued the moment was further proof that the ‘industry is plotting against her.’

Despite the mix-up at the Grammys, the record from the Barbie movie soundtrack has secured other wins, triumphing in categories like Best Song Written for Visual Media (Billie Eilish's "What Was I Made For?") and Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media.

Nicki Minaj, despite her success, has never snagged a major Grammy. With 12 nominations, she voiced frustration in 2022 when her hit ‘Super Freaky Girl’ got shifted from rap to pop.

Minaj voiced frustration on social media, questioning why the goalposts always shift for her. She believed the decision to move ‘Super Freaky Girl’ was to diminish her chances and eliminate competition. Expressing confidence in the global success of the song, Minaj suggested that certain members were afraid to keep it in the competition. Her post shed light on industry challenges and perceptions she faces.

‘It was done to decrease my chances of winning awards for ‘Super Freaky Girl.’ It was done to remove me from the category that they don’t want COMPETITION in!!!!!!! They are all scared to death of the success of that song & thought it would be super EASY for them (like it’s been for the last few years) but ‘SFG’ is such a global smash, certain members are AFRAID to keep it in the competition,’ Minaj had posted on social media at the time.

In 2020, Nicki Minaj criticized the Grammys for not awarding her the best new artist despite having seven songs simultaneously charting on Billboard. Her tweet highlighted the disparity in recognition despite her significant impact on the music scene at that time.

‘Never forget the Grammys didn’t give me my best new artist award when I had 7 songs simultaneously charting on Billboard & bigger first week that any female rapper in the last decade- went on to inspire a generation. They gave it to the white man Bon Ever. #PinkFriday,’ Minaj had tweeted at the time.

This year's Grammys spotlight female talent, with seven out of eight nominees in top categories being women. SZA takes the lead with nine nominations, while Taylor Swift, Olivia Rodrigo, Billie Eilish, Miley Cyrus, and boygenius follow closely with six nods each. The diverse and powerful presence of female acts is evident in the nominations.

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