50 Cent Takes Aim at the 2021 Grammy Rap Nominations

The 2021 Grammy nominations arrived on November 24, 2020, and 50 Cent wasted little time making his feelings known.

The rapper took particular issue with the Best Rap Album nominees, which included D Smoke, Freddie Gibbs and The Alchemist, Jay Electronica, Nas, and Royce da 5’9”. He shared the category on Instagram before deleting the post, calling the Grammy choices out of touch.

For 50, the omission of Pop Smoke’s posthumous album, Shoot for the Stars, Aim for the Moon, appeared especially frustrating. The project had made a major impact, yet it failed to receive the recognition he believed it deserved.

The reaction added another spark to an already heated Grammy conversation. Fans were debating the nominations, arguing over snubs and questioning whether the Recording Academy truly understood where hip-hop was heading.

50 simply said what he thought—and, as usual, he didn’t soften it.