Charlamagne Says Drake Values Internet Praise Over Grammys

Skipping the Grammys is one thing. Charlamagne Tha God thinks what Drake values instead is a much more interesting conversation. After news surfaced that the Toronto rapper did not submit any of his three 2026 albums for consideration at next year’s ceremony, The Breakfast Club host argued that recognition from the Recording Academy matters less to Drake than controlling how he is perceived online.

During Wednesday’s episode of The Breakfast Club, Charlamagne said he had no issue with Drake choosing not to participate in the awards process. His point was that the decision should not necessarily be read as indifference toward outside approval altogether.

“He actually cares more about internet validation than he does the Grammys,” Charlamagne said. When Loren LoRosa and Jess Hilarious suggested Drake was more interested in what listeners think, Charlamagne pushed the argument further. “He cares about what he can control,” he said, claiming Drake has considerable influence over the online conversation surrounding him.

The conversation followed reports that Iceman, Maid of Honour, and Habibti were all kept out of contention for the 2027 Grammys. None of the songs from those projects were submitted either, continuing a complicated relationship between Drake and the Recording Academy that stretches well beyond this awards season.

Drake had already made his intentions known on the Iceman closer “Make Them Know,” where he said he would never submit the album. His frustration with the institution has surfaced publicly before. While accepting Best Rap Song for “God’s Plan” in 2019, he used part of his speech to tell artists that success did not have to be defined by a Grammy before the broadcast cut away. In 2021, he went a step further and withdrew Certified Lover Boy and “Way 2 Sexy” after both had received nominations.

Whether Drake would describe his priorities the same way as Charlamagne is another matter. He has not publicly responded to Charlamagne’s remarks, and sitting out this year means there will be no Drake entries when first-round Grammy voting begins October 12. Nominees for the 69th annual ceremony will be announced November 16, leaving his three-album run entirely outside the race by choice.