SLICE: The baddest b*tches ain’t in LA 

by | Aug 10, 2026

Music has transcended borders and languages: why haven’t the Grammys?  

For decades, the Grammys have dominated the music industry as the pinnacle of an artist’s career, regardless of genre. For an artist to win a Grammy is to have achieved a highly sought-after goal. However, year after year, loss after loss, we find ourselves asking the same question: “Who gets recognised as mainstream music, and who gets boxed into a separate (segregated) category?”  

This conversation resurfaced after the popular South Korean boy band BTS denounced the Grammys in a collective statement posted on Instagram, saying they will not submit their comeback album Arirang for the 2027 awards ceremony. The news came just a month after the Recording Academy introduced a new category to the show, ‘best Asian pop music performance.’  While the academy believe this category is meant to spotlight Asian songs, BTS says otherwise.  

“I hope that music can be heard and loved for what it is, rather than being divided by region or language.” – A translation of the message they shared via Instagram.  

Yet, this debate is not limited to one group choosing to withdraw from one of the most successful awards ceremonies in the music industry. It requires us to dig deeper into what real inclusion should look like.  

This is not new.  

For years, the Grammys have faced backlash from both artists and audiences alike for failing to acknowledge the rising global shift in the music industry. Artists from all over the world, regardless of country, genre, and language dominate the charts and influence musical trends online. Their sold-out concerts continue to reshape how we view and appreciate music. Yet, despite these successful statistics, award ceremonies – especially one we deem the industry’s most respected, continue to classify (read: segregate) artists according to language and race. Why not recognise the best work to come out?  

For decades, black artists have been questioning why music that has shaped pop culture, that is rooted in Black culture, is often only recognised in genre-specific categories. This is a direct challenge to why the biggest awards of the night are awarded to more ‘traditional’ options. Latin artists share similar frustrations. Why must they have an entire separate awards ceremony? Artists of colour have to work 10 times harder than their Western counterparts yet still do not get rewarded in a more dignified manner.  

“It sucks that whenever we, and I mean guys that look like me, do anything that’s genre-bending, they always put it in a rap/urban category. I don’t like that ‘urban’ word; it’s just a politically correct way to say the N-word to me. So, when I hear that, I’m just like, why can’t we just be in pop?” – Tyler, the Creator said after his album ‘IGOR’ won Best Rap Album in 2020.  

We have our very own example of this phenomenon at home. Tyla, our South African superstar, whose global hit, Water, dominated charts, social media, and sparked worldwide debates. Regardless of this breakout success, her recognition began to be framed according to an ‘African’ lens, rather than being allowed to simply compete against mainstream pop artists. Another example of this is Tyla’s music being categorised as Afrobeats even though she has stated that this is not the case. “I know there’s a tendency to group all African artists under afrobeats. It’s a thing, and even though Afrobeats has run things and has opened so many doors for us, African music is so diverse.” Said Tyla during her acceptance speech at the 2024 MTV Video Music Awards. Even though this is just the beginning of her career, her rise to fame reflects an industry that has seemingly become inclusive on the surface, while still clinging to barriers that limit artists of colour.  

Does representation matter? Yes. The cost it comes at matters, too.  

Categories dedicated to genres and cultures that have a history of being overlooked will always be a positive thing. This exposure is deserved and long overdue for many artists. Yet, this inclusion should not be a box. The Recording Academy may have created a bigger table, it has  also placed name cards that quietly remind artists where they are supposed to sit.  

The idea of this still being a topic of discussion is ironic, given the fact that music has never been more global and diverse. Amapiano blasts from club speakers all over Europe. Latin artists headline major events in North America, such as the Superbowl. K-Pop has dominated streaming platforms and created one of the largest fanbases worldwide. Rising Slovakian artist ADÉLA, emphasises this in her song currently going viral on TikTok, ‘Ain’t in LA,’ with lyrics stating, “It’s all a lie, the baddest bitches ain’t in LA.’ 

We no longer identify good music by language or genre, but simply whether we connect with it or not.  

The Grammys, on the other hand, darken these invisible lines. In an industry without borders, why do they continue to draw them?  

FEATURED IMAGE: Graphic of artists of colour who have been nominated for and/or won a Grammy. Graphic: Kerese Govender