Black Artists Take Center Stage at The 67th Annual Grammys

After the 2024 Grammys, many within the music industry had the long and hard conversation about inclusion within the Grammys. With prominent artists like The Weeknd boycotting the ceremony, one could only ask. Will 2025 finally set the record straight? With a voting body of over 13,000 members, and a mission to do better than years past – this year’s Grammys has been historic for Black artists. Of course, there is a long way to go for the prestigious ceremony, but in 2025 Black artists took center stage at the awards ceremony. EnVi is here to recap the highlights of the night.

Beyoncé Makes History In Country Music

“And the grammy goes to… COWBOY CARTER.” The entirety of Crypto Arena burst into applause as Taylor Swift presented the award to the Houston-born Beyoncé for Best Country Album. Little did they know that Beyoncé would make history again with COWBOY CARTER taking the win for Album of The Year. This win comes after years of Beyoncé being shut out in favor of her white peers. After her loss in 2023 for her critically acclaimed album RENAISSANCE, many within the industry pressed the importance of acknowledging Black artists. 

With several wins under her belt, she’s making history as the first Black artist to win Best Country Album. This follows in the footsteps of artists like The Pointer Sisters who won Best Country Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group in 1974. Beyoncé also took home the win for Best Country Duo/Group Performance with the song “II MOST WANTED” featuring Miley Cyrus. 

It has been quite the uphill battle for Beyoncé in country music. Her eighth studio album COWBOY CARTER was a reclamation of country music, a genre which has historically shut out the contributions of its originators – Black Americans. The project contains contributions from legends like Dolly Parton and emerging talents such as Shaboozey and Tanner Adell. If there’s one thing Beyoncé continues to show us, it’s that even though “genre is a code word to keep us in our place as artists,” no genre can keep her boxed in. And with a successful night at the Grammys under her belt, she’s set to hit the road for her COWBOY CARTER tour. 

Doechii Makes Her Grammys Debut

2024 was quite the explosive year for the Tampa-born “Swamp Princess,” Doechii. With nods from Kendrick Lamar, and Beyoncé, she’s cemented herself as one of hip-hop’s most exciting acts in the past year. At the Grammys, she made history as the third woman to win “Best Rap Album” after Lauryn Hill and Cardi B. In a tearful speech, she recalled the process of the album. “I went through so much, I dedicated myself to sobriety… and I have to thank God and I need to thank my beautiful mother for coaching me.” At the Grammys, she showed that she is a main act both on and off the stage. As part of a Best New Artist segment, she and The Fairy Vibe Mother, AKA DJ Miss Milan, performed a medley of “CATFISH” and “DENIAL IS A RIVER,” complete in Thom Browne outfits. Her performance was electric, meticulous, and awe-inspiring at every turn. To celebrate her win, she dropped a bombastic new song, “Nosebleeds,” and proved exactly why she’s a two-time Grammy winner.

Kendrick Lamar Dominates the Night with “Not Like Us”

Kendrick Lamar is the moment, and no night has proven that more than the 67th Grammy Awards. From backyard cookouts to packed out arenas, the song was  the soundtrack of the summer in 2024. Transcending hip-hop beef, Kendrick Lamar highlighted the beauty of Black American culture – while cementing himself as one of the best rappers of the decade. As a Los Angeles native, he’s continuing the legacy of west coast legends of the past. “Not Like Us” reigned in five wins in categories: Record of The Year, Song of The Year, Best Rap Song, Best Music Video, and Best Rap Performance. If it wasn’t already certain, it’s Kendrick’s season. On the horizon is this weekend’s Super Bowl where he will perform in the Apple Music Super Bowl LIX Halftime Show, as well as the Grand Nationals stadium tour with SZA.

The Weeknd Makes His Grammys Return

Since calling out the Recording Academy’s lack of voting transparency in 2020, Canadian singer-songwriter and 4x Grammy-winner The Weeknd has boycotted the event and has not attended the awards show since its 2020 ceremony and announced that he would no longer allow his label to submit his releases for future nominations in 2021. However, The Weeknd made his grand return to the music awards event for the first time after the four-year boycott. 

After Recording Academy president and musician Harvey Mason Jr. took the stage to publicly acknowledge The Weeknd’s criticisms, Mason shared the work that’s been done to make the Academy a more progressive institution, including the initiatives Black Music Collective, Women in the Mix, and Academy Proud. He then went on to introduce The Weeknd’s return to the Grammys stage, resulting in a roar of applause and shock from both guests and viewers. 

He went on to perform “Cry For Me” and “Timeless” — from his latest album Hurry Up Tomorrow, released on January 31st — with rapper Playboi Carti.The dark and powerful performances captivated audiences and showcased the singer’s alluring vocals and aura. The Weeknd will be embarking on his After Hours Til Dawn stadium tour across North America starting next month.

Artists Honor the Legendary Quincy Jones

Quincy Jones was a visionary force in the music industry and beyond. Working as a collaborator with major artists such as Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, and Michael Jackson, and producing for films like The Wiz and TV shows such as The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, the Chicago-born Grammy-winning producer and arranger has greatly impacted all aspects of entertainment. So, there was no better way than a musical performance to honor his life and legacy than at this year’s Grammys ceremony.

Actor and rapper Will Smith beautifully told the story of Jones’s life and career, including personal stories of his time working with Jones on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and viewing him as a mentor. The tribute continued as actress Cynthia Erivo performed Count Basie and Sinatra’s classic “Fly Me to the Moon.” Afterwards, longtime friend and Grammy-winner Stevie Wonder performed on the harmonica and sang a short version of the 1985 global hit “We Are the World.”

Singer-songwriter Janelle Monae closed out the tribute with an electric rendition of the Jones-produced Michael Jackson song “Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough” from Jackson’s 1979 debut album Off the Wall. Monae donned a glittery suit and loafers, similar to Jackson’s attire during his legendary performance of “Billie Jean” at Motown’s 25th Anniversary in 1983 where he debuted the moonwalk. Likewise, Monae moonwalked across the stage and interacted with guests, leading to the crowd getting on their feet and dancing to celebrate the spirit of musical genius, Quincy Jones.

Music Darlings Take The Net By Storm

Shaboozey and Tems have been the topic of conversation all 2024. And at the Grammys these three artists cemented their starpower. Nobody in country music has had as exciting a year as Shaboozey, whose song “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” dominated the charts throughout 2024. Reaching a peak of #1 on the Billboard Hot 100, he’s spent 19 weeks at the top of the chart. Despite his contributions to country music, he’s faced the brunt of anti-Black exclusion within country music and award shows. He was nominated for several awards, including Best New Artist and Song of the Year. Though he didn’t walk home with a Grammy, he certainly delivered a performance worth one.

And though country is having its rise, African music has been brought to the forefront in ways never seen before. At the 67th Annual Grammys, Tems took home the award for Best African Music Performance. The release of her debut album Born in the Wild brought the 29-year-old Nigerian singer to new heights in her career. After taking the new music on the road for her Born in the Wild Tour, she took home a Grammy.

SZA Takes Us to Saturn with R&B Song Win

Global superstar SZA has had a tremendous start to 2025! She made her acting debut in January in the Issa Rae-produced film One of Them Days alongside Keke Palmer. Her performance has received critical acclaim, and the film reached #1 at the domestic box office. Shortly after, she was announced as the special guest for TDE label-mate Kendrick Lamar’s highly anticipated Apple Music Super Bowl LIX Halftime Show performance on February 9th. Now, she is also a 5-time Grammy-winning artist, taking home the win for R&B Song of the Year with her 2024 single “Saturn.” This win is a full-circle moment since the song and accompanying performance video premiered one year ago at the 2024 Grammys in partnership with Mastercard.

Artists Spotlight Black Creatives in LA

On January 7th, multiple wildfires devastated the LA area, including the Eaton Fire, which ravaged through the historically-Black neighborhood of Altadena. Throughout the night’s festivities, multiple short segments highlighted various Black businesses in the area destroyed by the fire, alongside musical acts such as Anderson .Paak.

The 67th Annual Grammy Awards was a night filled with electrifying performances and honored some of music’s biggest names today. However, especially during Black History Month, Black art and creativity took center stage. Major honors  awarded to Black artists and award speeches highlighted the beauty and contributions of Black people around the world. During a time when Black people’s existence and hard work is being targeted and questioned, this was both an exciting and monumental night, not only for the nominees, but for Black audiences as well.

Looking to explore more music from Grammy Winners? Read our explorations of Doechii’s Alligator Bites Never Heals here!