Bad Bunny ““we’re not savage, we’re not animals… we are humans,”
The 67th Annual Grammy Awards delivered a night of historic firsts, emotional speeches, and a city rallying together in the face of devastation. What could have been a somber affair following the LA wildfires instead became a celebration of resilience, artistry, and long overdue recognition for some of music’s most talented artists.
Hosted by Trevor Noah at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, the ceremony balanced honoring musical achievement with raising over $24 million for wildfire relief efforts. But the real story was what happened on stage: Beyonce finally winning Album of the Year, Kendrick Lamar turning a diss track into Grammy history, and a new generation of artists demanding the industry treat them better.
Bad Bunny ““we’re not savage, we’re not animals… we are humans,”
Bad Bunny didn’t just show up to the 67th Grammys; he dominated the narrative, taking home three awards including Best Música Urbana Album and a historic win for Album of the Year for Debí Tirar Más Fotos, making him the first Spanish-language artist to ever win the night’s top prize. However, it was his acceptance speech that truly set social media ablaze. Before offering his traditional thanks, he delivered a blunt political mandate: “Before I say thanks to God, I’m going to say, ‘ICE out,’” a direct challenge to the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement operations. Declaring that “we’re not savage, we’re not animals… we are humans,” his defiant stance became the defining storyline of the ceremony, underscoring his role as a cultural barometer just a week before his scheduled Super Bowl halftime performance.
Beyonce Makes History With Cowboy Carter
After years of being passed over in the Album of the Year category, Beyonce finally claimed the prize that had eluded her for over a decade. Her genre-defying country album Cowboy Carter won the night’s biggest honor, making her the first Black woman to win Album of the Year since Lauryn Hill in 1999.
The moment was so unexpected that Beyonce appeared genuinely stunned, with her daughter Blue Ivy having to remind her to get up and accept the award. Members of the Los Angeles County Fire Department presented the trophy, adding extra emotional weight to an already historic moment.
“I just feel very full and very honored. It’s been many, many years,” Beyonce said in her acceptance speech, before dedicating the award to Linda Martell, the first Black woman to play at the Grand Ole Opry and a featured collaborator on the album.
Earlier in the evening, Taylor Swift presented Beyonce with the Best Country Album award, making her the first Black woman ever to win in that category. “Genre is a code word to keep us in our place as artists,” Beyonce remarked. “I just want to encourage people to do what they’re passionate about and stay persistent.”
The wins bring Beyonce’s career total to 35 Grammy Awards, the most of any artist in history, cementing her status as the most decorated performer in the ceremony’s 67-year history.
Kendrick Lamar’s Diss Track Makes Grammy History
In what might be the most culturally significant Grammy sweep in years, Kendrick Lamar’s Drake diss track “Not Like Us” won all five categories it was nominated for: Record of the Year, Song of the Year, Best Rap Performance, Best Rap Song, and Best Music Video.
The track, released during Lamar’s highly publicized feud with Drake last year, became the first diss track to win either Record or Song of the Year. As Lamar approached the stage to accept Record of the Year, the entire arena audibly sang along to the song’s controversial “A Minor” lyric, a moment the Grammys later reportedly edited out of official footage.
Lamar dedicated his wins to Los Angeles, calling it “my neck of the woods that’s held me down since a young pup,” and also paid tribute to his aunt Sharon, who had passed away the day before. Producer Mustard, who collected the trophies alongside Lamar, summed up the West Coast pride: “I ain’t got nothing to say but WEST SIDE!”
Adding an extra layer of symbolism, Lamar wore a “Canadian tuxedo” (denim on denim) to the ceremony, widely interpreted as a subtle jab at the Canadian-born Drake. The Compton rapper’s total career wins now stand at 22.
Chappell Roan Calls Out The Industry In Best New Artist Speech
The Best New Artist category featured one of the most stacked fields in recent memory, with Sabrina Carpenter, Doechii, and Shaboozey among the contenders. Chappell Roan emerged victorious, but what happened next caught everyone off guard.
Reading from a notebook she brought to the stage, Roan delivered a prepared speech that challenged the music industry’s treatment of developing artists. “I told myself if I ever won a Grammy and I got to stand up here in front of the most powerful people in music, I would demand that labels and the industry profiting millions of dollars off of artists would offer a livable wage and healthcare, especially to developing artists.”
She shared her own experience of being signed as a minor, then dropped by Atlantic Records in 2020 without job experience or health insurance during the pandemic. “It was so devastating to feel so committed to my art and feel so betrayed by the system and so dehumanized to not have healthcare.”
Her closing question to the industry: “Labels, we got you, but do you got us?”
Doechii Becomes Third Woman Ever To Win Best Rap Album
In an emotional moment presented by Cardi B, Doechii won Best Rap Album for her mixtape Alligator Bites Never Heal, joining an exclusive club that includes only Lauryn Hill (1999) and Cardi B (2019).
The Tampa-born rapper was already in tears before reaching the microphone. “This category was introduced in 1989, and only two women have won,” she began, before correcting herself: “Three women have won. Lauryn Hill, Cardi B, and Doechii.”
Her speech touched on her journey to sobriety and included a powerful message to Black women watching: “You can do it. Anything is possible. Don’t allow anybody to project any stereotypes on you that tell you that you can’t be here, that you’re too dark, or that you’re not smart enough, or that you’re too dramatic, or you’re too loud. You are exactly who you need to be.”
Sabrina Carpenter’s Summer Of Espresso Pays Off
Sabrina Carpenter’s breakthrough year culminated in two Grammy wins: Best Pop Solo Performance for “Espresso” and Best Pop Vocal Album for Short n’ Sweet. The latter victory came in a category featuring Taylor Swift, Billie Eilish, Ariana Grande, and Chappell Roan.
“I really was not expecting this,” Carpenter said, visibly surprised. She thanked her mother for “driving me to every voice lesson in Bala Cynwyd,” a nod to her Pennsylvania roots, before accidentally getting bleeped for an enthusiastic expletive at the end of her speech.
Her performance earlier in the evening featured a glamorous, Old Hollywood-styled medley of “Espresso” and “Please Please Please.”
A Night Of LA Resilience
The ceremony was originally in question following the devastating LA wildfires that killed 29 people and destroyed over 15,000 homes. The Recording Academy ultimately decided to proceed while transforming the event into a tribute and fundraiser.
Trevor Noah opened by acknowledging the devastation: “You don’t need me to tell you this, but this city has just been through one of the largest natural disasters in American history.”
Throughout the night, first responders were honored, including firefighters who presented the Album of the Year award. The broadcast donated airtime to small businesses affected by the fires, with celebrities including Doja Cat, Charlie Puth, and the Jonas Brothers appearing in spots for local shops.
Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars performed “California Dreamin'” as a tribute to the city, and the show raised over $24 million for relief efforts, with $9 million coming directly from the telecast.
Alicia Keys Defends DEI In Pointed Speech
Receiving the Dr. Dre Global Impact Award, Alicia Keys made a political statement that resonated throughout the arena. “DEI is not a threat, it’s a gift,” she declared, referencing the Trump administration’s recent rollback of diversity, equity, and inclusion programs across government and corporations.
The comment drew loud applause and underscored the night’s broader themes of inclusion and recognition for historically marginalized artists.
Other Notable Winners
Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars won Best Pop Duo/Group Performance for “Die With a Smile,” their first major collaboration in years.
Sierra Ferrell swept the American roots categories, winning all four of her nominations including Best Americana Album for Trail of Flowers.
Charli XCX won three awards, including Best Recording Package for brat, while St. Vincent also collected three trophies.
Beyonce and Miley Cyrus won Best Country Duo/Group Performance for “II Most Wanted.”
Complete List Of Major Category Winners
Album of the Year: Beyonce, Cowboy Carter
Record of the Year: Kendrick Lamar, “Not Like Us”
Song of the Year: Kendrick Lamar, “Not Like Us”
Best New Artist: Chappell Roan
Best Pop Vocal Album: Sabrina Carpenter, Short n’ Sweet
Best Pop Solo Performance: Sabrina Carpenter, “Espresso”
Best Pop Duo/Group Performance: Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars, “Die With a Smile”
Best Rap Album: Doechii, Alligator Bites Never Heal
Best Rap Performance: Kendrick Lamar, “Not Like Us”
Best Rap Song: Kendrick Lamar, “Not Like Us”
Best Country Album: Beyonce, Cowboy Carter
Best Country Duo/Group Performance: Beyonce and Miley Cyrus, “II Most Wanted”
Best Music Video: Kendrick Lamar, “Not Like Us”
Best Americana Album: Sierra Ferrell, Trail of Flowers
The 67th Grammy Awards will be remembered as a night when long overdue recognition finally arrived for Beyonce, when a diss track transcended its origins to become a cultural milestone, and when a new generation of artists used their platform to demand better treatment from the industry that profits from their talent. Host Trevor Noah said it best: “We finally saw it happen, everyone.”