Jay-Z Explains Why ‘Renaissance’ Deserved Album Of The Year

It was a major upset to the Beyhive that Renaissance didn’t win Album Of The Year during the 65th Annual Grammy Awards Sunday night (Feb. 5). The award ended up going to Harry Styles for Harry’s House. In a recent interview (which took place before the Grammys) Jay-Z explained why he thought Renaissance deserved to win that category.

“Look what it’s done to the culture,” he said of his wife’s latest LP. “Look how the energy of the world moved. They play her whole album in the club. I don’t know if I’ve ever seen that. The whole entire joint — like, everything?! Every remix is amazing. Everyone’s inspired. It has inspired the world. Every remix is better than the other one.”

“From anybody, we’re just finding these joints out in the street. Somebody just did a joint over Suga Free the other day — you heard this joint?” At that point, Jay pulls out his phone and plays Suga’s “I’d Rather Give You My Bitch.” “It’s a West Coast classic. The DJ put Bey’s vocals over this at a party and it went crazy.”

He continued: “It’s inspiring creativity. You know how The Black Album had The Grey Album [Danger Mouse’s 2004 mashup project]? And the one with Radiohead? It was called ‘Jaydiohead’ [Minty Fresh Beats’ 2009 mashup]. When it just inspires creativity, that’s an album. That has to be Album of the Year. It has to be.”

As it turned out, Beyoncé didn’t win Album Of The Year. However, she did make history Sunday night as the
most awarded artist in Grammy's history. She picked up four awards Sunday: Best Traditional R&B Performance for “Plastic Off The Sofa,” Best R&B Song for “Cuff It,” Best Dance/Electronic Recording for “Break My Soul” and Best Dance/Electronic Music Album for Renaissance to which she took the stage for.

“I want to thank God for protecting me. Thank you, God. I’d like to thank my Uncle Johnny who’s not here, but he’s here in spirit,” Beyoncé began. “I’d like to thank my parents, my father, my mother for loving me and pushing me. I’d like to thank my beautiful husband, my beautiful three Children who are at home watching. I’d like to thank the queer community for your love and for inventing this genre. God bless you. Thank you so much to the Grammys. Thank you.”

Beyoncé's Most Striking Lyrics From 'Renaissance'

• 1. "I'm That Girl"

  Beyoncé sets the tone for Renaissance with “I’m That Girl.” On the opening track Beyoncé sings, “I pull up in these clothes, look so good/’Cause I’m in that, hoe/You know all these songs sound good/’Cause I’m on that, hoe.” The icon lets her fans know that she has been and forever will be “that girl.”

• 2. "Cozy"

  “Cozy” is all about being comfortable and confident in all that you are and Beyoncé did just that with the lyrics, “She’s a god, she’s a hero/ She survived all she been through/ Confident, damn, she lethal/Might I suggest you don’t f— with my sis/’Cause she comfortable.”

• 3. "Alien Superstar"

  “Alien Superstar” was an easy standout favorite and so is one of the most notable lines of the album: “Category, bad bitch I’m the bar.”

• 4. "Cuff It"

  That “Cuff It” to “Energy” transition lives rent-free in our heads but so does the line, “You Mister Nasty, I’ll clean it up” as Beyoncé channels her “Partition” alter ego on this track.

• 5. "Energy"

  Beyoncé did not hold back with the line “‘Cause them Karens just turned into terrorists.” Enough said.

• 6. "Break My Soul"

  When Beyoncé dropped “Break My Soul,” the disco-pop hit went down as the unofficial song of the summer. The line “Ain’t takin’ no flicks but the whole clique snapped” is reminiscent of summer and a very accurate depiction of an unforgettable girls night out.

• 7. "Plastic Off The Sofa"

  “Plastic Off The Sofa” is a beautiful love song but the giggle after Bey delivers the line, “I think you’re so cool (even though I’m cooler than you)” shows off a piece of her personality that is not always seen.

• 8. "Church Girl"

  On “Church Girl,” Beyoncé brought back an old school saying with the line,”She gon’ shake that a– and them pretty tig ol’ bitties.”

• 9. "Virgo's Groove"

  You already know how Beyoncé loves a water sport reference (i.e. Drunk in Love’s “surfboart” line) and in “Virgo’s Groove” she does just that with the line,”Cuddled up on the couch/Motorboat, baby, spin around/Slow-mo coming out my blouse.”

• 10. "Move"

  Beyoncé is never shy talking about her spirituality so it comes to know surprise that the Moses’ Red Sea reference found its way on Renaissance with the line, “When the queen come through, part like the Red Sea/ Move out the way”

• 11. "Heated"

  On the track, co-wrritten by Drake, Beyoncé shouts out her late Uncle Johnny who she dedicated Renaissance to. Her uncle with the help of her mother Tina Knowles, made several outfits for Destiny’s Child.

  The line: “Uncle Johnny made my dress/ That cheap Spandex, she looks a mess”

• 12. Thique

  On “Thique,” Beyoncé celebrates her curves with the line “That’s that thique, that’s that real s—.”

• 13. "All Up In Your Mind"

  In “All Up In Your Mind,” Beyoncé poses the question, “Is my love a crime ’cause I wanna make you mine?”

• 14. "America Has A Problem"

  “America Has A Problem” and its that we can’t stop listening to this album. This track is the most rap-heavy of all the songs on Renaissance and Beyoncé proves she has bars. “Your ex-dealer dope, but ain’t crack enough” is one of the hottest bars on the record.

• 15. "Pure/Honey"

  We all felt it when Beyoncé sang, “Bad bitches to the left, money bitches to the right” on “Pure/Honey” as we try to run to both sides in the club.

• 16. "Summer Renaissance"

  You know once you get to “Summer Renaissance” that you’re at the end. But, before Beyoncé leaves, she shouts out the black-owned fashion house Telfar because you know Bey is always on trend.

  The line: “This Telfar bag imported, Birkins, them s—- in storage.”