The golden gramophone gleams under the spotlight of Music’s Biggest Night, but for Nigerian superstar Wizkid—affectionately dubbed Bigwiz by his die-hard legion—the 2026 Grammy nominations felt more like a cold shoulder than a warm embrace. Announced on November 7, 2025, the list lit up social media with cheers for Afrobeats heavyweights like Burna Boy, Davido, and rising star Omah Lay. Yet, amid the jubilation, one glaring omission dominated headlines: Wizkid’s critically acclaimed album Morayo, a soul-stirring tribute to his late mother released in November 2024, walked away empty-handed. Sure, he snagged a nod in Best African Music Performance for his sultry collab “Gimme Dat” with Ayra Starr. But for many, that’s scant consolation in a year when Wizkid’s solo artistry begged for recognition. Was it a calculated sidestep by the Recording Academy, fierce competition, or something deeper in the Grammy machine? As fans dissect the drama on X, one thing’s clear: the snub has reignited debates on Afrobeats’ global ascent—and its glass-ceiling struggles.
The Announcement: A Partial Victory Amid the Void
When the nominations dropped, Nigeria’s music scene exploded in a whirlwind of pride and protest. Burna Boy earned multiple bids, including Best Global Music Album for No Sign of Weakness, while Davido and Omah Lay locked in for Best African Music Performance with “Unavailable (feat. Musa Keys).” Ayra Starr’s star power shone through with her own entries, but it was Wizkid’s lone feature on “Gimme Dat” that thrust him into the spotlight—albeit as a supporting act. No mentions of Morayo’s introspective gems like “Piece of My Heart” or the titular track, which had racked up millions of streams and praise for blending Afrobeats with R&B introspection.
The contrast stung. Morayo, Wizkid’s fourth studio album, was a vulnerable pivot from his club-banging roots, earning spots on year-end lists from Rolling Stone to The Guardian for its emotional depth and production polish. Yet, the Grammys—ever the gatekeeper of “prestige”—overlooked it entirely. Wizkid himself broke his silence hours after the reveal, posting a cryptic emoji storm on X: a mix of crowns, eagles (his signature motif), and shrugs. “We keep winning regardless,” he captioned a clip of Morayo snippets, a nod to his 2021 Best Global Music Album win for Made in Lagos. But insiders whisper the nonchalance masks frustration; sources close to Starboy Entertainment confirm submissions were filed for the album and key singles well before the July 2025 deadline.
Why the Snub? Grammy Politics, Submission Sagas, and Afrobeats’ Tightrope
Digging into the “how and why” reveals a cocktail of factors that plague even titans like Wizkid. First, the submission process: Unlike urban legends, artists must actively enter their work via the Recording Academy’s portal—a bureaucratic hurdle that’s tripped up many. Rumors swirled post-announcement that Wizkid opted out of Morayo entirely, echoing his 2023 quip: “I’m not a fan of awards… it’s just a bunch of people putting together a show.” But fact-checks debunked viral “Pink Grammy Letters” claiming non-submission, and Wizkid’s team insists entries were lodged for Album of the Year, Best Global Music Album, and Song of the Year categories. If true, the oversight points to voter fatigue or bias: The Best Global Music field, rebranded from World Music in 2021 to spotlight non-English acts, remains a crowded arena where Afrobeats stars like Tyla and Asake vie for limited slots.
Competition was brutal. This year’s Best African Music Performance pits “Gimme Dat” against Burna Boy’s “Sittin’ on Top of the World,” Davido’s “Unavailable,” and Omah Lay’s “Reason (feat. Davido)”—a Davido double-dip that fans cheekily dubbed “OBO’s revenge tour.” Broader categories like Best Global Music Album favored eclectic picks: Burna’s introspective No Sign of Weakness edged out Morayo for its fusion of Afro-fusion with jazz, while voters leaned toward “safer” international flavors from South Africa’s Tyla and Uganda’s Eddy Kenzo. Critics argue the Academy’s 11,000-strong voting body—still skewing older and Western—struggles with Afrobeats’ rapid evolution, often rewarding crossover hits over pure artistry. “Wizkid’s Morayo is a masterpiece, but Grammys love the familiar,” tweeted music analyst @chartdata, whose poll on the “biggest snub ever” saw Wizkid’s 2021 Made in Lagos omission resurface alongside this fresh wound.
Then there’s the elephant: Grammy politics. Wizkid’s low-key promo for Morayo—a deliberate choice amid personal grief—meant less schmoozing at Academy events or lobbying via publicists. Past snubs, like Burna Boy’s African Giant in 2019, fuel theories of an “Afrobeats quota,” where one Nigerian win per cycle suffices. X user @MMAFIAXCO summed it up: “Wizkid has one Grammy nom for 2026… but no songs from Morayo. Still a great album.” Yet, as @Tufab noted, rivals’ fans pounced: “Everything you’ve got, they want it… But because it’s far-fetched, they’ll act uninterested.”
Fan Frenzy on X: From Salt to Schadenfreude
No Grammy drama is complete without X’s unfiltered roast session. Wizkid FC (his fanbase) oscillated between defiance and despair: Pre-announcement boasts of “Morayo sweeping Grammys” morphed into “He doesn’t rate it anyway” post-snub, with one viral thread mocking rivals: “Davido gave Omah Lay his first nom… Ayra Starr gave Wizkid his 2026 one. Walk with me.” Rival stans fired back—Davido’s 30BG crew crowed over his multi-noms, while Burna Boy supporters hailed the “real king.” Omah Lay’s indifferent IG post—“I hope Davido wins, he’s the realest”—sparked conspiracy theories of industry alliances sidelining Wizkid.
Uglier still were the tribal jabs, with some accusing the Academy of anti-Nigerian bias amid Afrobeats’ dominance (six of eight Best African noms went to Naija acts). A poll by @Ngnbillboard asking “Who wins Best African?” saw “Gimme Dat” leading at 42%, but comments brimmed with shade: “Grammy snub Machala [Wizkid’s son] 6 noms from Morayo but nah, Ayra’s the savior.” As @tunsayo7 GIF’d: “Before: Morayo winning. After: Wiz no rate Grammy. But they nom ‘Gimme Dat’?”
Beyond the Snub: Afrobeats’ Grammy Evolution
This isn’t Wizkid’s first rodeo—his 2021 win marked Afrobeats’ breakthrough, paving for Tems’ 2023 Best Melodic Rap nod and Black Sherif’s 2025 entry. Yet, the genre’s Grammy footprint remains uneven: Only 15% of Global Music noms since 2021 hail from Africa, per Academy data. Wizkid’s partial nod underscores progress—his collab slot boosts Ayra Starr’s profile while keeping him relevant—but it also highlights inequities. “Nigeria dominates, but solo African albums get crumbs,” opined Substack’s Afrodives, noting Wizkid’s dual “winner and loser” status.
For Wizkid, at 35, the sting may fade. Morayo has sold 500,000+ units globally, outpacing Grammy metrics, and his Essence Tour grossed $20 million. As he eyes a 2026 feature album, the snub could fuel fire rather than fizzle it.
The Verdict: A Wake-Up Call for the Academy?
Wizkid’s Morayo snub isn’t just a personal L—it’s a referendum on how far Afrobeats has come, and how much further it must go. Submitted, celebrated, yet sidelined, it exposes the Grammys’ blind spots: a voting bloc slow to embrace grief-tinged innovation, a process favoring hype over heart. Fans’ X tirades—from “Grammy robbery” to “He doesn’t care”—reveal a loyal base ready to rally. As the February 8, 2026, ceremony looms in Los Angeles, all eyes on “Gimme Dat.” Win or lose, Wizkid’s already etched in lore. But next year? Expect Morayo‘s echoes to demand a seat at the table—not just a footnote. In Afrobeats’ relentless march, snubs are but speed bumps on the road to royalty.
