Usher weighs in on ‘nervous’ Jay-Z defending Beyonce at the Grammys

nypost.com:

Jay-Z has got the nerves bad.In fact, the 45-year-old pop superstar — who was recruited by Jay-Z and his Roc Nation company to headline the Super Bowl LVIII halftime show on Sunday — defended the 54-year-old rapper for his tense takedown of the Grammys on music’s biggest night last Sunday.“I think I like a nervous Jay-Z more than anything.

That’s what it told me,” Usher told The Post about the hip-hop mogul’s speech when he was accepting the Dr. Dre Global Impact Award. “I like when he’s nervous ’cause he tells the truth.”Referencing the fact that his wife, Beyoncé, has never won Album of the Year — despite being the most decorated artist in Grammy history with 34 gramophones — a visibly nervous Jay said, “Think about that: The most Grammys.

Never won Album of the Year. That doesn’t work.”And it doesn’t work for Usher either.“To each his own, you know, about what they feel,” he said. “But here’s what I feel: Historically, I think that the Academy, for many years, got it wrong … whether that’s [because of] the system that was there or the lack of inclusion or the lack of consideration of the industry.”Usher pointed out how there is a disconnect between artists such as Beyoncé — who drive ratings by showing up to perform or even just attending the awards — and those who go home winners in the Big 4 categories (Album, Record and Song of the Year, plus Best New Artist).“We watch your show for you to celebrate our artists, and you put us in [top] categories, but then you give it to someone else,” he said.

In fact, Usher himself has only been nominated for Album of the Year once — back in 2005 when his blockbuster “Confessions” LP got swept under the sentimental wave of Ray Charles’ “Genius Loves Company” following the R&B.