Best Black Queer Moments in Grammy Awards History

February 9, 2023
CASTEL

It's been almost a week but we are STILL buzzing from Sunday night's Grammy Awards. This year Queer artists and Black artists took center stage, with Mother shouting out the community in her history-making speech as the most awarded artist of all time.

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Let's keep the vibe going and take a #TBT walk down memory lane this Black History Month and showcase some of the best Black Queer moments at the Grammys!

1. Frank Ocean, in 2013, after wowing the masses with his debut Channel Orange and garnering several nominations, went on to perform at the Grammys, but on his terms! Instead of playing album cuts to get the crowd going, he opted for "Forrest Gump," the song he wrote about the man he first loved, capturing the album's ethos.

2. In 2014, Macklemore and Ryan Lewis performed "Same Love," which was the first of a snowball of Queer celebration as icon Queen Latifah proceeded to wed 33 couples of various orientations to a chorus of Madonna's "Open Your Heart" this all happened while same-sex marriage had yet to be federally legalized.

3. With Dirty Computer, Janelle Monae began to live her Queer identity out loud. With a swanky and futuristic performance of "Make Me Feel," she told us that it was time to let the vagina speak, and they had something delicious to say.

4. After failing to snag AOTY or Rap Album of the year for his acclaimed Flower Boy, Tyler The Creator was awarded the latter with IGOR for his rap effort about his affection towards a man in a relationship with a woman.

5. After taking his sexuality into his own hands and blistering his career with many shocking moments, Lil Nas X took the Grammy stage to spin a queer tale of his success! From "Dead Right Now" to "Call Me By Your Name" to "Industry Baby", Nas dazzled us with production, star power, and performance, showing us he is going nowhere soon.

6. In 2021, after shocking the music masses and Conservatives alike with "WAP," Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion took to the Grammy stage to light it up and give the viewers a sexy sapphic, inspired show they would never forget.

7. Lastly, we remember The Queens of Ru Paul's trailblazing competition, RuPaul's Drag Race, gracing the red carpet looking fabulous, fantastic, and oh-so-fish.