Bad Bunny Goes Off on ICE and Other Major Moments, Snubs at 2026 Grammys
The 2026 Grammys were a spectacle in the best at this year as more than a handful or artists lit up the stage and brought the necessary energy to the prestigious awards show.
R&B had a serious moment with singers like Leon Thomas, Kehlani, and Durand Bernarr taking home trophies. Kendrick Lamar also made history while Bad Bunny, Lauryn Hill and performers like Bruno Mars, Olivia Dean and more brought down the house in various ways. But if you didn’t have the bandwidth to watch the entire three and a half hour-long show, check out some of the best moments, surprises and snubs we’ve highlighted below!
Best Moment: Bad Bunny Goes Off on ICE Chaos, Calls for More Love
Bad Bunny, who’s set to take over the Super Bowl stage on Feb. 7, made sure to use his platform to make an impassioned speech at the 2026 Grammys. In particular, he called out ICE for their unfathomable behavior and chaos and called for humanization of the organizations targets.
“First, before I say thanks to God, I’m gonna say ICE Out. We’re not savages, we’re not animals, we’re not aliens. We are humans, and we are Americans,” he said in part.
He also urged people to use love to drive out the hate that’s being stoked throughout the country.
“The hate gets more powerful with more hate. The only thing that is more powerful than hate, is love,” he said.
SNUB: Clipse Not Winning Best Rap Album
While there was a lot of chatter and discourse surrounding Clipse’s long-awaited and highly anticipated album “Let God Sort Em Out”—the rap duo ultimately walked away without the gold. In fact, the win actually went to Kendrick Lamar for his “GNX” album. This win while unexpected for some was monumental for the LA rapper it helped break the record for the most Grammy wins by a rapper. Lamar has now surpassed Jay-Z with 26 awards total.
Surprise: Olivia Dean Winning Best New Artist & Shouting Out Her Immigrant Heritage
While many Black folks were pulling for Leon Thomas to get his recognition for Best New Artist, Olivia Dean wound up walking away with the gold hardware. Dean’s album, “The Art of Loving” blew up on the charts thanks to hits like “Lady, Lady” “Man I Need” and “So Easy to Fall In Love.” During her acceptance speech, Dean took a moment to heap praise and honor on her immigrant background as her mother is Jamaican-Guyanese, saying: “Im up here as a granddaughter of an immigrant. I’m a product of bravery and I think those people deserve to be celebrated. We are nothing without each other.”
