Heavy metal band Disturbed received their second career Grammy Nomination this week when their Simon & Garfunkel cover “The Sound of Silence” received a nomination in the Best Rock Performance category. In the category they’re alongside a rock legend in David Bowie, as well as contemporary mainstays Twenty One Pilots and Alabama Shakes. But one nominee shocked everybody, including Disturbed frontman David Draiman: the one and only Beyonce.
Draiman spoke to Billboard about the oddity that is Bey’s rock nomination for her Lemonade collaboration with Jack White “Don’t Hurt Yourself.” “Is it strange [to be up against Beyonce]?” he said. “I think the reason you asked the question is because it is. It definitely stands out — like, one of these things is not like the other, you know? But what are you going to do?”
Draiman’s comments are sure to draw the ire of the ever-present and omniscient BeyHive, especially when he seemed to slight Bey in an effort to give a hat tip to White and his contribution to the genre and nominated track. “I have mad respect for all the artists in this category,” he said. “Including and especially Jack White.”
This isn’t the first time Beyonce’s presence in a genre has rankled more, um, traditionalist within the genre. Beyonce’s spectacular performance at the Country Music Awards elicited so much not-so-thinly-veiled racism that the show had to delete any mention of her performance from their social media accounts. Between that, and Kenny Chesney’s disgruntled expression during the performance, the BeyHive was in full alert that night.
So, it’s mostly just rinse and repeat here, but be prepared for the “outrage” if/when Bey takes home the golden statue in February. I’m just not sure why people are upset, black people invented rock music. Remember?
