Jay Z Was The Real Winner At The 2016 Emmys

We weren’t kidding. There truly is a Jay Z lyric for every single thing, and this proved true Sunday night at the 2016 Emmys. While his wife Beyonce was nominated for four Emmys and walked away with none, the rapping mogul still won big at the award show when his lyrics were dropped in a couple of acceptance speeches throughout the night.

It all started when Sterling K. Brown picked up a well-deserved Emmy for Best Supporting Actor in a Limited Series for his role as Christopher Darden in The American Crime Story: The People v. OJ. In his emotional acceptance speech, Brown thanked his parents, St. Louis, his alma mater Stanford, and directors and writers before saving the best for last — wife Ryan Michelle Bathe. “Contrary to popular belief,” Brown said as the wrap-up music started playing, “I got the hottest chick in the game rocking my chain.” An obvious, while slightly different, reference to Jay Z’s “Public Service Announcement” where he raps, “I got the hottest chick in the game wearing my chain.”

The Jay Z reference game didn’t stop there as Courtney B. Vance, who won Best Actor in a Limited Series for his outstanding work as Johnnie Cochran
The American Crime Story: The People v. OJ, also used Jay Z’s bar to shout-out wife and ageless actress Angela Bassett, yelling, “To the woman that rocks my chain–Angela Evelyn Bassett, this one is for you, girl!”

Before the night was over, two more winners dropped in “PSA” references. Poorly, but they tried! Sherlock writer Steven Moffat failed miserably when he accepted his Emmy. “I want to thank my wife. Not only does she rock… whatever that was,” he said, completely butchering up the lyrics. “But she produces the show.” John Oliver did his best to keep up when he won the Emmy for Best Variety Talk Series, adding to his acceptance speech, “I want to thank my wife — the hottest, chain… I don’t know either.”

Jay Z, cultural icon.

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