Drake Reportedly Skips the 2027 Grammys: Why Iceman, Habibti and Maid of Honour Won’t Compete

Drake is reportedly sitting out the 2027 Grammy Awards, leaving all three of his 2026 albums — Iceman, Habibti and Maid of Honour — out of the race for music’s most high-profile awards. The decision adds another chapter to the rapper’s complicated relationship with the Recording Academy and arrives as other major artists, including BTS and Stray Kids, are also reportedly choosing not to submit music for consideration.

According to reporting by Billboard, Drake did not submit any of his three albums for the upcoming Grammy Awards. The story was subsequently reported by outlets including Music Business Worldwide and Rolling Stone. Drake’s reported decision is particularly notable because the albums have kept him in the spotlight throughout 2026, with Iceman drawing attention for its chart performance and for lyrics that appear to address his Grammy plans.

The development raises a wider question for the music industry: what happens when some of the biggest names in popular music decide that Grammy recognition is no longer a priority?

Drake’s Three 2026 Albums Will Reportedly Miss Grammy Consideration

Drake released three major projects in 2026: Iceman, Habibti and Maid of Honour. According to the reports, none of them was submitted for consideration at the 69th Annual Grammy Awards, scheduled for February 7, 2027.

The distinction matters because a commercially successful album is not automatically considered for a Grammy. Eligible recordings must be formally entered during the Recording Academy’s submission period, and they must meet the applicable release-date and category requirements.

For the 2027 awards, the eligible release window runs from August 31, 2025, through August 28, 2026. The submission period closed on August 21, 2026, before the end of the eligibility window. Music that was not entered during the submission period cannot simply be added to the ballot later.

That means Drake’s reported decision could keep all three albums out of the competition, regardless of their streaming numbers, chart positions or cultural impact. The Recording Academy’s process depends on eligible entries being submitted before the deadline.

The news is not the same as a Grammy disqualification or a ruling about the quality of the music. Rather, it reflects a reported decision not to participate in the awards process this year.

A Lyric on Iceman Appears to Address the Decision

One reason the story has attracted attention is that Drake appears to reference his Grammy plans directly on Iceman. As reported by Rolling Stone, the album’s closing track includes the lyric, “This album, I’m never submittin’ it.”

The line has taken on additional significance following reports that Drake did not submit his 2026 albums. While lyrics can be interpreted in different ways, this one appears consistent with the reported decision.

Drake has previously expressed frustration with the Grammys and has skipped submissions in several award cycles. His relationship with the institution has therefore been complicated for years rather than beginning with the latest controversy.

For listeners, the lyric also blurs the line between an artistic statement and a business decision. An album can be eligible for awards and still be deliberately kept out of consideration by the artist or the people responsible for submitting it.

The reported move suggests that Drake is willing to let the music speak for itself without pursuing Grammy recognition for these projects.

Drake’s Complicated History With the Grammys

Drake is a five-time Grammy winner, but his relationship with the awards has included periods of disengagement. He has previously declined to submit projects or withdrawn entries, including More Life, Certified Lover Boy and Honestly, Nevermind, according to past reporting.

His decisions have helped fuel a long-running conversation about whether the Grammys adequately represent contemporary popular music, especially hip-hop and streaming-era releases.

In 2017, Drake won Best Rap/Sung Performance and Best Rap Song for “Hotline Bling,” but he did not attend the ceremony. In 2019, after winning Best Rap Song for “God’s Plan,” he used his acceptance speech to encourage artists not to let awards define their success. He argued that listeners’ connection to the music mattered more than external recognition.

Those moments became part of the broader discussion about the Grammys’ relationship with artists whose influence extends beyond traditional industry institutions.

Drake’s latest reported decision is consistent with that history. It also arrives after years of changes in how music is discovered, measured and consumed. Streaming platforms can provide artists with immediate feedback from global audiences, while social media can amplify a release without the validation of an awards ceremony.

For an artist at Drake’s commercial level, choosing not to submit may be a statement about priorities rather than a sign that awards are irrelevant to the industry as a whole.

BTS and Stray Kids Are Also Sitting Out the 2027 Awards

Drake is not the only major artist reportedly absent from the 2027 Grammy submission process. K-pop groups BTS and Stray Kids have also declined to submit music, according to reporting by Music Business Worldwide and other outlets.

BTS announced in July that they would not submit music for the 2027 awards. Stray Kids’ label, JYP Entertainment, later confirmed that the group had not submitted any recordings before the deadline.

The decisions have drawn attention because the Recording Academy is introducing a Best Asian Pop Music Performance category for the 2027 ceremony. The new category was intended to recognize more music from across Asia, but the Academy also faced feedback from artists and industry stakeholders who questioned how the category would represent the region’s diverse music scenes.

After reviewing feedback, Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. confirmed that the category would proceed. The Academy said it had heard strong support as well as criticism during discussions with artists, labels and other music-industry participants.

BTS and Stray Kids have not been confirmed as withdrawing because of the category, and their decisions should not automatically be interpreted as a coordinated boycott. Their reasons may differ from Drake’s. Still, the timing has placed their decisions within a wider conversation about how the Grammys engage with globally influential artists.

When major performers stay out of the process, the awards face a challenge: how can they claim to reflect the music landscape if some of its most commercially and culturally significant acts do not participate?

Why Artists Choose Not to Submit Music

There is no single reason artists skip award submissions. For some, it may be a deliberate protest against the institution. Others may disagree with category definitions, question the value of a nomination or simply prefer to focus on their own release strategy.

Submitting music also requires participation in an organized process involving eligibility rules, category selection and industry administration. Artists and their teams must decide whether that process aligns with their goals.

For an established global star, the benefits of Grammy recognition may be different from those for an emerging artist. A nomination can increase visibility, create new opportunities and introduce music to audiences outside an artist’s usual fan base. For an artist who already commands enormous attention, those benefits may be less decisive.

There is also a philosophical question about how musical success should be measured. Grammy awards recognize peer-selected achievement through a defined voting process. Streaming totals, ticket sales, fan engagement and cultural influence measure different things.

None of those measures is a perfect substitute for the others. An album can be a commercial success without receiving awards, while a Grammy-winning record may have a different commercial trajectory. By choosing not to submit, an artist effectively removes one form of recognition from the equation.

In Drake’s case, his past comments and previous non-submissions make the latest report part of an established pattern rather than an isolated event.

What Drake’s Decision Means for Hip-Hop at the 2027 Grammys

Drake’s absence could influence the conversation around hip-hop during the upcoming Grammy season. Without his albums in contention, voters will have a different selection of eligible releases to consider in the relevant categories.

That does not mean hip-hop will be absent from the ceremony or that the genre’s nominees will necessarily be weaker. Many artists released music during the eligibility window, and the final nominations will depend on the entries that were submitted and the voting process.

However, Drake’s stature makes his absence noteworthy. He has been one of the most commercially influential rappers of the streaming era, and his albums have regularly shaped discussions about mainstream hip-hop, melodic rap and the relationship between rap and pop.

His decision also comes amid the continuing aftermath of his 2024 feud with Kendrick Lamar. The conflict brought intense public attention to the genre and culminated in “Not Like Us” winning five Grammys in 2025. Drake’s legal dispute with Universal Music Group over the song is a separate matter from the Grammy submission process, but it forms part of the broader context surrounding his relationship with the music industry.

The Grammys will continue regardless of whether Drake participates. Yet when a major artist declines to enter, it creates a visible gap between the award system and the music landscape that the institution seeks to recognize.

How the 2027 Grammy Process Will Continue

The 69th Annual Grammy Awards are scheduled for February 7, 2027, at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. The ceremony will recognize eligible recordings released during the official eligibility period.

According to the Recording Academy’s published schedule, first-round voting runs from October 12 through October 22, 2026, with nominations scheduled to be announced on November 16. Final-round voting is scheduled for December 10, 2026, through January 7, 2027.

The awards will also introduce five new categories, including Best Asian Pop Music Performance, alongside other rule and process changes.

Drake’s reported non-submission does not prevent him from being discussed during Grammy season, and it does not remove his existing Grammy wins from the record. It simply means that the three named albums are reportedly not competing for nominations in this cycle.

The distinction is important as the story develops. The reports describe a decision not to submit; they do not establish a new Grammy rule, a formal ban or an official judgment about Drake’s music.

Could the Grammys Lose Their Influence Over Time?

The latest reports raise a question that extends beyond one rapper: can the Grammys maintain their influence if more major artists choose not to participate?

The awards remain a prominent industry institution, offering visibility to artists, songwriters, producers and engineers. A nomination can support a campaign, generate media coverage and bring attention to recordings that might otherwise receive less exposure.

At the same time, artists now have more direct ways to reach audiences. Streaming platforms, social networks, touring, merchandise and artist-owned communities can sustain a career without awards recognition. The influence of any awards institution therefore depends not only on its history but also on whether artists and fans continue to see value in its process.

A few high-profile non-submissions do not prove that the Grammys are losing their relevance. The Academy continues to attract thousands of eligible entries across many genres. But repeated decisions by major artists can intensify scrutiny of the institution’s categories, voting practices and relationship with global music culture.

For the Grammys, the challenge is to maintain trust in the voting process while listening to artists who feel the awards do not adequately reflect their work or audiences.

Final Thoughts: Drake’s Grammy Absence Is Another Sign of a Changing Music Industry

Drake’s reported decision to keep Iceman, Habibti and Maid of Honour out of the 2027 Grammy race is a significant development because of his history with the awards and his continuing influence over popular music.

His apparent reference to non-submission on Iceman adds weight to the reports, while the decisions by BTS and Stray Kids highlight a broader moment of reflection around the Grammys and their place in a global music industry.

It remains important not to assume that every artist has the same motivation. Drake’s history differs from that of the K-pop groups, and their decisions should be understood on their own terms.

What is clear is that Grammy recognition is not the only measure of musical success. As streaming, international fandom and direct artist-to-listener relationships continue to evolve, award institutions must keep demonstrating why their recognition matters.

The 2027 nominations will show which submitted releases resonate with Grammy voters. Drake’s albums, according to current reports, will not be among them — and that decision may become one of the season’s most discussed stories even before the nominees are announced.