Jay-Z echoed a similar sentiment on his 2018 Beyoncé collaboration 'Apeshit,' rapping, 'Tell The Grammys fuck that 0 for 8 shit / Have you ever seen a crowd going Apeshit?' (He was referring to getting snubbed eight times during the 2018 Grammys for his album 4:44.

(In 2008, the VMAs dubbed Britney Spears' rather forgettable 'Piece of Me' Video of the Year and Best Female Video, over the likes of Mariah Carey's 'Touch My Body' and Rihanna's 'Take a Bow.') West's defense of Beyoncé's work via that outburst, while tasteless and uncalled for, showed the anxiety that existed at that time around whether Black entertainers would get their due recognition at award shows. With 'Single Ladies,' she was just beginning to make videos that looked like they were supposed to be timeless, and there was uncertainty about whether institutions like the VMAs, which typically favored white pop stars like Britney Spears or Lady Gaga, would appreciate her bolder material. And she had yet to take up the mantle of a global feminist leader as straightforwardly as she would do with tracks like 'Run the World (Girls)' (2011) or 'Flawless' (2014). 'Single Ladies' was the biggest smash of her third solo album I Am… Sasha Fierce (2008), which also included anthems like 'Halo' and 'Diva.' But she had yet to create the hits that framed her as a truly unparalleled talent, striving solely to outdo herself, like she did on 'Love on Top' (2011). Back in 2009, Beyoncé was kicking into gear as an established solo artist, with a string of hits punctuating her continued rise to the top.

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