This year's Grammys begin with an unexpected withdraw from Drake for his two nominations - Best Rap Album for "Certified Lover Boy" and Best Rap Performance for his song "Way 2 Sexy," featuring Future and Young Thug.

The Grammys accepted Drake's request and will move forward with the four nominees of the categories without replacing him with another artist, due to the already started voting period. The reasons of the rapper's decision remain unknown at the moment.

On social media, people are currently speculating that his decision may be linked to last year's controversy with The Recording Academy -- on November 2020, Drake had indeed shared an Instagram story siding with The Weeknd, who hadn't been nominated despite his commercial success.

"I think we should stop allowing ourselves to be shocked every year by the disconnect between impactful music and these awards and just accept that what once was the highest form of recognition may no longer matter to the artists that exist now and the ones that come after," Drake wrote.

He then continued encouraging the installment of a new system: one that honors all artists that have positively impacted the music industry.

"This is a great time for somebody to start something new that we can build up over time and pass on to the generations to come," Drake wrote.

Just a week ago, when Drake was still competing for the Grammys' categories, he had shared touching pictures following Virgil Abloh's death with the following caption:

"My plan is touch the sky 1000 more times for you... love you eternally brother. thank you for everything."

Whether Drake's decision is based on last year's vicissitude, his withdraw sends an important message to the music industry and to new artists that are just starting their careers.