When Beyonce Gave a Shout Out to the Queer Community for Inventing the House Genre in Her Grammy Speech

Beyonce, who currently has 32 Grammy Award victories to her credit, won the prize for Best Dance/ Electronic Music Album for Renaissance in the 2023 Grammy. She gave a heartfelt shout-out to the Queer community in particular throughout her emotional speech. "Thank you so much," she said as she began her acceptance speech, per PEOPLE. "I'm trying not to be too emotional. I'm trying to just receive this night. I want to thank God for protecting me. Thank you, God."

She continued, "I'd like to thank my Uncle Johnny, who's not here. But he's here in spirit. I'd like to thank my parents — my father, my mother, for loving me and pushing me. I'd like to thank my beautiful husband, my beautiful three children who are at home watching."

The Cuff It singer offered a special shout-out to the Queer community as she concluded her address and credited them with inventing the dance/electronic music genre. "I'd like to thank the Queer community for your love, and for inventing this genre," Beyoncé said. "God bless you. Thank you so much to the Grammys. Thank you."

Renaissance, Beyoncé's most recent album, is heavily influenced by Queer culture. Kevin Aviance and Moi Renee, two underground drag superstars, are sampled, and the album art pays homage to the dance culture in Harlem. This is a thoughtful love letter that honors underappreciated figures in black Queer culture rather than a hasty pander to a fandom, reports W Magazine.

The album is so carefully researched since it is dedicated to her late Uncle Johnny, who was Queer. After Bey's acceptance speech, her mother, Tina Knowles-Lawson turned to Instagram to explain how much Johnny had meant to her and to Beyoncé. “Solange and Beyoncé worshiped him [Uncle Johnny]. He helped me raise them. And influenced their sense of style and uniqueness! He made Beyoncé's prom dress. Last night, she told me to listen closely at the end of the song Heated and I heard for the first time her saying, ‘Uncle Johnny made my dress’ and I got so teary-eyed,” she said.

As it turns out, much of the music to which Beyoncé pays homage in the album was introduced to her by Johnny. “You see Johnny loved house music!” Ms. Tina said. “And introduced my kids to it early on. He is smiling from heaven at Bey right now! Saying you did that, Ms. Thing! We love you, Johnny and we miss you constantly. Wish you were here to dance with me, we would tear it up!”

When Beyoncé and her husband, Jay Z, collected a GLAAD award in 2019, they paid respect to Johnny at the time. “I want to dedicate this award to my uncle Johnny, the most fabulous gay man I have ever met, who helped raise me and my sister,” she said. “Witnessing his battle with HIV was one of the most painful experiences I’ve ever lived. I’m hopeful that his struggle served to open pathways for other young people to live more freely.”