Adele Used Her Grammy Speech To Recognize Beyoncé's Cultural Impact

By Kristin Rohlwing

By Kristin Rohlwing
February 13, 2017

February 13, 2017

"I can't possibly accept this award."

SHOW TRANSCRIPT

Adele won album of the year at the 2017 Grammy Awards for "25." But she couldn't accept it.

.@ADELE WITH THAT SPEECH LIKE 😭👏👏 #GRAMMYs pic.twitter.com/QQhk2arSRE
— On Air/Ryan Seacrest (@OnAirWithRyan) February 13, 2017

Adele dedicated her speech to Beyoncé, acknowledging the significance of "Lemonade" as a powerful ode to black women.

But Adele's comment about her "black friends" is getting mixed reactions.

Me scanning the TL checking for the reaction to Adele claiming she "has black friends": pic.twitter.com/wjeMZc5Pbv
— Jizz Johnson (@RealJizzJohnson) February 13, 2017

Adele's black friends when she said "My black friends" pic.twitter.com/3Ljp2CIwep
— PRINCE CHRISHAN (@PrinceChrishan) February 13, 2017

Wait,... did Adele just say The way you make my "black friends" feel?....🤔....😶
— Syleena Johnson (@Syleena_Johnson) February 13, 2017

Adele: my black friends

Black twitter: pic.twitter.com/5iHZCucJuL
— Offset Flair (@DaGawdDMoney) February 13, 2017

Others appreciated Adele's willingness to recognize Beyoncé's album as a symbol of empowerment and celebration of black women.

I didn't find much wrong with Adele calling out what LEMONADE meant to her Black friends. Bey made that for US. She knows that.
— Awesomely Luvvie (@Luvvie) February 13, 2017

If anything, I'm glad Adele, as a white woman, acknowledges her black friends and doesn't do that "I don't see color" bs.
— Breya Monaye (@TheBlackLayers) February 13, 2017

Adele specifically called out her Black friends because we kept saying the album was "for us"....am I missing something here???
— Positive Vibes Only (@_ShamGod) February 13, 2017

"How you make my black friends feel!" Adele gets us. Adele gets it. #LEMONADE #GRAMMYs pic.twitter.com/CdIN3AqEeC
— Kamala Harris 2020 (@dilemmv) February 13, 2017

As for Beyoncé, Adele's speech left her in tears.

Beyoncé's reactions to Adele's speech about her will make you cry: https://t.co/Yb1BHMOAws pic.twitter.com/2w6J13ZlP0
— ELLE Magazine (US) (@ELLEmagazine) February 13, 2017

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