Kanye West Talks Grammys, Hopes For Wider Artist Recognition

As Grammy voters prepare to submit their nominations for the 2011 music awards show, Kanye West has a few suggestions about who they should, and shouldn’t, be considering in the top categories.

“Where’s our instant replay clock? Why are the last four Albums of the Year: Taylor Swift, Dixie Chicks, Ray Charles and Herbie Hancock? Like, you know, with all due respect… that’s inaccurate,” Kanye told Access Hollywood.

Kanye suggested voters shouldn’t let massive sales figures dillute people’s opinions of what the best music is each year.

“It’s like ‘SexyBack’ — you know what I’m saying? Like [Justin Timberlake’s] ‘FutureSex/LoveSounds,’ Gnarls Barkley. How about Usher — ‘Confessions’? How about albums that sold 10 million?” Kanye said of records he believes should have scooped the top prize.

Kanye told Access that he is singling out two award shows in particular, because they remain an inspiration to young people.

“I pinpoint the Grammys and the VMAs because they have to take responsibility, because they mean something to us,” he said. “Little kids, 6 years [old], that are singing in front of the mirror. They’re also thinking about their Grammy speech; they’re thinking about when there will be a VMA so these people, whoever run them… they have to take some responsibility to say what really happened in culture this year because we’re marking it down.”

While Kanye is eager to get out his new record, “My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy,” and his short film, “Runaway,” based around the album cut of the same name, he isn’t calling upon the Grammys to change their voting ways just for his own benefit. Kanye said he wants a change for others.

“It’s not about me. ‘Runaway’… I don’t really care about me. That’s what you don’t understand,” he said. “I’ll jump in front of a moving car for history. It’s not really about me. It’s about everybody. It’s about all artists. It’s about fair ground. If Drake is having an awesome year and his year is better than mine, I’m not gonna say I should win. I’m gonna say Drake should win.”

While the outspoken music superstar may have issues with the Grammys and VMAs, it certainly won’t stop him from taking the stage at any of those events. He famously returned to the VMA stage over the summer, just one year after his famous Taylor Swift Best Female Video award acceptance speech interruption.

“I can’t hold that back from people if they want to let me perform,” he said of taking the stage at various events to perform.

Kanye admitted, however, that he won’t be a passive seat warmer at any of the events in the future.

“As far as like sitting through the audience, its like, I can’t do it because I care,” he said. “I can’t just see it happen over and over, for years and years and years. So if they’re going to do something to change or just make it make a little sense — get it a little bit closer to making a little bit of sense, then I can sit through it, but I’m sorry I have conviction. But I will perform though.”

“Runaway” premieres on Saturday at 8 PM EST on MTV, BET and VEVO. “My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy,” is due out on November 22.