Jay-Z Will Receive 2018 Grammy Salute to Industry Icons Award

Photo of Jay-Z performing at Austin City Limits Music Festival 2017, by Roger Ho

Jay-Z's big year just got a little bigger.

The Recording Academy confirmed Tuesday he will be honored with the 2018 Salute to Industry Icons Award. The presentation will take place at Clive Davis' annual pre-Grammys gala on Saturday, Jan. 27, 2018, the night before next year's 60th annual Grammy Awards.

“Jay-Z is a quintessential icon and I couldn’t be happier and more excited to share the evening with him,” Davis said today in a statement. “What a night this will be!”

This latest honor follows Jay's induction earlier this year into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, as the first rapper to join the exclusive roster. He subsequently released his critically acclaimed new album 4:44, which was largely considered some of his most reflective work and will likely be nominated for multiple Grammys.

In a statement to Variance, Neil Portnow, President of the Record Academy, said Jay-Z's "contributions as an industry trailblazer and music visionary only begin to touch on the tremendous impact he’s made both in entertainment and beyond."

Portnow also noted Jay's roots in New York, saying he "embodies the vibrant spirit" of the city, which will next year be hosting the Grammys for the first time in 14 years.