Grammy-nominated wordsmith Joyner Lucas—with his gorgeous mother by his side—spoke with EBONY on the 61st Annual Grammy Awards Red Carpet on Feb. 10, where he discussed the impact of his powerful video, “I’m Not Racist.” The clip earned him a nod for Best Music Video, even while the man himself didn’t appear in the visual. Joyner was also nominated for Best Rap Song.

“I just felt like it was a good decision to keep my face out of it. I didn’t care too much about broadcasting who I was more than I cared about the actual message being spread,” said the MC. “I think the message did what it was supposed to do, and I’m nominated for a Grammy because of it.”

Lucas is also determined to continue making music with a message, especially following the racist imagery that has flooded high fashion as of late. The rapper then dives into healthy competition among artists, promoting Black businesses and respecting the hip-hop legends who came before him.

“I grew up listening to them and I always wanted to work with them, so when I meet them it’s always a blessing to even be in their presence," he said.

Check out the full interview above.