It's Grammy time everybody! Artists in the urban hip hop/R&B spectrum that are leading the nominations include some usual names like Jay-Z, Kanye West, and Nas — and some newcomers, most notably Frank Ocean & Miguel. Scroll down for many of the categories relevant to Gowhere, and then beyond that for the full list, and my predictions.
Album Of The Year:
“El Camino” — The Black Keys
“Some Nights” — FUN.
“Babel” — Mumford & Sons
“Channel Orange” — Frank Ocean
“Blunderbuss” — Jack White
Record Of The Year:
“Lonely Boy” — The Black Keys
“Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You)” — Kelly Clarkson
“We Are Young” — FUN. Featuring Janelle Monáe
“Somebody That I Used To Know” — Gotye Featuring Kimbra
“Thinkin Bout You” — Frank Ocean
“We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” — Taylor Swift
Best New Artist:
Alabama Shakes
FUN.
Hunter Hayes
The Lumineers
Frank Ocean
Song Of The Year:
“The A Team” — Ed Sheeran, songwriter (Ed Sheeran)
“Adorn” — Miguel Pimentel, songwriter (Miguel)
“Call Me Maybe” — Tavish Crowe, Carly Rae Jepsen & Josh Ramsay, songwriters (Carly Rae Jepsen)
“Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You)” — Jörgen Elofsson, David Gamson, Greg Kurstin & Ali Tamposi, songwriters (Kelly Clarkson)
“We Are Young” — Jack Antonoff, Jeff Bhasker, Andrew Dost & Nate Ruess, songwriters (FUN. Featuring
Janelle Monáe)
Best Rap/Sung Collaboration:
“Wild Ones” — Flo Rida Featuring Sia
“No Church In The Wild” — Jay–Z & Kanye West Featuring Frank Ocean & The–Dream
“Tonight (Best You Ever Had)” — John Legend Featuring Ludacris
“Cherry Wine” — Nas Featuring Amy Winehouse
“Talk That Talk” — Rihanna Feautring Jay–Z
Best Rap Performance:
“HYFR (Hell Ya F***ing Right)” — Drake Featuring Lil Wayne
“N****s In Paris” — Jay–Z & Kanye West
“Daughters” — Nas
“Mercy” — Kanye West Featuring Big Sean, Pusha T & 2 Chainz
“I Do” — Young Jeezy Featuring Jay–Z & André 3000
Best Rap Album:
“Take Care” — Drake
“Food & Liquor II: The Great American Rap Album, Pt. 1″ — Lupe Fiasco
“Life Is Good” — Nas
“Undun” — The Roots
“God Forgives, I Don’t” — Rick Ross
“Based On A T.R.U. Story” — 2 Chainz
Best Rap Song:
“Daughers” — Nas
“Lotus Flower Bomb” — Wale featuring Miguel
“Mercy” — Kanye West Featuring Big Sean, Pusha T & 2 Chainz
“The Motto” — Drake Featuring Lil Wayne
“N****s in Paris” — Jay-Z & Kanye West
“Young, Wild & Free” — Snoop Dogg & Wiz Khalifa Featuring Bruno Mars
Best R&B Performance:
“Thank You” — Estelle
“Gonna Be Alright (F.T.B.)” — Robert Glasper Experiment Featuring Ledisi
“I Want You” — Luke James
“Adorn” — Miguel
“Climax” — Usher
Best Urban Contemporary Album:
“Fortune” — Chris Brown
“Kaleidoscope Dream” — Miguel
“Channel Orange” — Frank Ocean
Best R&B Album:
“Black Radio” — Robert Glasper Experiment
“Back To Love” — Anthony Hamilton
“Write Me Back” — R. Kelly
“Beautiful Surprise” — Tamia
“Open Invitation” — Tyrese
Best R&B Song:
“Adorn” — Miguel
“Beautiful Surprise” — Tamia
“Heart Attack” — Trey Songz
“Pray for Me” — Anthony Hamilton
“Refill” — Elle Varner
Best Pop Solo Performance:
“Set Fire To The Rain (Live)” — Adele
“Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You)” — Kelly Clarkson
“Call Me Maybe” — Carly Rae Jepsen
“Wide Awake” — Katy Perry
“Where Have You Been” — Rihanna
Best Pop Duo/Group Performance:
“Shake It Out” — Florence & The Machine
“We Are Young” — FUN. Featuring Janelle Monáe
“Somebody That I Used To Know” — Gotye Featuring Kimbra
- Frank Ocean wins one of the 3 coveted awards of the evening: Album Of The Year, Record Of The Year, or Best New Artist. I wouldn't bat an eyebrow if he won all 3 - he's got the music and the compelling story behind him, but I also don't really listen to his competition so I can't sit here and compare it all. Ocean is well-deserving though and he'll take home one of those big awards.
- This lyrical hip hop head scoffs at the sight of Rick Ross & 2 Chainz in the Rap Album of the Year category, but I can't deny the big years they've had. That said, Take Care has gotta take this one right?
- Hard to pick one from the Best Rap/Sung Collaboration category. I see it going to either "No Church In The Wild" or "Cherry Wine" and NOT "Wild Ones".
- Miguel's "Adorn" probably won't take Song Of The Year (isn't it funny to see that preceding "Call Me Maybe"?), but it will take best R&B Song and/or Best R&B Performance. It's funny to me because I don't vibe with "Adorn" like I do with much of the rest of Kaleidoscope Dream. But needless to say, I'm glad a nice song like that is getting recognized. Overall, my two best (and favorite) R&B albums that dropped this year, in KD and Channel Orange, are getting that premiere Grammy shine!
What do you think of the nominees? And what are your predictions??
