Here Come the Grammys

In just a few days, the Grammy Awards will be handed out.

I'm excited in general because I like the spontaneity of awards shows. But it used to be that I'd get all hyped about the rap/hip hop categories for the Grammy's. I guess that was a time when it was a new and fresh category and now it seems just the opposite.

Here are the current rap/hip hop categories - nice to see that Lupe Fiasco is nominated in 4 of the 5 categories:

Category 31

Best Rap Solo Performance

(For a solo Rap performance. Singles or Tracks only.)

* Roc Boys (And The Winner Is)...

Jay-Z

Track from: American Gangster

[Roc-A-Fella]

* A Milli

Lil Wayne

Track from: Tha Carter III

[Cash Money/Universal Motown]

* Paris, Tokyo

Lupe Fiasco

Track from: The Cool

[1st & 15th/Atlantic]

* N.i.*.*.e.r. (The Slave And The Master)

Nas

Track from: Untitled

[Def Jam]

* Sexual Eruption

Snoop Dogg

Track from: Ego Trippin

[Geffen]

Category 32

Best Rap Performance By A Duo Or Group

(For duo, group or collaborative performances of Rap only. Singles or Tracks only.)

* Royal Flush

Big Boi Featuring Raekwon And Andre 3000

[LaFace]

* Swagga Like Us

Jay-Z & T.I. Featuring Kanye West & Lil Wayne

[Roc-A-Fella/Grand Hustle/Atlantic]

* Mr. Carter

Lil Wayne Featuring Jay-Z

Track from: Tha Carter III

[Cash Money/Universal Motown]

* Wish You Would

Ludacris Featuring T.I.

[DTP]

* Put On

Young Jeezy Featuring Kanye West

[Def Jam]

Category 33

Best Rap/Sung Collaboration

(For a Rap/Sung collaborative performance by artists who do not normally perform together. Singles or Tracks only.)

* American Boy

Estelle Featuring Kanye West

Track from: Shine

[Homeschool/Atlantic]

* Low

Flo Rida Featuring T-Pain

Track from: Mail On Sunday

[Poe Boy/Atlantic]

* Green Light

John Legend & Andre 3000

[Columbia/G.O.O.D. Music]

* Got Money

Lil Wayne Featuring T-Pain

Track from: Tha Carter III

[Cash Money/Universal Motown]

* Superstar

Lupe Fiasco Featuring Matthew Santos

Track from: The Cool

[1st & 15th/Atlantic]

Category 34

Best Rap Song

(A Songwriter(s) Award. For Song Eligibility Guidelines see Category #3. (Artist names appear in parentheses.) Singles or Tracks only.)

* Lollipop

D. Carter, S. Garrett, D. Harrison, J. Scheffer & R. Zamor, songwriters (Lil Wayne Featuring Static Major)

Track from: Tha Carter III

[Cash Money/Universal Motown; Publishers: Young Money Publishing/Warner-Chappell Music, Herbalicious Music/Blackfountain Music/EMI-April Music, JimiPub Music/EMI Blackwood, Three Nails And A Crown Publishing, Roynet Music]

* Low

Tramar Dillard, M. Humphrey, Faheem Najm, Korey Roberson & Howard Simmons, songwriters (Flo Rida Featuring T-Pain)

Track from: Mail On Sunday

[Poe Boy/Atlantic; Publishers: E-Class Publishing/Sony-ATV Music Publishing/Universal Music Z Songs/Top Quality Publishing/NappyPub Music/Zomba Songs]

* Sexual Eruption

Calvin Broadus, S. Lovejoy & D. Stewart, songwriters (Snoop Dogg)

Track from: Ego Trippin

[Geffen; Publishers: My Own Chit Publishing/EMI Blackwood Music, Shawty Redd Songs/EMI April Music, Pimpin Tha Pen]

* Superstar

Lupe Fiasco & Soundtrakk, songwriters (Lupe Fiasco Featuring Matthew Santos)

Track from: The Cool

[1st & 15th/Atlantic; Publishers: Hey Lu Chill Music (Heavy As Heaven/Universal Music), 1st & 15th Publishing (Mr. Lopez Music/Universal Music Publishing)]

* Swagga Like Us

Jeff Bhaskev, D. Carter, S. Carter, Clifford Harris, Plain Pat & Kanye West, songwriters (M. Arulpragasam, N. Headon, M. Jones, J. Mellor, T. Pentz & P. Simonon, songwriters) (Jay-Z & T.I. Featuring Kanye West & Lil Wayne)

[Roc-A-Fella/Grand Hustle/Atlantic; Publishers: Crown Club Pub./Warner-Tamerlane/Please Gimme My Publishing/EMI Blackwood/Carter Boys Music/EMI April/Young Money Pub./Warner-Tamerlane/Hollertronix/Domino Publishing/Universal Z Tunes/Univ. Polygram Int'l]

Category 35

Best Rap Album

(For albums containing 51% or more playing time of VOCAL tracks.)

* American Gangster

Jay-Z

[Roc-A-Fella]

* Tha Carter III

Lil Wayne

[Cash Money/Universal Motown]

* The Cool

Lupe Fiasco

[1st & 15th/Atlantic]

* Nas

Nas

[Def Jam]

* Paper Trail

T.I.

[Grand Hustle/Atlantic]

Interesting how M.I.A. got listed on the Grammy nomination for "Swagga Like Us" in the Best Rap Song category, but not in the Best Rap Performance By A Duo Or Group category ...

Oh, well, the Grammy Awards are Sunday night, February 8, 2009 @ 8 p.m. on CBS. Let's watch together hip hoppers. kfox.