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.

The Grammy Nominations and Hip Hop

There is no week that takes place w/o some level of hip hop activity. Last week was no exception.

In this case the Grammy nominations were handed out. I did, sort of, watch the CBS ramped up edition of 'the reading of the names'. I'm crazy about B.B. King, so any excuse to see him perform on free TV is all right w/me.

Unfortunately ... it is late and I am tired. Fortunately though, I've scoured the Okayplayer webbie for an article on the hip hop highlights of the '09 Grammy nominations.

• '09 Grammy Nominations Okayplayer style
  

So much hype; hype that I always buy into. Makes me just a little bit anxious for '09. But just a little big.

Now let's see if I can dig up some 'Best of Lists' as we wind down another one.

And hip hoppers, you too are award winners! Don't let'em tell you otherwise. kfox.

Countdown to the Grammys

I absolutely love watching awards shows. I don't know why, but it is one of the rare occasions when I actually sit down and focus on the telly.

So the Grammy Awards are just days away. My fav band is up for two awards. That would be The Roots, baby! The crew is currently out west touring. They have a pretty nice show lined up for this weekend. If I were out that way, I'd be there - no doubt.

That's it for now ... I know you feenin for more, but I'm saving it for the next round.

stay true ... kfox

The Roots rockin the world like no other...

... I know that my small Ohio town is on the world map, so maybe we'll catch The Roots on the next leg of the "Game Theory" tour ... maybe not, but ... hey, Cincy made the cut, so I might do that. Better yet, the boys are in 'the district' during my Spring Break - now that would be my version of 'Boys Gone Wild'! If you don't know, The Roots have one helluva stage show, okay ... ?

From Okayplayer.com
THE ROOTS GAME THEORY WORLD TOUR (future legs to be announced at a later date!)
**Lupe is out there with them!

Catch the Grammy nominated folks in a city near you (or take a trip just to see them)


EUROPE
12/17/06 Academy, Glasgow, Great Britain
12/18/06 Queens Hall, Belfast, Great Britain
12/19/06 Olympia, Dublin, IrelandJAPAN

1/12/06 Osaka Japan @ Blue Note
1/13/06 Osaka Japan @ Blue Note
1/15/06 Tokyo Japan @ On Air East
1/16/06 Tokyo, Japan @ On Air East
1/17/06 Tokyo, Japan @ On Air East
1/18/06 Nagoya, Japan @ Blue Note

CANADA and US
2/1/07 Vancouver, Canada Roots performance @ Commodore
2/2/07 Vancouver , Canada Roots performance @ Commodore
2/3/07 Seattle, WA Roots performance @ Showbox
2/5/07 Portland, OR Roots performance @ Crystal Ballroom
2/7/07 San Francisco, CA Roots performance @ Fillmore
2/8/07 San Francisco, CA Roots performance @ Fillmore
2/10/07 Los Angeles, CA Roots with Jill Scott and Lupe Fiasco @ Gibson Ampitheatre
2/12/07 San Diego, CA Roots performance @ HOB
2/14/07 Anaheim, CA Roots performance @ HOB
2/14/07 Anaheim, CA Roots performance @ HOB
2/16/07 Salt Lake, UT Roots performance @ Harry O's w/ Lupe Fiasco
2/17/07 Denver, CO Roots performance @ Fillmore w/ Lupe Fiasco
2/19/07 Dallas, TX Roots performance @ Gypsea Tea Room w/ Lupe Fiasco
2/20/07 Austin, TX Roots performance @ Stubbs w/ Lupe Fiasco
2/22/07 NO, LA Roots performance @ HOB w/ Lupe Fiasco
2/24/07 Orlando, FL Roots performance @ HOB w/ Lupe Fiasco
2/25/07 Ft. Lauderdale, FL Roots performance @ Revolution
3/3/07 Myrtle Beach, SC Roots performance @ HOB
3/4/07 Atlanta, GA Roots performance @ Tabernacle w/ Lupe Fiasco
3/7/07 Norfolk, VA Roots performance @ NORVA w/ Lupe Fiasco
3/8/07 Baltimore, MD Roots performance @ Meyerhoff Hall w/ Lupe Fiasco & Marsha
3/9/07 Wash DC Roots performance @ Constitution Hall w/ Lupe Fiasco & Marsha
3/13/07 Boston, MA Roots performance @ Avalon w/ Lupe Fiasco
3/17/07 Chicago, IL Roots performance @ Chicago Theatre w/ Lupe Fiasco
3/18/07 Milwaukee , WI Roots performance @ The Rave
3/20/07 Minneapolis, IN Roots performance @Myth
3/22/07 St. Louis, MO Roots performance @ Pagent
3/23/07 Cincinnati, OH Roots performance @ Bogarts
3/24/07 Toronto, Canada Roots performance @ Kool Haus
3/27/07 Montreal, Canada Roots performance @ Metropolis
4/3/07 Philly, PA Roots performance @ Kimmel Center
4/4/07 Philly, PA Roots performance @ Kimmel Center