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.

M.I.A. Oscar Nomination for "Slumdog Millionaire" Song

I've seen "Slumdog Millionaire" and it's a nice movie (check out my review of "Slumdog Millionaire" and I'll probably see it again soon. But what stood out for me in the movie was the music. It really drives the movie and the music is mostly upbeat throughout the movie. That Indian vibe is killer. Love that.

So the Academy took note of the music in "Slumdog Millionaire" as well. The movie got a nod for best score. But I was hyped to know that M.I.A. got a nomination for "O Saya". It's a song driven by drums and chanting and then M.I.A. lays it down. Awesome. "O Saya" is up against another track from "Slumdog Millionaire" as well as song from "Wall-E".

O... Saya - M.I.A.

Now hip hoppers, I don't expect you to sit through the entire Oscar ceremony on Sunday, February 22, 2009, but at least check back to see if M.I.A. gets the guy. kfox.