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.

And the nominees are ...

... did you notice that the Grammy nominations came out on Thursday? I missed the hype, but caught the 'news' before it was a day old.

So, I tried to investigate a bit to bring you more than what you get in the typical saturated headlines. Here is what I discovered:

<- - Gnarls Barkley got some attention (not just for Record AND Album of the Year; 5 nominations total), but also for:

• Alternative
• Urban/Alternative Performance

<- - Danger Mouse, one half of the Gnarls Barkley due also received props as Producer of the Year for the group's debut project. Wil.i.am made that category as well for "Mas Que Nada" ...

<- - Meanhile, Sergio Mendes' "Timeless" only got two nods ... The category being Urban/Alternative Performance.

<- - Did you know that there is a Grammy award for Rock or Rap Gospel Album?

<- - Lupe Fiasco got a nod for Rap Solo Performance, but Mos Def is right there with him; Lupe is also up for Rap Song AND Rap Album ...

<- - The Roots are in there for two categories:

• Rap Duo or Group
• Rap Album

<- - Matisyahu is nominated in the Reggae category ...

yo ... I'm done w/this for now. My most searing Grammy nomination comments are being reserved for a different blog; it's non-hip hop related.

Oh, the Grammy Awards take place on Sunday, February 11, 2007 @ 8 p.m. ESDT.

stay true ... kfox