Grammy Nominations for 2019
By the time this article is released, there will only be a few weeks before the nominations for the 2019 edition of the Grammy's are released. What does that mean to the average music listener other than a really big ceremony and some after parties? Not much. But to those that are going to be voting for the biggest music award achievement in the world, it means everything. September 30th serves as the cut-off point for every category; anything released between October 1st of 2017 and September 30th will be eligible for the 2019 grammy awards which will take place on February 19th 2019 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.
While the official nominations for the various awards will be announced on November the 19th, it is always fun to speculate beforehand. What makes it exciting is to try to decipher who or what will be nominated in the Hip-Hop fields while also considering the inconsistent feelings that The Recording Academy, which I explain a bit in What to Expect in 2018. Hip-Hop and the Academy have never been eye to eye, therefore my predictions will not be my own personal opinion, but what I believe the Academy will choose. With that being said, I must already say that while Eminem released two albums this year, I doubt he will win due to controversial comments about the Grammy Committee. As well, I am already axing Kanye from any victory due to him being such a negative political hot rod.
Let's get on with the show!
BEST RAP PERFORMANCE WINNER: “This is America” by Childish Gambino
Nominees: God's Plan by Drake, SAD! by XXXTentacion, I Like It by Cardi B feat. Bad Bunny and J. Balvin & KOD by J. Cole
If I am to understand correctly that the award for best rap performance is not based on the lyrical or rapping performance but the overall performance of the song than the winner is clear. This Is America by Childish Gambino took over the conscious of America for a considerable amount of time in this very politically charged world. The importance of the track is telling and every performance by Gambino is as electric as his music video.
BEST RAP SONG WINNER: “God's Plan” by Drake
Nominees: This is America by Childish Gambino, King's Dead by Kendrick Lamar feat. Jay Rock, Future and James Blake, I Like It by Cardi B feat. Bad Bunny and J. Balvin & ATM by J. Cole
With a staggering 11 weeks at the number 1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100, it would be folly to not give God's Plan by Drake the award. While the Academy wants to make it seem as if it doesn't give the award based on commercial success, it's staggering how most of the award winners have large amounts of sales and replay value. While not being a technical masterpiece, it is a popular earworm - also helps that the Recording Academy might be looking to get back on Drake's good side after having given him the HIP-HOP award for "Hotline Bling".
BEST RAP ALBUM: Scorpion by Drake
Nominees: Daytona by Pusha T, Tha Carter V by Lil Wayne, Invasion of Privacy by Cardi B, KOD by J. Cole & Kamikaze by Eminem.
A 25 song endeavor to listen to, it is arguably the best overall album any hip-hop artist has put out this year. While you could debate the technical aspect of the album not being the best he's ever done, this album is deeper on an emotional level than anything we've heard before from the Canadian artist. As well, we can't deny that every song made it to the Billboard Hot 100, the album spent five weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100 albums and three songs ("God's Plan", "Nice For What" and "In My Feelings") all sitting atop the charts for a combined twenty-nine weeks. Damn.
HONORABLE MENTIONS:
These are relatively minor awards and seem to have clear cut winners that even the Academy can't deny. The power of these songs and the effect that they had on people and the radio during the calendar year has been amazing to say the least. I'll go through the awards I believe will be given to Hip-Hop artists during the ceremony, therefore:
Best Rap/Sung Collaboration: All the Stars by Kendrick Lamar feat. SZA
Best Music Video: This is America by Childish Gambino
Best Song Written for Original Media: All the Stars by Kendrick Lamar feat SZA
Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media: Black Panther by Kendrick Lamar and Various Artists
In conclusion, I believe that there are certain aspects of the Grammy's that I don't personally agree with. Their disrespect for the Culture has been seen throughout the ages; I feel that won't change until the Academy changes the way it sees the genre. We aren't a small constituency of people - we're the largest genre on the planet in terms of impact and sales. I'd love to see the day that the Grammy's recognize that: give a Hip-Hop album Album of the Year; to have real rapper win Record of the Year or any of the other major general categories. It'd be nice. But we will make it someday, sadly that day isn't today. Thanks Grammy's.