2015 Grammy Nominations: Hip-Hop/Rap Category

So last year, the Grammys had caused a bit of a commotion in the category of Hip-Hop/Rap. It was evident when Macklemore and Ryan Lewis swept the Rap Category. Mainly, there was a bit of anger in hip hop fans because Kendrick Lamar was not awarded one Grammy, particularly the “Best Rap Album” Grammy. Now this year, the Grammys have released their nomination lists and this year might end up causing the same commotion. Now personally, I did not mind that Macklemore and Ryan Lewis won their Grammys but I thought that their album lacked in comparison to Kendrick’s album. I thought they made a really solid album and it was a great debut but Kendrick had so much that was shown within the composition of his album and the whole concept was executed great and it was deserving of the Grammy. So, I will give my take on who should win which category for rap and I want to advise the reader of this article that this is strictly my opinion but I will use factual information to support it and I hope the reader takes my opinion into consideration. So here we go:

Rap Performance

“3005,” Childish Gambino

“0 to 100/The Catch Up,” Drake

“Rap God,” Eminem

“I,” Kendrick Lamar

“All I Need Is You,” Lecrae

For me, the winner of this category should be “Rap God” by Eminem. The reasons are simple for me. Out of all the songs that are listed in this category, Eminem shows the most technical ability as a rapper and has great wordplay and lyricism that are on display throughout the duration of this song. This song sees Eminem display a multiple variation of flows and the quality that he presents this is incredible as well. This is a true rap performance that showcases Eminem’s full ability and it showcases the mechanics that he possesses and it shows the complete package that he possesses as a rapper, even after all the time that he has been out in the music business. So for me, Eminem should win this category of the Hip-Hop/Rap category.

Rap/Sung Collaboration

“Blak Majik,” Common Featuring Jhené Aiko

“The Monster,” Eminem Featuring Rihanna

“Tuesday,” I Love Makonnen Featuring Drake

“Studio,” Schoolboy Q Featuring BJ The Chicago Kid

“Bound 2,” Kanye West & Charlie Wilson

The winner of this category should be “Blak Majik” by Common Featuring Jhené Aiko. When listening to all the songs that are presented in this ballot, this has the most “Rap/Sung Collaboration” feel. It showcases why it should be in the rap category because for the most part, this is a rap song. To elaborate more on that last point, this song has clear cut rapping and it is not done in a mannerism that is reminiscent to singing more. Common is showcasing his diverse yet intimate subject matter in this song and Ms. Aiko’s vocals mesh perfectly within the pockets of the beat and within the context of the song. The hook is not a repetitive one and it therefore embodies the way in which a Rap/Sung Collaboration should be. Common and Jhené Aiko created a very strong track that showcased beautiful vocals, diverse lyrics, and a perfect blend of the two and this is why I believe that Common should win this category within the scheme of the Hip-Hop/Rap category.

Rap Song

“Anaconda,” Ernest Clark, Jamal Jones, Onika Maraj, Marcos Palacios & J. Solone-Myvett (Nicki Minaj)

“Bound 2,” Mike Dean, Malik Jones, Che Pope, Elon Rutberg, Sakiya Sandifer, John Stephens, Kanye West, Charlie Wilson & Cydel Young (Kanye West & Charlie Wilson)

“I,” K. Duckworth & C. Smith (Kendrick Lamar)

“We Dem Boyz,” N. Fisher & C. Thomaz (Wiz Khalifa)

“0 To 100 / The Catch Up,” A. Feeney, Aubrey Graham, A. Hernandez, P. Jefferies, M. Samuels & Noah Shebib, (Drake)

The winner of this category should be “I,” by K. Duckworth & C. Smith (Kendrick Lamar). The reason why this song should take home the Grammy for Best Rap Song is because this is a quality track with a great amount of diversity. This song has an uplifting vibe to it that presents the listener with a happy feel that is almost nonexistent today in hip-hop while also bringing in intimate subject matter and really thought provoking lyrics. This song does all of this while also bringing in an infectious melody/tune that creates appeal to audiences across all genres, partly because of the notable sample that was used in the creation of this song (The Isley Brothers – Who’s that Lady?). This song is the epitome of a rap song for it has really intriguing verses, a really engaging chorus, and stand out production. Due to all this, the Grammy for Rap Song should go to K. Duckworth & C. Smith (Kendrick Lamar) in this particular section of the hip-hop category.

Rap Album

“The New Classic,” Iggy Azalea

“Because The Internet,” Childish Gambino

“Nobody’s Smiling,” Common

“The Marshall Mathers LP2,” Eminem

“Oxymoron,” Schoolboy Q

“Blacc Hollywood,” Wiz Khalifa

The winner of this category should be “Because The Internet,” by Childish Gambino. My reasons for believing that Childish Gambino deserves this award is due to the body of work that he had created. With his latest efforts, he was able to create an appealing yet conflicting album. Due to the enticing lyrical choice and the vast, superb production, this album put you in a world and it offered you the most diversity with appealing songs like “3005” and dark, unfelt songs like “Crawl” and “Zealots of Stockholm [Free Information]” and songs that offered a combination of the two types like “Telegraph Ave (Oakland by Lloyd)” and “Earth: The Oldest Computer (The Last Night)” featuring Azealia Banks. This album was crafted with artistic integrity and it was the most authentic piece of hip hop work that was accepted by the Grammys this year. It was definitely the most diverse and entertaining album and it can appeal to a numerous amount of musical listeners who have the interest to try listening to something with experimental attributes and with some pop sensibility and hip hop influences as well. Due to all these reasons that have been stated, “Because The Internet,” by Childish Gambino should be awarded the Grammy for Rap Album in the Hip Hop Category.

These are my beliefs and I hope that a Grammy Representative or a Recording Academy Member can see this and view my points and perhaps reach a general consensus. None of the information that I provided or brought up consisted of sales, chart performance, personal friendships, regional preferences or company loyalty. I wish to see these results and I do not want to see an enraged hip hop community again. Regardless of what happens, we should be happy to receive music from our favorite artists and we should acknowledge that some of our favorite artists have received recognition while some have not and might not ever. It’s the process of the business and we have to understand that these are the guidelines that are associated with this.