If you know like I know, then you woke up to an alert on your phone telling you that the Grammy nominations came out today. It informed me that Taylor Swift and Kendrick Lamar led the field. Now, let's be real, I have no idea why they even lumped them into THAT same sentence. Kendrick Lamar got 11 nominations. Taylor Swift got 7, the same amount as The Weeknd.
Kendrick led the field. THEY did not lead the field. Kendrick caught noms for the big categories, Album of The Year and Song Of The Year. He got nominations in all of the rap categories, and a few joint nominations with Swift for their song "Bad Blood" (like best pop duo, and best musc video, which he was also nominated by himself for "Alright"). I'd have to say, today was a good day…for Kendrick Lamar. Even if rappers don't care about winning Grammy Awards, I'd imagined that if they were nominated, they feel like they might as well win. That's how I'd feel. I don't particularly care about awards and accolades, but if you gon' go ahead and put them on a pedestal, I'm gon' need to walk away with the win, homey. Shouts to King Kendrick, outchea pimpin' butterflies.
Let's switch gears: I was perusing Facebook as I often do in the morning and one of my friends posted a screengrab of a nomination that included Jidenna featuring Roman GianArthur, for "Classic Man" in the Best Rap/Sung Collaboration category. As my friend is part of the Wondaland crew, I was proud and happy for their team, but the first thing that jumped off the screen to me was this:
Big Sean got nominated for a Grammy for his song "One Man Can Change The World" featuring a barely there Kanye West and John Legend, who is easily the best part of the song.
Big Sean got nominated for a Grammy. For one of his own songs. That floored me. Not because I don't think Big Sean is talented - I've said before how I think he is due way more credit than he deserves - but that song is like "Glory" to me: a song that is much better in idea than execution. To be real, "Glory" sucks. It will probably win because if there's one rap song that white people love, it's "Glory". They've all seen Selma and they all heard it there. I don't know if it was said here or elsewhere, but "Glory" is the song you play for your white friends who hate rap that will likely make them say, "hey, this isn't that bad". Yes, it is. "One Man Can Change The World" is a step down from that. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy the song, but its because of the hook and the feel. I almost feel like if Kanye West performed it, it would have been better because at least he sounds sincere. Big Sean sounded like he said, "hey, let's make a deep song" then added the line "let's get the pretty girls thats pretty at everything". I don't even know what that means.
Complex simplicity and shit. Either way, Big Sean is now a Grammy nominated, on his own. (He received a nomination with Kanye, Pusha T, and 2 Chainz for "Mercy" in 2013.)
That was a really long intro to say that seeing Big Sean receive a Grammy nod made me want to read the REST of the nominees for all the other Black music categories since in order to nominate that song, these folks had to actually listen to the whole thing. Which means they were listening to lots of other shit. Let's talk about it.
D'Angelo is nominated for Record Of The Year, another of the big awards (Song of the Year, and Album of the year), for his song "Really Love" off of Black Messiah. That's exciting as I feel like that album never really got the full appreciation it deserved. You know what is surprising, that The Weeknd got a nomination on each of the big 3 categories. I haven't listened to that album since I don't really care for him, but is that album THAT good? I feel like I need to check it out, but I pretty much didn't like him even when y'all all told me that House of Balloons was hot. It wasn't.
I need some answers here.
Oh…this is fun: Tamar Braxton is now a Grammy nominated artist. Read that back to yourself. Tamar Braxton went from being chick we didn't know or care about to reality show darling to dropping an album that was maybe better than I thought (I did listen) to receiving a nomination for her song "If I Don't Have You", which you tell me, was that a Grammy award performance? Maybe there's hope for Teiarra Marie after all. Do you know who else is in that category? Jeremih.
Not sure if you noticed a theme here, but Jeremih is missing an "a" and The Weeknd is missing an "e". MC Eiht was a head of his time. By the way, that brutal line from "Dollaz + Sense" should always go down as one of the best disses of all time in the history of ever.
Back to Jeremih, an artist who I'm pretty sure has not once in his life said, "I'm sure this song will net me a Grammy nod" now has one for "Planes" featuring lightskinned Jermaine. This song also contains the line "tell my bitch to let her hair out…" R&B is the shiznit. In that same category is Hiatus Kaiyote, which is one of those groups I'm sure the committee struggled with categorizing, but is one of the most awesomest groups, especially live. Good gracious. Andra Day is also nominated here and if she won I'd be excited.
Point is, this one interesting ass category. It's almost like five different people got to toss a song into the mix and they all listen to different music, except that one person who doesn't listen to R&B and said, hey, The Weeknd is up for album of the year, toss him in there.
Speaking of Lightskinned Jermaine, he is up for his third and fourth nominations with his song "Apparently" for best rap performance which is competing against "Trap Queen" amongst others (including Kendrick's "Alright"). If there is any justice in the world, Fetty Wap would win the Grammy award, he's up for two. I can't lie, I would be a happy person. Also, "Back To Back" got nominated as well. A random diss track made the list. Meanwhile, Rick Ross is trying to fight Meek's battles for him. I wonder if Meek will accompany Nicki to the Grammy's and have to step between Drake and Meek if Drake wins and clowns Meek from the stage. Again, I hope "Trap Queen" wins so the kids don't have to see this.
Panama loves the kids.
That's all I have for now.
I really just wanted to use 1,200 words to say that I hope "Trap Queen" wins a Grammy.
You're welcome.