The Grammys are just days away so that means it is time to make some predictions. I’m going to go through the general categories, some others I care about, and saying who I think will win and who I want to win. I think the Grammys did a great job with their nominations this year, so let’s get into it:
Best Rap Performance
“Bounce Back” – Big Sean
“Bodak Yellow” – Cardi B
“4:44” – Jay-Z
“HUMBLE.” – Kendrick Lamar
“Bad And Boujee” – Migos Featuring Lil Uzi Vert
These are some of the biggest singles of the year in this category and it will be interesting to see who comes out on top. I think to comes down to “Bodak Yellow,” “Bad & Boujee” and “HUMBLE.” I do kind of expect Kendrick to sweep the rap categories, but it would be nice to see the Migos get credit for the biggest hit of the year.
What I Want: “Bad And Boujee” – Migos Featuring Lil Uzi Vert
What I Think: “HUMBLE.” – Kendrick Lamar
Best Rap/Sung Performance
“PRBLMS” – 6LACK
“Crew” – Goldlink Featuring Brent Faiyaz & Shy Glizzy
“Family Feud” – Jay-Z Featuring Beyoncé
“LOYALTY.” – Kendrick Lamar Featuring Rihanna
“Love Galore” – SZA Featuring Travis Scott
This category seems so antiquated to me since pretty much every rap song these days has some sort of singing in it. It seems to usually be the “collab award” where the voters award two popular artists who made a song together. With that being the case expect the powerhouse of Kendrick and Rihanna to take this easily.
What I Want: “Crew” – Goldlink Featuring Brent Faiyaz & Shy Glizzy
What I Think: “LOYALTY.” – Kendrick Lamar Featuring Rihanna
Best Rap Song
“Bodak Yellow” – Dieuson Octave, Klenord Raphael, Shaftizm, Jordan Thorpe, Washpoppin & J White, songwriters (Cardi B)
“Chase Me” – Judah Bauer, Brian Burton, Hector Delgado, Jaime Meline, Antwan Patton, Michael Render, Russell Simins & Jon Spencer,
songwriters (Danger Mouse Featuring Run The Jewels & Big Boi)
“HUMBLE.” – Duckworth, Asheton Hogan & M. Williams II, songwriters (Kendrick Lamar)
“Sassy” – Gabouer & M. Evans, songwriters (Rapsody)
“The Story Of O.J.” – Shawn Carter & Dion Wilson, songwriters (Jay-Z)
Run the Jewels is nominated for a Grammy! That is so awesome! After making some of the best rap music in the game over the past few years they are finally getting recognized by the voters. I don’t think “Chase Me” will prevail, but it is nice to see regardless.
What I Want: “Chase Me” – Danger Mouse Featuring Run the Jewels & Big Boi
What I Think: “HUMBLE.” – Kendrick Lamar
Best Rap Album
4:44 – Jay-Z
DAMN. – Kendrick Lamar
Culture – Migos
Laila’s Wisdom – Rapsody
Flower Boy – Tyler, The Creator
I am glad that Rapsody got the nomination here. She is a much smaller artist than the others on the list, but Laila’s Wisdom was her best yet. In the end, this is another category that comes down to Jay and Kendrick, even though I would love to see Tyler take it for Flower Boy.
What I Want: Flower Boy – Tyler, the Creator
What I Think: DAMN. – Kendrick Lamar
Best Music Video:
“Up All Night” – Beck
“Makeba” – Jain
“The Story Of O.J.” – Jay-Z
“Humble.” – Kendrick Lamar
“1-800-273-8255” – Logic Featuring Alessia Cara & Khalid
“The Story of OJ,” deserves this award so bad. The beautiful animated style makes for one of the best music videos in recent memory, and I really can’t see anything else beating it. Even though “HUMBLE.,” is one of the best rap videos in recent memory.
What I Want: “The Story of OJ” – Jay-Z
What I Think: “The Story of OJ” – Jay-Z
Producer of the Year, Non-Classical:
Calvin Harris
Greg Kurstin
Blake Mills
No I.D.
The Stereotypes
This is an interesting category this year. Producer of the Year has had a lot of whiffs in the past, someone like Metro Boomin’ has never even been nominated, but this year any of these producers. They could keep it safe and pick Kurstin who just won last year, but I would like to see someone like No I.D. take it. He has been such a big influence in the rap industry that I think he deserves this one.
What I Want: No I.D.
What I Think: The Sterotypes
Best New Artist:
Alessia Cara
Khalid
Lil Uzi Vert
Julia Michaels
SZA
I still don’t understand how Best New Artist works, to be honest. I feel like these artists have been around forever, but regardless there is some talent here. I would like to see SZA or Khalid take it, but more than likely it will be Alessia Cara.
What I Want: SZA
What I Think: Alessia Cara
Song Of The Year:
“Despacito” — Ramón Ayala, Justin Bieber, Jason “Poo Bear” Boyd, Erika Ender, Luis Fonsi & Marty James Garton, songwriters (Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee Featuring Justin Bieber)
“4:44” — Shawn Carter & Dion Wilson, songwriters (Jay-Z)
“Issues” — Benny Blanco, Mikkel Storleer Eriksen, Tor Erik Hermansen, Julia Michaels & Justin Drew Tranter, songwriters (Julia Michaels)
“1-800-273-8255” — Alessia Caracciolo, Sir Robert Bryson Hall II, Arjun Ivatury & Khalid Robinson, songwriters (Logic Featuring Alessia Cara & Khalid)
“That’s What I Like” — Christopher Brody Brown, James Fauntleroy, Philip Lawrence, Bruno Mars, Ray Charles McCullough II, Jeremy Reeves, Ray Romulus & Jonathan Yip, songwriters (Bruno Mars)
Song of the Year is supposed to recognize the best songwriting of the year, and no song on this list is better written than “4:44.” It showed us a side of Jay Z, and his relationship, we never heard him talk about before. Jay speaks on the track with no filter, and he weaves such a great story, keeping the listener engrossed from start to finish.
What I Want: “4:44” – Jay-Z
What I Think: “4:44” – Jay-Z
Record of the Year
“Redbone” – Childish Gambino
“Despacito” – Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee Featuring Justin Bieber
“The Story Of O.J.” – Jay-Z
“HUMBLE.” – Kendrick Lamar
“24K Magic” – Bruno Mars
This category is pretty stacked. I can see every song winning expect for “The Story of OJ,” just because that isn’t usually the type of song that wins in this category. In the end I think it comes between “HUMBLE.” and “Despacito,” and I pray we don’t have to see someone named Daddy Yankee win a Grammy.
What I Want: “HUMBLE.” – Kendrick Lamar
What I Think: “Despacito” – Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee Featuring Justin Bieber
Album Of The Year:
“Awaken, My Love!” – Childish Gambino
4:44 – Jay-Z
DAMN. – Kendrick Lamar
Melodrama – Lorde
24K Magic – Bruno Mars
Alright, this is the big one. After Adele winning the award last year for 25 many were upset that Beyonce’s Lemonade didn’t take the award. This year I think people will be a little more pleased.
I was surprised Childish Gambino was nominated, but I am happy for him. Awaken, My Love was a fresh, surprising take for him, and I’m happy the risk paid off.
Besides that Kendrick taking it would be nice after he got robbed in 2016 by Taylor Swift. Jay Z winning would also be warranted however since 4:44 is so good. However watch out for Lorde and Bruno Mars here since their records have more pop appeal.
What I Want: Jay-Z – 4:44
What I Think: Kendrick Lamar – DAMN.
Sean McCole 