Winning a Grammy award is not always synonymous with being the best of the bunch, but it's still the most revered music recognition on earth.
Kanye West led the pack last year. In his absence, who will walk home with the most hip-hop Grammys this year?
T.I. looks favorable. Remember his comments when he was nominated twice in 2006? "I don't really care about winning or losing. I plan on coming back next year and really cleaning house." And, boy did he come back strong or what? King became the first rap album to hit the platinum mark and eventually became the best-selling rap album of 2006. Plus, the album stands strong in its own rights.
Rookies Chamillionaire and Lupe Fiasco also look poised for the upset this year.
Let's find out who's taking home gramophones this year?Best Rap Solo Performance:
Missy Elliott is traditionally a Grammy favorite, but "We Run This" barely generated any buzz last year. Mos Def doesn't stand a chance here either. This one's a toss-up between T.I. and Lupe Fiasco. Busta Rhymes has had soome major visibility lately, but "Touch It" lost its momentum in a swoosh. Besides, I wonder if the Grammy people will feel comfortable rewarding a song that was indirectly tied to the killing of Busta's bodyguard. I'm leaning with "What You Know" because it's a certified favorite across all boards.Winning Pick: "What You Know," T.I.
Runner-Up: "Kick, Push," Lupe Fiasco
Best Rap Song:
This is the toughest hip-hop category. "It's Goin' Down" seems like the clear favorite among NARAS (National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences) voters in this category. Despite being one of the worst songs of 2006 (from an artistic standpoint), it was well-received and helped propel Joc to the top of the charts. Then again, Chamillionaire's "Ridin'" had just as much visibility on the charts. T.I. is also a strong contender here, and he has a better chance of winning than any other rapper nominated this year. But, Chamillionaire impressed enough industry people to receive several prestigious awards last year--BET Hip-Hop Awards, Video Music Awards, etc.Winning Pick: "Ridin'," Chamillionaire
Runner-Up: "It's Goin' Down," Yung Joc / "What You Know," T.I.
Best Rap/Sung Collaboration:
Eminem & Akon have the upper hand here. It also helps that Em, a Grammy darling, is nominated twice in this category. Plus, "Smack That" shattered Billboard records when it flew from No. 95 to No. 7 on the Hot 100 chart in October. Not so fast though, T.I.'s collabo with Justin Timberlake ("My Love") has enough cross-genre charm to play for the throne. I can't say the same about Eminem's second nod for "Shake That," which is possibly the worst song he's ever made. Jay-Z won this category (with Linkin' Park) last year, but for a much more scintillating track. I'm going with JT & T.I here. But you never know, the Grammys will probably get a thrill out of seeing 'Jayonce' give an acceptance speech together.Winning Pick: Justin Timberlake feat. T.I. - "My Love"
Runner-up: Akon feat. Eminem - "Smack That"
Best Rap Performance By A Duo Or Group:
Question: Which rap song was heard booming from an ABC reporter's cell phone at a recent White House briefing? Aha! That's our potential winner. It also helps that "Ridin'" is now one of the highest-selling ring tones ever.Winning Pick: Chamillionaire ft Krayzie Bone - "Ridin'"
Runner-up: The Roots - "Don't Feel Right"
Best Rap Album:
Get rid of In My Mind and you're left with a relatively competitive category. Game Theory managed to capture a period of political turmoil without being too preachy. It's my personal favorite, but I don't see it winning in a category that also includes T.I. and Ludacris. Fishscale was a favorite among music tastemakers last year, but the Grammy people have never heard of Ghostface Killah. King will lock this one, with Lupe Fiasco's Food & Liquor the possible upset.Winning Pick: T.I. - King
Runner-up: The Roots - Game Theory / Lupe Fiasco - Lupe Fiasco's Food & Liquor
The Grammys will take place this Sunday (February 11) at L.A.’s Staples Center.
