Wow, I can’t believe I watched the whole Grammy Awards (Does it count if you work on the computer AND sorta watch when you hear something good?). One thing I sure the Hip-Hop world will be talking about is the performance of “Swagga Like Us” by T.I., Wayne, Jay-Z, & Kanye (The song also won “Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group”). No matter what you feelings about these rappers, it’s hard to deny that these four are the premier MC’s in the game. King Jerm said a VERY pregnant M.I.A. went the hardest and stole the show (He might be right). I also thought it was weird that this awards show had each rappers performing twice each: Jay-Z with Coldplay, Kanye with Estelle, T.I. with Justin Timberlake, & Lil’ Wayne with Robin Thicke. Not saying that was a problem; just an observation.
Saule Wright told me that Wayne was a lock for “Album of the Year”. Even though Weezy didn’t when that award, he did pick up 4 Grammy’s (Including “Rap Album Of The Year”). Ne-Yo, Alicia Keys, Mary J. Blige, & Al Green also picked up awards. Nas…well, you really didn’t expect them to give him an award for “N.I.G.G.E.R. (The Slave & The Master)” did you?
Check out the “full” listing of Grammy Winners as well as the “Swagga Like Us” perfromance.
51st Grammy Award Winners
Album of the Year
WINNER: Robert Plant and Alison Krauss – Raising Sand
· Coldplay – Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends
· Lil’ Wayne – Tha Carter III
· Ne-Yo – Year of the Gentleman
· Radiohead – In Rainbows
Record of the Year
WINNER: Robert Plant and Alison Krauss – “Please Read the Letter”
· Adele – “Chasing Pavements”
· Coldplay – “Viva la Vida”
· Leona Lewis – “Bleeding Love”
· M.I.A. – “Paper Planes”
Song of the Year
WINNER: Coldplay – “Viva la Vida”
· Estelle (featuring Kanye West) – “American Boy”
· Adele – “Chasing Pavements”
· Jason Mraz – “I’m Yours”
· Sara Bareilles – “Love Song”
Best New Artist
WINNER: Adele
· Duffy
· Jonas Brothers
· Lady Antebellum
· Jazmine Sullivan
Best Female Pop Vocal Performance
WINNER: Adele – “Chasing Pavements”
· Sara Bareilles – “Love Song”
· Duffy – “Mercy”
· Leona Lewis – “Bleeding Love”
· Katy Perry – “I Kissed a Girl”
· Pink – “So What”
Best Male Pop Vocal Performance
WINNER: John Mayer – “Say”
· Kid Rock – “All Summer Long”
· Paul McCartney – “That Was Me”
· Jason Mraz – “I’m Yours”
· Ne-Yo – “Closer”
· James Taylor – “Wichita Lineman”
Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group With Vocals
WINNER: Coldplay – “Viva la Vida”
· The Eagles – “Waiting in the Weeds”
· Gnarls Barkley – “Going On”
· Maroon 5 – “Won’t Go Home Without You”
· OneRepublic – “Apologize”
Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals
WINNER: Robert Plant & Alison Krauss – “Rich Woman”
· Alicia Keys & John Mayer – “Lesson Learned”
· Madonna, Justin Timberlake & Timbaland – “4 Minutes”
· Rihanna & Maroon 5 – “If I Never See Your Face Again”
· Jordin Sparks & Chris Brown – “No Air”
Best Dance Recording
WINNER: “Harder Better Faster Stronger”
Daft Punk
Thomas Bangalter & Guy Manuel de Homem-Christo, producers; Thomas Bangalter & Guy Manuel de Homem-Christo, mixers
Track from: Alive 2007
· “Ready for the Floor”
Hot Chip
Hot Chip, producers; Dan Carey, mixer
Track from: Made In The Dark
· “Just Dance”
Lady Gaga & Colby O’Donis
RedOne, producer; Robert Orton, mixer
Track from: The Fame
· “Give It 2 Me”
Madonna
Madonna & The Neptunes, producers; Andrew Coleman & Spike Stent, mixers
Track from: Hard Candy
· “Disturbia”
Rihanna
Brian Kennedy, producer; Phil Tan, mixer
Track from: Good Girl Gone Bad: Reloaded
Best Female R&B Vocal Performance
WINNER: “Superwoman”
Alicia Keys
Track from: As I Am
· “Me, Myself and I”
Beyoncé
Track from: The Beyoncé Experience Live Audio
· “Heaven Sent”
Keyshia Cole
Track from: Just Like You
· “Spotlight”
Jennifer Hudson
Track from: Jennifer Hudson
· “Need U Bad”
Jazmine Sullivan
Track from: Fearless
Best Male R&B Vocal Performance
WINNER: “Miss Independent”
Ne-Yo
Track from: Year of the Gentleman
· “You’re the Only One”
Eric Benét
Track from: Love & Life
· Take You Down”
Chris Brown
Track from: Exclusive
· “Can’t Help But Wait”
Trey Songz
Track from: Trey Day
· “Here I Stand”
Usher
Track from: Here I Stand
Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group With Vocals
WINNER: “Stay With Me (By the Sea)”
Al Green (featuring John Legend)
Track from: Lay It Down
· “Ribbon in the Sky”
Boyz II Men
Track from: A Journey Through Hitsville USA
· “Words”
Anthony David (featuring India.Arie)
Track from: Acey Duecy
· “I’m His Only Woman”
Jennifer Hudson (featuring Fantasia)
Track from: Jennifer Hudson
· “Never Give You Up”
Raphael Saadiq (featuring Stevie Wonder & CJ Hilton)
Track from: The Way I See It
Best Urban/Alternative Performance
WINNER: “Be OK”
Chrisette Michele (featuring will.i.am)
Track from: I Am
· “Say Goodbye To Love”
Kenna
Track from: Make Sure They See My Face
· “That’s the Way of the World”
Dwele
Track from: Interpretations: Celebrating the Music of Earth, Wind & Fire
· “Wanna Be”
Maiysha
Track from: This Much Is True
· “Many Moons”
Janelle Monae
Track from: Metropolis: The Chase Suite (Special Edition)
· “Lovin’ You (Music)”
Wayna (featuring Kokayi)
Track from: Higher Ground
Best R&B Song
WINNER: “Miss Independent”
Mikkel S. Eriksen, T.E. Hermansen & S. Smith, songwriters (Ne-Yo)
Track from: Year of the Gentleman
· “Bust Your Windows”
Salaam Remi & Jazmine Sullivan, songwriters (Deandre Way, Jazmine Sullivan)
Track from: Fearless
· “Customer”
I. Barias, Raheem DeVaughn, C. Haggins, K. Oliver & Johnnie Smith, songwriters (Raheem DeVaughn)
Track from: Love Behind The Melody
· “Heaven Sent”
Keyshia Cole, Jason Farmer & Alex Francis, songwriters (Keyshia Cole)
Track from: Just Like You
· “Spotlight”
Mikkel S. Eriksen, Tor Erik Hermansen & Shaffer Smith, songwriters (Jennifer Hudson)
Track from: Jennifer Hudson
Best R&B Album
WINNER: Jennifer Hudson
Jennifer Hudson
· Love & Life
Eric Benét
· Motown: A Journey Through Hitsville USA
Boyz II Men
· Lay It Down
Al Green
· The Way I See It
Raphael Saadiq
Best Contemporary R&B Album
WINNER: Growing Pains
Mary J. Blige
· Back Of My Lac’
J. Holiday
· First Love
Karina
· Year of the Gentleman
Ne-Yo
· Fearless
Jazmine Sullivan
Best Rap Solo Performance
WINNER: “A Milli”
Lil Wayne
Track from: Tha Carter III
· “Roc Boys (And the Winner Is)…”
Jay-Z
Track from: American Gangster
· “Paris, Tokyo”
Lupe Fiasco
Track from: The Cool
· “N.i.*.*.e.r. (The Slave and the Master)”
Nas
Track from: Untitled
· “Sexual Eruption”
Snoop Dogg
Track from: Ego Trippin’
Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group
WINNER: “Swagga Like Us”
Jay-z & T.I. (Kanye West & Lil Wayne)
· “Royal Flush”
Big Boi (featuring Raekwon And Andre 3000)
· “Mr. Carter”
Lil Wayne (featuring Jay-Z)
· “Wish You Would”
Ludacris (featuring T.I.)
Best Rap/Sung Collaboration
WINNER: “American Boy”
Estelle (featuring Kanye West)
Track from: Shine
· “Low”
Flo Rida (featuring T-Pain)
Track from: Mail On Sunday
· “Green Light”
John Legend (featuring Andre 3000)
Track from: Evolver
· “Got Money”
Lil Wayne (featuring T-Pain)
Track from: Tha Carter III
· “Superstar”
Lupe Fiasco (featuring Matthew Santos)
Track from: The Cool
Best Rap Song
WINNER: “Lollipop”
D. Carter, S. Garrett, D. Harrison, J. Scheffer & R. Zamor, songwriters (Lil Wayne Featuring Static Major)
Track from: Tha Carter III
· “Low”
Tramar Dillard, M. Humphrey, Faheem Najm, Korey Roberson & Howard Simmons, songwriters (Flo Rida Featuring T-Pain)
Track from: Mail On Sunday
· “Sexual Eruption”
Calvin Broadus, S. Lovejoy & D. Stewart, songwriters (Snoop Dogg)
Track from: Ego Trippin’
· “Superstar”
Lupe Fiasco & Soundtrakk, songwriters (Lupe Fiasco Featuring Matthew Santos)
Track from: The Cool
· “Swagga Like Us”
Jeff Bhaskev, D. Carter, S. Carter, Clifford Harris, Plain Pat & Kanye West, songwriters (M. Arulpragasam, N. Headon, M. Jones, J. Mellor, T. Pentz & P. Simonon, songwriters) (Jay-Z & T.I. Featuring Kanye West & Lil Wayne)
Track from: Paper Trail
Best Rap Album
WINNER: Tha Carter III
Lil Wayne
· American Gangster
Jay-Z
· The Cool
Lupe Fiasco
· Untitled
Nas
· Paper Trail
T.I.