February 08, 2006 @ 11:41 pm

Kanye Wins for Best Grammy Swagger

by: Alyssa Rashbaum

Coming into the Grammy’s Kanye was confident he’d win at least one trophy, so when he took the stage to accept the award for Best Rap Album (Late Registration), the rapper whipped a large white sheet of paper with the words "Thank You List" written on the back, out of his bright white suit jacket. Kanye went on to thank Jon Brion, John Legend, Jay-Z and Common, as well as "the Academy," adding “it feels so good to be home.” The rapper also took home awards for Best Rap Solo Performance ("Gold Digger") and Best Rap Song ("Diamonds from Sierra Leone").

right Other appreciative (albeit, less arrogant) award recipients included Mariah Carey, who won three of the eight awards for which she was nominated. Carey took home awards for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance ("We Belong Together"), Best R&B Song ("We Belong Together") and Best Contemporary R&B Album (The Emancipation of Mimi).

Legend, who performed "Ordinary People" under black-and-white lighting, won for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance ("Ordinary People"), Best R&B Album (Get Lifted) and Best New Artist. Stevie Wonder nabbed two awards, one for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance for "From the Bottom of My Heart," and the other for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or a Group With Vocals with Beyonce for "So Amazing."

Hip hop, R&B and rock collided on stage this year, as the Gorillaz opened the show with Madonna and Mary J. Blige – clad in skin-tight black satin pants - joined U2 for a performance of their hit, "One." Jay-Z and Linkin Park wowed the crowd by performing the song that won them a Grammy for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration, "Numb/Encore." Jamie Foxx and Kanye brought theatrics to the stage when they sauntered up with dueling marching bands, clad in full college marching band outfits to perform "Gold Digger."

But the show-stealing performance was the star-studded tribute to Sly Stone. The stage was filled for the lengthy performance, with stars including Legend, Van Hunt, Joss Stone, Fantasia, will.i.am, and Stone himself, who wowed the crowd in a silver suit and platinum mowhawk.

Dave Chappelle did his part to shock the audience when he took the stage and mocked his disappearance. "I have the country confused," he said. "When I was a kid I told my mother I will be a star… and then I will immediately go back to Africa."

Other award-winners include Gorillaz with De La Soul, who won Best Pop Collaboration for "Feel Good Inc."; Damian Marley, who won Best Urban Alternative Performance for "Welcome to Jamrock"; Black Eyed Peas, who won Best Rap Performance for "Don’t Phunk With My Heart"; and Missy Elliott, who won Best Short Form Music Video for "Lose Control," with Ciara and Fat Man Scoop. Ray Charles won a posthumous award for Best Compilation Soundtrack Album for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media for the soundtrack to Ray.