The 2018 Grammy nominations reminded us once again of the power of R&B and hip-hop has over American music. With a strong dose of the genres in the “Album of Year” and “Record of the Year” categories, it’s easy to declare that the Grammys finally got it right this year.
But we can’t ignore the acclaimed songs and projects that were left to the wayside. Mary J. Blige’s Strength of a Woman went overlooked, despite the topsy twisty turns of love heard on the painfully honest “Thick of It.”
Vince Staples’ is a fave for his blunt views on life, but his sophomore offering Big Fish Theory didn’t get any love from the recording academy.
There was also a hunt for a nominations in the Rap category for A Tribe Called Quest and their final album, We Got In From Here…Thank You 4 Your Service as well as DJ Khaled’s handful of hits this year like “Wild Thoughts” (feat. Rihanna and Bryson Tiller) and “The One” (feat. Justin Bieber, Quavo, Chance the Rapper and Lil Wayne).
We took another look at categories and added some of our faves from this year.
Check out the suggestions below.
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GENERAL Field
Record Of The Year:
“XO Tour Life” – Lil Uzi Vert
“New Rules” – Dua Lipa
Best New Artist
Jessie Reyez
Brockhampton
POP FIELD
Best Pop Solo Performance:
“Sign Of The Times” – Harry Styles
“New Rules”- Dua Lipa
“Love”- Lana Del Raey
Best Pop Duo/Group Performance
“Mi Gente” (Remix) – J. Balvin, Willy William and Beyonce
“The One” – DJ Khaled, Chance The Rapper, Justin Bieber, Quavo
“Havana” – Camila Cabello, Young Thug
Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album:
Dua Lipa, Dua Lipa
Best Pop Vocal Album:
David Bowie, No Plan
The Knocks, Testify
R&B FIELD
Best R&B Performance:
“Show You the Way”- Thundercat (featuring Michael McDonald and Kenny Loggins)
“Blind” – Tamar Braxton
Best Traditional R&B Performance
“Bambi” – Jidenna
“Thick Of It” – Mary J. Blige
“Incapable” – Keyshia Cole
Best R&B Song
“Dark Red”- Steve Lacy
“Too Much, Too Late” – Sabrina Claudio
“WiFi” – D.R.A.M. (featuring Erykah Badu)
Best Urban Contemporary Album
Syd, Fin
Sampha, Process
Jidenna, The Chief
Nav, Nav
Best R&B Album
Kehlani, Sweet SexySavage
Thundercat, Drunk
John Legend, Darkness & Light
Keke Wyatt, Keke Covers
RAP FIELD
Best Rap Performance
“Neighbors” – J. Cole
“Rockabye Baby”- Joey Bada$$ (featuring Schoolboy Q)
“First Day Out” – Tee Grizzley
Best Rap/Sung Performance
“Selfish” – PnB Rock
“Wild Thoughts” DJ Khaled, Rihanna, Bryson Tiller
Best Rap Song
A Tribe Called Quest, “Dis Generation”
Future, “Mask Off”
Russ, “Me You”
Best Rap Album
A Tribe Called Quest, We Got In From Here…Thank You 4 Your Service
Logic, Everybody
Kid Cudi, Passion, Pain & Demon Slayin
Vince Staples, Big Fish Theory
MUSIC VIDEO/FILM FIELD
Best Music Video
Kendrick Lamar, “Element”
Blood Orange, “With Him / Best To You / Better Numb”
“That’s What I Like,” Bruno Mars