Rap star Kendrick Lamar leads Grammy nominations with 8

NEW YORK - The soundtrack of Marvel's "Black Panther" propelled rap superstar Kendrick Lamar to the front of this year's Grammy pack with eight nominations, closely followed by fellow rapper Drake who scored seven.

Women performers also achieved far greater presence in the 2019 edition of the top music awards, with Cardi B, Lady Gaga and folk-rock singer Brandi Carlile all nabbing nominations across the top categories.

As with last year, hip-hop dominated across the board -- though in 2018, the Recording Academy fell under sharp criticism after rap mogul Jay-Z left empty-handed and Lamar was shut out of the general categories.

Thanks to the hit "Black Panther" film Lamar -- whose album "DAMN" won the Pulitzer Prize for music this year -- once again has a chance to win the coveted Album of the Year prize after three prior losses.

His song "All the Stars" is also in the running for both Record of the Year and Song of the Year.

He'll face competition at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, from fellow rappers Drake, Cardi B and Childish Gambino -- as well as Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper, who snared nominations in both of those top categories for their hit "Shallow" from the film "A Star is Born."

Six of the 2019 nominees for Best New Artist are women, whose presence in the top categories marked a sharp departure from the previous gala, which saw women snubbed in the major prizes.

After that show the academy expanded the four big categories from five nominees to eight, while also creating a diversity task force responding to criticism that the show was consistently too male and too white.

After leading nominations last year, however, Jay-Z and his pop queen wife Beyonce were left out of the top categories despite acclaim for their joint project "Everything is Love."

The Carters did get two nominations for R&B and best music video, while perennial favorite Taylor Swift earned just one nomination for best pop vocal album.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Hip-hop rules at Grammys show, Adele falls flat

Hip-hop ruled the Grammys stage on Monday in performances that put racial tension back in the national spotlight and where some of music's biggest stars failed to deliver, or in the case of Rihanna, failed to show up at all.

Kendrick Lamar's "To Pimp a Butterfly" lost out on the coveted album of the year. But it was his passionate, politically charged performance of "The Blacker the Berry" and "Alright," featuring chained black men in a prison, and African tribal dancers, that quickly stole the show.

"I'm African-American, I'm African, I'm black as the moon, heritage of a small village, pardon my residence, came from the bottom of mankind," rapped Lamar, 28, who hails from Compton, California, the birthplace of hip-hop.

Lamar's performance ended with a backdrop of a large map of Africa with the name Compton written across it.

National Public Radio's Eric Deggans called it "A performance that woke up a sleepy #Grammys" and entertainment website E! Online tweeted that "Kendrick Lamar just SHUT. IT. DOWN. at the Grammys."

Lamar wasn't the only rapper making waves.

Broadway's sold-out musical "Hamilton" which mixes rap, jazz, ballads and casts black and Latino actors as the U.S. founding fathers, performed live from New York. The show won the best musical theater album award and its creator, Lin Manuel-Miranda, delivered his acceptance speech in rap.

"Kendrick then Lin Manuel serving nonstop back to back black and brown genius," tweeted Daniel Jose Older.

Going into the Grammys, all eyes had been on Adele, who was returning to music's biggest night after a four-year absence and following the blockbuster success of her new album "25."

But the British singer's delivery of ballad "All I Ask," was marred by sound issues and uncharacteristic flat notes that dismayed many fans.

"The piano mics fell on to the piano strings, that's what the guitar sound was. It made it sound out of tune. Shit happens. X," Adele tweeted in response.

Instead, it was Lady Gaga who brought the audience at the Staples Center in Los Angeles to its feet with a psychedelic tribute to David Bowie, who died in January.

Rihanna pulled out at the last minute with bronchitis, disappointing fans watching at home who complained the 2016 Grammys lacked star power.

"But can we really blame Rihanna? If I was at the Grammys I would've left too," Twitter user Sophia commented.

Beyonce later made the briefest of appearances to present an award at the end of the 3-1/2-hour show, but did not perform.



Winner's list

Here's a look at the winners at this year's Grammy Awards.

ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Taylor Swift, 1989

RECORD OF THE YEAR
Mark Ronson & Bruno Mars, "Uptown Funk"

SONG OF THE YEAR
Ed Sheeran, "Thinking Out Loud"

BEST NEW ARTIST
Meghan Trainor

BEST ROCK PERFORMANCE
Alabama Shakes, "Don't Wanna Fight"

BEST COUNTRY ALBUM
Chris Stapleton, Traveller

BEST RAP ALBUM
Kendrick Lamar, To Pimp a Butterfly

BEST MUSICAL THEATRE ALBUM
Hamilton

BEST POP VOCAL ALBUM
Taylor Swift, 1989

BEST INSTRUMENTAL COMPOSITION
Arturo O'Farrill, The Afro Latin Jazz Suite

BEST ARRANGEMENT, INSTRUMENTAL OR A CAPPELLA
"Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy"

BEST ARRANGEMENT, INSTRUMENTS AND VOCALS
Maria Schneider, "Sue (Or In A Season Of Crime)"

BEST RECORDING PACKAGE
Still The King: Celebrating The Music Of Bob Wills And His Texas Playboys

BEST ALBUM NOTES
Joni Mitchell, 'Love Has Many Faces: A Quartet, A Ballet, Waiting To Be Danced'

BEST BOXED OR SPECIAL LIMITED EDITION PACKAGE
The Rise & Fall Of Paramount Records, Volume Two (1928-32)

BEST HISTORICAL ALBUM
The Basement Tapes Complete: The Bootleg Series Vol. 11

BEST ENGINEERED ALBUM, NON-CLASSICAL
Shawn Everett, Bob Ludwig, Sound & Color

BEST REMIXED RECORDING, NON-CLASSICAL
Dave Audé, "Uptown Funk (Dave Audé Remix)"

BEST SURROUND SOUND ALBUM
James Guthrie, Joel Plante, Amused To Death

BEST CONTEMPORARY INSTRUMENTAL ALBUM
Snarky Puppy, Metropole Orkest, Sylva

BEST NEW AGE ALBUM
Paul Avgerinos, Grace

BEST IMPROVISED JAZZ SOLO
Christian McBride, "Cherokee"

BEST JAZZ VOCAL ALBUM
Cecile McLorin Salvent, For One To Love

BEST JAZZ INSTRUMENTAL ALBUM
John Scofield, Past Present

BEST LARGE JAZZ ENSEMBLE ALBUM
Maria Schneider Orchestra, The Thompson Fields

BEST LATIN JAZZ ALBUM
Eliane Elias, Made In Brazil

BEST REGGAE ALBUM
Morgan Heritage, Strictly Roots

BEST WORLD MUSIC ALBUM
Angelique Kidjo, Sings

BEST CHILDREN'S ALBUM
Tim Kubart, Home

BEST SPOKEN WORD ALBUM
Jimmy Carter, A Full Life: Reflections at Ninety

BEST COMEDY ALBUM
Louis CK, Live At Madison Square Garden

BEST LATIN POP ALBUM
Ricky Martin, A Quien Quiera Escuchar (Deluxe Edition)

BEST REGIONAL MEXICAN MUSIC ALBUM
Los Tigres Del Norte, Realidades - Deluxe Edition

BEST TROPICAL LATIN ALBUM
Ruben Blades with Roberto Delgado & Orchestra, Son De Panamá

BEST AMERICAN ROOTS PERFORMANCE
Mavis Staples, See That My Grave Is Kept Clean'

BEST AMERICAN ROOTS SONG
Jason Isbell,"24 Frames"

BEST AMERICANA ALBUM
Jason Isbell, Something More Than Free

BEST BLUEGRASS ALBUM
The SteelDrivers, The Muscle Shoals Recordings

BEST BLUES ALBUM
Buddy Guy, Born To Play Guitar

BEST REGIONAL ROOTS MUSIC ALBUM
Jon Cleary, Go Go Juice

PRODUCER OF THE YEAR, CLASSICAL
Judith Sherman

BEST OPERA RECORDING
Seiji Ozawa, Isabel Leonard, Dominic Fyfe, "Ravel: L'Enfant Et Les Sortilèges; Shéhérazade"

BEST CHORAL PERFORMANCE
Charles Bruffy, Phoenix Chorale, Kansas City Chorale, "Rachmaninoff: All-Night Vigil"

BEST CHAMBER MUSIC/SMALL ENSEMBLE PERFORMANCE
Eighth Blackbird, "Filament"

BEST CLASSICAL INSTRUMENTAL SOLO
Augustin Hadelich, Ludovic Morlot, "Dutilleux: Violin Concerto, L'Arbre Des Songes"

BEST CLASSICAL SOLO VOCAL ALBUM
Joyce DiDonato, Antonio Pappano, Joyce & Tony - Live From Wigmore Hall

BEST CONTEMPORARY CLASSICAL COMPOSITION
Stephen Paulus, "Paulus: Prayers & Remembrances"

BEST CLASSICAL SOLO VOCAL ALBUM
Joyce DiDonato, Antonio Pappano, Joyce & Tony - Live From Wigmore Hall

BEST COMPILATION SOUNDTRACK FOR VISUAL MEDIA
Glen Campbell, Glen Campbell: I'll Be Me

BEST SCORE SOUNDTRACK FOR VISUAL MEDIA
Antonio Sanchez, Birdman

BEST SONG WRITTEN FOR VISUAL MEDIA
Common, Rhymefest, John Legend, "Glory"

BEST MUSIC VIDEO
Taylor Swift, Kendrick Lamar, "Bad Blood"

BEST MUSIC FILM
Amy

BEST GOSPEL PERFORMANCE/SONG
Kirk Franklin, "Wanna Be Happy?"

BEST CONTEMPORARY CHRISTIAN MUSIC PERFORMANCE/SONG
Francesca Battistelli, "Holy Spirit"

BEST GOSPEL ALBUM
Israel and Newbreed, Covered: Alive In Asia [Live]

BEST CONTEMPORARY CHRISTIAN MUSIC ALBUM
Toby Mac, This Is Not A Test

BEST COUNTRY SOLO PERFORMANCE
Chris Stapleton, Traveller

BEST COUNTRY DUO/GROUP PERFORMANCE
Little Big Town, "Girl Crush"

BEST COUNTRY SOLO PERFORMANCE
Chris Stapleton, Traveller

BEST COUNTRY DUO/GROUP PERFORMANCE
Little Big Town, "Girl Crush"

BEST COUNTRY SONG
Hillary Lindsey, Lori McKenna, Liz Rose, "Girl Crush"

BEST DANCE RECORDING
Skrillex, Diplo and Justin Bieber - "Where Are Ü Now"

BEST DANCE/ELECTRONIC ALBUM
Skrillex and Diplo, Skrillex And Diplo Present Jack Ü

BEST R&B PERFORMANCE
The Weeknd - "Earned It (Fifty Shades Of Grey)"

BEST TRADITIONAL R&B PERFORMANCE
Lalah Hathaway, "Little Ghetto Boy"

BEST R&B SONG
D'Angelo, Kendra Foster, "Really Love"

BEST URBAN CONTEMPORARY ALBUM
The Weeknd, Beauty Behind The Madness

BEST R&B ALBUM
D'Angelo, Black Messiah

BEST METAL PERFORMANCE
Ghost, "Cirice"

BEST ROCK SONG
Alabama Shakes, "Don't Wanna Fight"

BEST ROCK ALBUM
Muse, Drones

BEST ALTERNATIVE MUSIC ALBUM
Alabama Shakes, Sound & Color

BEST RAP PERFORMANCE
Kendrick Lamar, "Alright"

BEST RAP/SUNG COLLECTION:
Kendrick Lamar featuring Bilal, Anna Wise, Thundercat, "These Walls"

BEST RAP SONG
Kendrick Lamar, Kawan Prather, Sounwave, Pharrell Williams, "Alright"

BEST POP SOLO PERFORMANCE
Ed Sheeran, "Thinking Out Loud"

BEST POP DUO/GROUP PERFORMANCE
Mark Ronson featuring Bruno Mars,"Uptown Funk"

BEST TRADITIONAL POP VOCAL ALBUM
Tony Bennett, Bill Charlap, The Silver Lining: The Songs Of Jerome Kern

PRODUCER OF THE YEAR, NON-CLASSICAL
Jeff Bhasker

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Kendrick Lamar, Taylor Swift favorites at Grammys

LOS ANGELES -- Socially conscious rapper Kendrick Lamar leads nominations going into the Grammy Awards on Monday but he faces tough competition led by pop superstar Taylor Swift.

A diverse array of artists is in contention at the music industry's premier awards ceremony, an action-packed evening that will feature performances by leading stars and tributes to deceased legends.

Nominees for Album of the Year, the most prestigious award, include Lamar's experimental rap opus "To Pimp a Butterfly" and Swift's pop blockbuster "1989."

Other albums in contention are "Sound and Color" by acclaimed bluesy indie rockers Alabama Shakes, rising Canadian R&B star The Weeknd's "Beauty Behind the Madness" and Chris Stapleton's "Traveller," the first solo album by a long behind-the-scenes country songwriter which he released at age 37.

Lamar is nominated in 11 Grammys, the most for any artist in a single night except Michael Jackson in the era of "Thriller," the top-selling album of all time.

"To Pimp a Butterfly" breaks free from commercial formulas by running for nearly 80 minutes with a jazz backdrop and lengthy interludes of spoken word.

Much of the album is a rumination on the state of US race relations, with "Alright" -- nominated for Song of the Year -- an unofficial anthem of the Black Lives Matter movement against police brutality.

Lamar's hometown of Compton, the notoriously rough Los Angeles County city that gave birth to gangsta rap, on Saturday presented the 28-year-old rapper with an honorary key.

"Through all the pain and hardship -- losing family members, losing homeboys -- for some reason we always still love Compton because we have faith," he told students who danced to his songs.

Swift in top categories

The gala, which will be broadcast live from Los Angeles, will notably include a performance by British ballad singer Adele, whose record-shattering album "25" came out too late for this year's Grammys.

Lady Gaga will honor late rock icon David Bowie in a "multisensory" show designed with chip-maker Intel that Grammy producers have billed as one of the awards' most ambitious ever.

While Lamar leads in nominations, many pundits are betting on a successful night for Swift, whose "1989" was by far the top-selling album in the qualifying period.

"1989" marked the full metamorphosis of the teenage country prodigy into pop, with production by the Swedish hit machine Max Martin.

Swift, 26, also made waves in the rapidly evolving music industry by becoming the pre-eminent critic of leading streaming site Spotify, objecting to its free tier.

Singles on "1989" include "Blank Space," a dark pop song that plays on gossip about Swift's dating life and whose video, in which the star brawls in a castle, is the second most watched clip ever on YouTube.

"Blank Space" is nominated both for Record of the Year, which recognizes singles, and Song of the Year, which awards songwriters.

Also in the running in both categories is English singer Ed Sheeran's "Thinking Out Loud," a love ballad backed by acoustic guitar that has quickly become a favorite at weddings.

But a leading contender for Record of the Year is "Uptown Funk," the breakthrough single by veteran British producer Mark Ronson with vocals by Bruno Mars.

The instantly danceable song, which is reminiscent of the funky Minneapolis Sound popularized by Prince in the 1980s, spent 14 weeks at the top of the US singles chart, tying for second place on the all-time list.

Rising fame for The Weeknd
Swift and The Weeknd each have seven nominations, tying for second place after Lamar.

The Weeknd, whose real name is Abel Tesfaye and was born in Toronto to Ethiopian immigrants, has enjoyed a rapid career rise since his start uploading songs on the Internet in near anonymity in 2010.

The 25-year-old, whose falsetto voice and pop R&B sound have invited comparisons to Michael Jackson, is nominated for Record of the Year for chart-topping single "Can't Feel My Face."

Stephan Moccio, a producer who co-wrote several songs on the album, "Beauty Behind the Madness," said he was hopeful for The Weeknd's prospects but also praised Lamar and Alabama Shakes.

"Obviously I'm excited for The Weeknd. I'm also hugely excited for Kendrick Lamar and what his album means to us for the cultural value," he told AFP.

"You can't really say one is better than the other. They are all different and they all deserve to win," he said.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com