Hip Hop and R&B
Best R&B Performance
Tamar Braxton, “If I Don’t Have You”
Andra Day, “Rise Up”
Hiatus Kayote, “Breathing Underwater”
Jeremih feat. J. Cole, “Planes”
The Weeknd, “Earned It (Fifty Shades of Grey)”
No Miguel here, and no way The Weeknd is winning for a song weaker than “Can’t Feel My Face,” so I think this is Tamar Braxton’s award to lose
PREDICTION: Tamar Braxton, “If I Don’t Have You”
Best Traditional R&B Performance
Faith Evans, “He Is”
Lalah Hathaway, “Little Ghetto Boy”
Jazmine Sullivan, “Let It Burn”
Tyrese, “Shame”
Charlie Wilson, “My Favorite Part of You”
I don’t know much about Traditional R&B, and the term (what is the definition of “traditional” here, exactly) seems nebulous, but I think Jazmine Sullivan might win here.
PREDICTION: Jazmine Sullivan, “Let It Burn”
Best R&B Song
Miguel, “Coffee”
The Weeknd, “Earned It (Fifty Shades of Grey)”
Jazmine Sullivan, “Let It Burn”
D’Angelo & The Vanguard, “Really Love”
Tyrese, “Shame”
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While D’Angelo and Jazmine Sullivan are strong nominees in this songwriting award, Miguel’s swirling and acclaimed “Coffee” is the song I’m picking to win here, largely because it got snubbed in performance, “FourFiveSeconds” is also absent here and because I think the Grammys might be saving album for D’Angelo.
PREDICTION: Miguel, “Coffee”
Best R&B Album
Leon Bridges, Coming Home
D’Angelo & The Vanguard, Black Messiah
Andra Day, Cheers to the Fall
Jazmine Sullivan, Reality Show
Charlie Wilson, Forever Charlie
While Leon Bridges (who should have had a shot at Best New Artist) and Jazmine Sullivan put up fair fights, this award can only go to D’Angelo and it will be one of the biggest shocks of the night if he comes up empty here, especially after the Album of the Year snub. Consider this one of the best bets of the whole lot
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PREDICTION: D’Angelo & The Vanguard, Black Messiah
Best Urban Contemporary Album
The Internet, Ego Death
Kehlani, You Should Be Here
Lianne Le Havas, Blood
Miguel, Wildheart
The Weeknd, Beauty Behind the Madness
Like its sister category Best Alternative Album, I’m guessing that the win here will go to the wrong album, and I sure hope I’m incorrect here. Miguel’s Wildheart is the strongest album here and one of the best albums of the year. However I just know the Grammys are going to give this one to The Weeknd, especially if Taylor Swift shuts him out of all the pop categories.
PREDICTION: The Weeknd, Beauty Behind the Madness
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Best Rap Performance
J. Cole, “Apparently”
Drake, “Back to Back”
Fetty Wap, “Trap Queen”
Kendrick Lamar, “Alright”
Nicki Minaj feat. Drake and Lil Wayne, “Truffle Butter”
Kanye West feat. Theophilus London, Allan Kingdom and Paul McCartney, “All Day”
One of the strongest categories of the night, with everything but “Truffle Butter” worthy of a trophy. While it would be great to see Fetty Wap avenge his Best New Artist snub, and it would be kinda great if Paul McCartney won Best Rap Performance, but I think Kendrick sweeps most of the rap categories. It will be much deserved for Kendrick to win the whole lot, and also a mea culpa from 2014, when Macklemore won three awards that Kendrick should have by all means won. “Alright” it is.
PREDICTION: Kendrick Lamar, “Alright”
Best Rap/Sung Collaboration
Big Sean feat. Kanye West and John Legend, “One Man Can Change the World”
Common & John Legend, “Glory”
Jidenna feat. Roman GianArthur, “Classic Man”
Kendrick Lamar feat. Bilal, Anna Wise and Thundercat, “These Walls”
Nicki Minaj feat. Drake, Lil Wayne and Chris Brown, “Only”
Only Common and John Legend’s Oscar winning Selma collaboration stands in Kendrick’s way for this one. “Glory” is “Grammy” enough that could have even been a rare Oscar winner to receive a Song of the Year nod. It’s up for two more awards, but I think here is where it becomes Kendrick’s one loss in the rap categories.
PREDICTION: Common & John Legend, “Glory”
Best Rap Song
Kanye West feat. Theophilus London, Allan Kingdom and Paul McCartney, “All Day”
Kendrick Lamar, “Alright”
Drake, “Energy”
Common & John Legend, “Glory”
Fetty Wap, “Trap Queen”
I think Common & John Legend will upset Kendrick in Rap/Sung Collaboration, but I don’t think that’s going to be the case in the songwriting category. “Alright” should win handedly
PREDICTION: Kendrick Lamar, “Alright”
Best Rap Album
J. Cole, 2014 Forest Hills Drive
Dr. Dre, Compton
Drake, If You’re Reading This Its Too Late
Kendrick Lamar, To Pimp a Butterfly
Nicki Minaj, The Pinkprint
Kendrick definitely has this one. Compton, a lousy and overdue album, better not edge it out and be another outrageous loss in this category. Run the Jewels II would have provided some solid competition for Kendrick here. Since it’s surprisingly absent – and as good as that J. Cole album is – this will probably be an easy win for Mr. Lamar.
PREDICTION: Kendrick Lamar, To Pimp a Butterfly
Up next: Who’s up for the country, folk and Americana awards? Find out on the next page!
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