The Grammy’s just went down and with a slew of awards spanning across many genres of music, it can be hard to appreciate how one genre in particular walked away. Rap, being one of this generation’s most popular genres, was represented through its own awards as well as a few nominations for broader categories.
As for producers, we saw some big names from the rap industry with Hit-Boy and Metro Boomin’. These two have been responsible for many big rap songs and albums and have a status worthy of a nomination. Metro notably produced his own project: Heros and Villians which boasts some great songs such as Creepin’ featuring The Weeknd and 21 Savage as well as Superhero with Chris Brown and Future. This album brought together some of the biggest names in rap, earning Metro a nomination for Best Producer. For many categories, it’s rare to see two nominations from the Rap genre for one award.. Hit-Boy most notably produced Nas’ Kings Disease III this year. You may also recognize him from some popular tracks like Racks in the Middle featuring Rod Wave and Nipsey Hussle and Berserk with A$AP Ferg. While neither came away with the Grammy, they both rightfully represented the rap genre with their impressive achievements and production skills.
Field 3 of the Grammy’s introduced the rap-centered awards. Lil Durk and J. Cole brought home the Grammy for Best Melodic Rap Performance, but the spotlight remained on Killer Mike for the rest of the night. The Run The Jewels member has been putting out music with some of the biggest names in the industry for quite some time, having already one Grammy to his name before 2023. He stole the stage this year, taking the winning spot for both Best Rap Album with MICHEAL and Best Rap Song and Best Rap Performance with SCIENTISTS & ENGINEERS. Not only did he add three more Grammys to his collection, but he got the three most prestigious ones at that. MICHEAL showcases Killer Mike’s signature rough voice and unapologetic lyrics while simultaneously showing a more personal side of him. The artist raps about his late mother and grandmother and other aspects of his past. The production, assisted by known producer No I.D., brings together the classic rap sound with old-school soul beats. An album deserving of a Grammy most commonly has some outstanding featured artists, and MICHEAL is no exception. Listeners get to experience verses from Andre 3000, Young Thug, Ceelo Green, and Ty Dolla $ign just to name a few.
Born and raised in Atlanta, Micheal got into the world of rap through features with the duo Outkast. He proved himself to be more than proficient on his own, rising through the charts as he released numerous solo albums and formed a duo of his own with Run The Jewels. Mike became known for his activism as he utilized his growing fame to spread messages regarding police brutality and systematic racism through his lyrics and media presence. In a confusing turn of events, Killer Mike was escorted out of the venue in handcuffs shortly after receiving his awards. There still lies much confusion around the situation with the police issuing a claim that Mike was arrested for a “physical altercation.” Killer Mike has since made multiple claims portraying him as dismissive and laid-back about the whole situation. Understandably, he is far more pleased with his winnings than the following confusion.
Although ending in a confusing event, rap at the Grammys was successful. Many deserving nominations and a few big winners displayed the rap genre at its best. Whether you agree with the winners or not, the representation and strength of the nominees are undeniable.
