The Grammy Awards claim to be music’s biggest night, an exciting spectacle of live performance and major upsets honoring the best in the biz. With 84 categories, it’s easy to get lost in the fanfare of an awards ceremony that is as self-congratulating -- members of The Academy, i.e., people who have won a Grammy previously or qualify as an industry professional -- as it is exhaustive, recognizing everything from Record of the Year to Best Album Notes.
This year’s ceremony, which airs on Sunday on CBS live from Los Angeles, promises some historic moments, including in memoriam tributes to Prince and George Michael, Katy Perry’s first performance of “Chained To The Rhythm,” her new song featuring Skip Marley, and a genre-scrambling union of Lady Gaga performing with Metallica.
For those who want to play catch up on a year of music or want a guide map of what to expect when it comes to the winners and losers, Vanyaland presents its prediction of the winners in 10 of the Grammys’ biggest categories.
Best Rap Song
“All The Way Up” by Fat Joe & Remy Ma feat. French Montana & Infared
“Famous” by Kanye West feat. Rihanna
“Hotline Bling” by Drake
“No Problem” by Chance The Rapper feat. Lil Wayne & 2 Chainz
“Ultralight Beam” by Kanye West feat. Chance The Rapper, Kelly Price, Kirk Franklin & The-Dream
Who Will Win: Again, this one goes to “Ultralight Beam.”
The Dark Horse: Expect a Chance The Rapper win either way. He could walk away with Best Rap Song as a collaborator on “Ultralight Beam” or for “No Problem.” Where other nominees here are all strong rap songs, “No Problem” represents three artists — Chance, 2 Chainz, and Lil Wayne — at the peak of their rhyme game.