BY DAN GARCIA
Photo by Dan Garcia/The Early Registration
The official nominations for the 59th Annual Grammy Awards were announced moments ago and although there were a few surprises, superstar artists like Beyonce, Kanye West, Drake and Adele are looking to win big when the awards are announced next year on February 12th, 2017. And if reading the list of nominations has your scratching your head, wondering who will pick up the W for each particular category, don’t worry! We have the work cut out for you as we put together our list of predictions for some of Grammy‘s biggest categories.
Check out our predictions for the 59th Annual Grammy Awards below.
Photo by Dan Garcia/The Early Registration
Best New Artist
Kelsea Ballerini
The Chainsmokers
Chance The Rapper
Maren Morris
Anderson .Paak
Whether he takes home the “Best New Artist” title or not, Chance The Rapper has already won big. Chance scored 7 nominations and is now the first ever artist (along with Kanye) to get a Grammy nomination from streaming only music. With 7 noms, Chance is sure to pick up a Grammy somewhere, but for best new artist, we give the slight edge to country music newcomer, Maren Morris. Morris has been killing it lately and is already on a high from her Best New Artist victory at the CMAs. There are a lot of artists worthy of this Grammy in 2017, but our bet is on young country singer.
Photo by Dan Garcia/The Early Registration
Best Rap Album
Chance The Rapper, Coloring Book
De La Soul, And The Anonymous Nobody
DJ Khaled, Major Key
Drake, Views
Schoolboy Q, Blank Face LP
Kanye West, The Life of Pablo
Although we normally would be torn between Drake’s Views, Chance’s Coloring Book and Kanye’s The Life of Pablo, our job is a little easier as only one of the three is nominated for the “Album of the Year” award, that being Views. And given that Views is up for the biggest award of the night, it is more than likely that Drizzy will come home with the “Best Rap Album” trophy.
Photo by Dan Garcia/The Early Registration
Best Rap Performance
Chance The Rapper ft. 2 Chainz & Lil Wayne, ‘No Problem’
Desiigner, ‘Panda’
Drake ft. Kanye West & Jay Z, ‘Pop Style’
Fat Joe & Remy Ma ft. French Montana & Infared, ‘All The Way Up’
Schoolboy Q ft. Kanye West, ‘That Part’
Despite not making the cut on the final album, which according to Kanye West is because Jay Z’s loyalty to Meek Mill prevented him from being on Drake’s album Views, Drake’s team decided to submit the Kanye and Jay assisted version of Drake’s track ‘Pop Style’. The Throne’s version is amazing, and it’s a shame it didn’t make the album, but luckily it can still score a Grammy.
Photo by Dan Garcia/The Early Registration
Best Rap/Sung Collaboration
Beyonce ft. Kendrick Lamar, ‘Freedom’
Drake, ‘Hotline Bling’
D.R.A.M. ft. Lil Yachty, ‘Broccoli’
Kanye West ft. Chance The Rapper, ‘Ultralight Beam’
Kanye West ft. Rihanna, ‘Famous’
Beyonce and Kendrick are rumored to headline Coachella this year, and the surrounding excitement should come as no surprise as B and Kendrick make a great team. This team is properly showcased on Beyonce’s Lemonade track ‘Freedom’, and with Beyonce’s amazing vocals and Kendrick Lamar’s stellar verse, ‘Freedom’ could easily take home the Grammy for the Best Rap/Sung Collaboration, over some great songs like ‘Famous’, ‘Hotline Bling’ and ‘Ultralight Beam’.
Photo by Dan Garcia/The Early Registration
Best Rap Song
Fat Joe & Remy Ma ft. French Montana & Infared, ‘All The Way Up’
Kanye West, ‘Famous’
Drake, ‘Hotline Bling’
Chance The Rapper ft. 2 Chainz & Lil Wayne, ‘No Problem’
Kanye West ft. Chance The Rapper, ‘Ultralight Beam’
Although we predicted that ‘Ultralight Beam’ will fall short from the “Best Rap/Song Collaboration” award, we do expect that it still picks up a Grammy because it’s way too good not to. Chance and Kanye together make an amazing team, and with 15 Grammy nominations this year between the two, their combined forces should be enough to take home the “Best Rap Song” Grammy.
