GRAMMY WATCH - Rap Music Categories - Picks & Predictions

I remember when the rap category emerged in the late 1980s and everybody in the industry was thinking it may not last, but a few years. Well, guess what? It is it's own field now with five categories and a lot of the nominees in this field have crossed over into many other fields, including the top four general categories. Eminem is definitely one to watch this year, as he leads all artists with the most nominations (with 10). He has already won a career 11 Grammy Awards in the past and could make a bit of history by getting into the over 20 club. Even if he wins five awards Grammy night, he will be in the elite top ten all-time artists with the most Grammy Award wins. For more on this, check out the article on it at Wikipedia.

Best Rap Solo Performance

My Pick: OVER - Drake (Track from: Thank Me Later) [Cash Money/Young Money/Universal Motown]

My Prediction: NOT AFRAID - Eminem (Track from: Recovery) [Aftermath/Shady Records/Interscope]

Best Rap Performance By A Duo Or Group

My Pick & Prediction: ON TO THE NEXT ONE - Jay-Z & Swizz Beatz (Track from: The Blueprint 3) [Roc Nation]

Best Rap/Sung Collaboration

THREE of the nominees in this category are also nominated for Record of the Year. That has to be historical somehow. This one is so hard to call. I know which one I would vote for, but as to who will actually win - it is a toss up. I based my prediction on how a 'General' voting body of the recording academy may vote. See, voting members of the recording academy vote in the four general categories and can vote in up to no more than eight (8) of the 29 fields of music. So, let's say I were a voting member of the Academy. My field of expertise is Spoken Word, but I have also dabbled in a bit of music theory and know a thing or two about other fields of music. So I would vote for the top four general categories and my field of Spoken Word, but I would also be able to vote in Pop, Rap, R&B, Classical, Production, etc. up to seven more fields. So, honey, someone from Streisand to Swizz Beatz could vote from Pop to Rap to Country to Gospel in two seconds flat - so, I had to really think that process through when predicting this category (and some other ones too) . So, keep that in mind before complaining, if one of your favorite artists doesn't win come Awards night.

My Pick: EMPIRE STATE OF MIND - Jay-Z & Alicia Keys (Track from: The Blueprint 3

[Roc Nation]

My Prediction: LOVE THE WAY YOU LIE - Eminem & Rihanna (Track from: Recovery)

[Aftermath/Shady Records/Interscope]

BUT, part of me thinks Nothin' On You, too...ugh... lol - see what I mean? Ha!

Best Rap Song

My Pick: EMPIRE STATE OF MIND - Shawn Carter, Angela Hunte, Burt Keyes, Alicia Keys, Jane't "Jnay" Sewell-Ulepic & Alexander Shuckburgh, songwriters

(Sylvia Robinson, songwriter) (Jay-Z & Alicia Keys) (Track from: The Blueprint 3)

[Roc Nation; Publishers: Carter Boys Music/Al Shuckburgh/Global Talent Publishing/Foray Music/Masani Elshabazz Music/EMI April Music/J Sewell Publishing/Lellow

Productions/Twenty Nine Black Music/Gambi Music]

My Prediction: LOVE THE WAY YOU LIE - Alexander Grant, Holly Hafferman & Marshall Mathers, songwriters (Eminem & Rihanna) (Track from: Recovery) [Aftermath/Shady Records/Interscope; Publishers: Songs of Universal/Shroom Shady Music/Universal Music

Publishing/Universal Music-Z Songs/Hotel Bravo Music/M. Shop Publishing]

Love the Way You Lie is the only song in this category nominated for Song of the Year, so it seems logical to think it will win here. However, two songs by Eminem from his Recover album are nominated in this category. He may cancel himself out. It is too bad because Not Afraid seems like such an anthem to me. Nothin' On You could also rain on his parade here too. Something about the pop feel to that tune makes me think it will resonate with more Academy voters. These rap cats will be close though, throughout - and I love it. It says a lot about a music genre that so many were so against early on.

Best Rap Album

My Pick: HOW I GOT OVER - The Roots [Def Jam Recordings]

Hey, what can I say? Jimmy Fallon's late night gab fest is one of my favorite shows and The Roots do so well as his band. I gotta show them some love. Just plain, good BAND music. Love them for their style. They truly have their own sound that sets them apart from their contemporaries, but let;s face it... We know there is a shoo-in in this category hands down...

My Prediction: RECOVERY - Eminem [Aftermath/Shady Records/Interscope]

Only Jay-Z could pull an upset here, and it would be deservedly so.

The 53rd Annual Grammy Awards will be telecast live on Sunday, February 13, 2011 on CBS at 8pm, EST. For complete coverage and a full list of nominees, please visit the Grammy website.

Review: Betty White, Jay-Z & Alumni Divas Deliver the Goods for a Memorable 'SNL'

My first point that I made to my dear friend, Pam, while we were watching this week's much anticipated episode of Saturday Night Live was... I can't remember the last time I actually sat and watched an entire episode of the show. High school? When Eddie Murphy & Joe Piscopo did their thing, nah. College? When Phil Hartman and Dana Carvey were on? Sure, I saw a bit of Molly Shannon back in the day and a spot of Tina Fey here and there, but to sit through the entire show???Right. Maybe....

Well, I kept my word and I watched SNL last night - and you know what? It was fantastic. Sure, there were a few slow parts in the middle and maybe they had Betty White doin' one too many sex jokes for even my taste, but even then - lighten up, right? She may not be our Grandma's Betty White, but she sure had me and Pam laughing like buffoons during that muffin, NPR radio skit. I swear, I will never look at a muffin the same way again. I liked a lot of her schtick, but that one, the 'Lawrence Welk'-esque opener, her take on her heavy metal/grunge 'version' of "Thank You for Being a Friend" (theme song from The Golden Girls) and her opening monologue were all highlights to me.

Also, seeing the SNL alumni divas doing their thing again was wonderful. Rachel Dratch had me in stitches, Maya Rudolph's take on Whitney Houston was hilarious, Tina Fey is always a welcome return to the show, Molly Shannon, Amy Poehler and Ana Gasteyer all doing bits that made them hits when they were on their regular runs on the series, now in it's 35th season.

Jay-Z did not disappoint either. He did almost a mini-concert of some of his major hits that had me dancin' in my seat. It was a very commanding performance and his Forever Young tribute to the evening's host was a very nice touch to cap the evening off just right. Bravo!

I will be interested to see how well the episode did in the Nielsen ratings. On my social media networks, there was a lot of buzz - that which is usually typical during major sporting or news events and/or awards shows.

Speaking of awards shows... SNL and, especially, Betty White clear some mantle space because I smell some Emmy's coming your way come August 29th...at least a slew of nominations in July.

You'll see ...because that show and it's iconic host are golden.

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photo courtesy of NBC.com

Preview: Betty White Hosting 'SNL' with Musical Guest Jay-Z Could Prove to be Historical Meeting Between Social & Mass Media

I am elated that I am a part of a group on Facebook that urged, begged and pleaded to get a beloved comedic icon to host Saturday Night Live. At first, I was leery...and a tad cynical, but I have always been a fan of the Emmy Award winning actress and animal rights activist. So, I signed up...not thinking anything would actually come of it. Then it happened. She would finally host (I say that only because legend has it that 'SNL' producer Lorne Michaels tried to get her to host three previous times). And tonight, Betty White hosts 'SNL' with musical guest Jay-Z, and I look forward to being VERY entertained. It is good to see that sometimes, something as simple and fleeting as a fan page on a social networking site could actually render some power with execs in really high places, in those buildings that touch the sky. Who da thunk it? I just want to see a good show and see what the Nielsen TV ratings say about it.

Betty White is a national treasure in my eyes with her wit, stone-faced and well-timed comedic performances have won audiences over for six decades now. From The Mary Tyler Moore Show to The Golden Girls and even her regular walk-ons on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and her numerous high profile guest spots on a variety of shows this past decade, we have always been treated to a bravura performance of quality, a 'golden' standard that speaks of excellence.

Jay-Z, as the episode's musical guest, is a wonderful choice. This multiple Grammy Award winning talent has a sound that has been part of the soundtrack of this past generation. His grit and grandeur with his style is not only poetic, but the pulse and vibe of trends that have been set long ago.

I think tonight's show will be a feather in not only NBC, Lorne Michael's and Saturday Night Live's cap, but an ultimate fan's dream come true. Imagine David Matthews, the man who began the Facebook campaign, who will be at the show. He hopes to meet Betty White, and she has reportedly promised to meet him, IF “he doesn’t mind me, you know, beating him up for getting me into this trouble,” said Betty White.

Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, Molly Shannon, Maya Rudolph, Ana Gasteyer and Rachel Dratch all former-SNL alumni are all also returning for the episode and the fact that it is airing on Mother's Day weekend is also a wonderful programming faux pas.

If for anything, it should be a wonderful tribute to a very deserving entertainer and humanitarian. It is borderline historical, or could very well be - the marriage between social media and mass media. I think this is an excellent stepping stone in the right direction, and very timely.

Okay, Betty White - no pressure now... go out there, girl... take Jay-Z by the hand and you all go out there and make some history, money and maybe bring NBC out of the ratings cellar - if only for one night.

Photo from Access Hollywood.