The Recording Academy announced the 2021 nominees on Tuesday and the Rap and R&B categories saw some new faces this year. The announcement came virtually on Grammy.com and was announced by CBS This Morning co-host Gayle King.
Jhené Aiko received 3 nominations for her work on the 2020 album Chilombo in the categories Best Progressive R&B album, Best R&B Performance and Album of the Year.
Beyoncé was nominated in 9 different categories including Best R&B Performance, Best Rap Performance, Best Rap Song, Best Music Film, Best Music Video, Best R&B Song, Song of the Year and Record of the Year where she is nominated twice for “Black Parade” and “Savage” with Megan Thee Stallion.
In addition to the Record of the Year, Best Rap Song, and Best Rap Performance Nominations, Megan Thee Stallion who also was a presenter during the announcement livestream was nominated for Best New Artist competing against “Say So” performer Doja Cat.
Doja Cat’s single crossed over into the pop realm and earned the 25-year-old first time nominee a nomination for Best Pop Solo Performance and Record of the Year.
Nipsey Hussle and Pop Smoke have been posthumously nominated for Best Rap Performance. This was Pop Smoke’s only nomination for his single “Dior.” Nipsey was nominated via Big Sean’s single “Deep Reverence” from his Detroit 2 LP. Sean and Nip will compete against Da Baby’s “Bop,” Jack Harlow’s “What’s Poppin” Lil Baby’s “The Bigger Picture and ” Megan Thee Stallion’s “Savage.”
Other nominees include Drake who was nominated for Best Melodic Rap Performance and Best Rap Song with “Laugh Now Cry Later” and Best Music Video for “Life is Good” with Future.
Kanye West also received his first Grammy nomination in the Gospel music category for Best Contemporary Christian Album with Jesus is King.
The ceremony airs January 31, 2021 on CBS and will be hosted by Comedian Trevor Noah.
See the complete list of nominees here. See the R&B and Rap Nominees below:
Record of the Year
Beyonce – Black Parade
Da Baby – Rockstar feat. Roddy Ricch
Doja Cat – Say So
Post Malone – Circles
Megan Thee Stallion x Beyonce – Savage Remix
Album of the Year
Jhene AIko – Chilombo
Post Malone -Hollywood’s Bleeding
Song of the Year
Beyonce – Black Parade
Roddy Ricch – The Box
Post Malone – Circles
H.E.R. – I Can’t Breathe
Best New Artist
Doja Cat
Megan Thee Stallion
D Smoke
Best Rap Album
Jay Electronica – A Written Testimony
Royce Da 5’9 – The Allegory
Nas – King’s Disease
Freddie Gibbs – Alfredo
D Smoke – Black habits
Best Rap Song
Lil Baby – The Bigger Picture
Roddy Ricch – The Box
Drake – Laugh Now Cry Later feat. Lil Durk
Da Baby – Rockstar feat. Roddy Ricch
Megan Thee Stallion – Savage feat. Beyonce
Best Melodic Rap Performance
Travis Scott – Highest in the Room
Anderson Paak – Lockdown
Roddy Ricch – The Box
Drake – Laugh Now Cry Later feat. Lil Durk
Da Baby – Rockstar feat. Roddy Ricch
Best Rap Performance
Pop Smoke – Dior
Big Sean – Deep Reverance feat. Nipsey Hussle
Da Baby- Bop
Jack Harlow – What’s Poppin
Megan Thee Stallion – Savage
Lil Baby – The Bigger Picture
Best R&B Performance
Jhene Aiko – Lightning & Thunder feat. John Legend
Beyonce – Black Parade
Jacob Collier – All I need feat. Ty Dolla Sign & Mahalia
Brittany Howard – Goat Head
Emily King – See Me
Best Traditional R&B Performance
The Baylor Project Featuring Jean Baylor & Marcus Baylor – Sit on Down
Chloe x Halle – Wonder What She Thinks of Me
Mykal Kilgore – Let Me Go
Ledisi – Anything For You
Yebba – Distance
Best R&B Song
Robert Glasper – Better Than I Imagine feat. H.E.R.
Beyonce – Black Parade
Tiana Major9 – Collide feat. Earthgang
Chloe x Halle – Do It
Skip Marley – Slow Down feat. H.E.R.
Best R&B Album
Ant Clemons – Happy 2 Be Here
Giveon – Take Time
Luke James – To Feel Love/D
John Legend – Bigger Love
Gregory Porter – All Rise
Best Progressive R&B Album
Jhene Aiko – Chilombo
Chloe x Halle- Ungodly Hour
Free Nationals – Free Nationals
Robert Glasper -F*** Yo Feelings
Thundercat – It is What it Is
