2018 GRAMMYs Prediction: The Rap Field

Now that the eligibility period for the 2018 Grammy Awards has officially ended, it’s time to discuss potential nominees. In this 8 part series we will discuss our predictions for the General field, the pop, rock, and rap categories, and one random group of categories.

THE RAP FIELD

Some of the most coveted awards in the music industry, the rap field awards cement songs and albums as the biggest and best of their field. Best Rap album is self-explanatory and winners such as JAY-Z, Kanye West, Chance the Rapper, and Kendrick Lamar show the Academy loves quality music that has the ability to crossover and be successful outside of its home genre. Best Rap Performance is awarded to either solo or group performances and history shows that supergroups (JAY-Z & Kanye West) or quality collabs (Kendrick Lamar, Anna Wise, et al.) can triumph here. Lastly, the newest category, Best Rap/Sung Performance, is awarded to songs where there is a mixture of singing and rapping. This category was instated last year, and the controversial winner was Drake's "Hotline Bling." Now, let's get going!

Best Rap Album

best rap album.jpgJAY-Z'S 4:44 and Kendrick Lamar's DAMN. are locks for nominations here. The former is a late-career triumph, the latter is the best-reviewed album of the year, both are modern classics. A Tribe Called Quest's We Got It From Here... Thank You 4 Your Service should also be nominated here. The album was landed on most year-end lists in 2016, it's the legendary group's final album, and they gave a much talked about political performance at last year's ceremony. In addition, this is most likely the group's final chance at a Grammy, they've been nominated twice before but never won. With potential nominations in SOTY and Best Pop Duo/Group Performance, Logic should make it in with his #1 album, Everybody. Migos' Culture debuted at #1 and launched the massive #1 hit, "Bad and Boujee," among other hits such as "T-Shirt" and "Slippery (feat. Gucci Mane);" they should also get in here. Finally, DJ Khaled was nominated here last year for Major Key so a nomination for this year's Grateful isn't a stretch. The album was launched with a Queen Bey and JAY-Z single, had a #1 hit in "I'm The One," and a summer anthem with ROTY contender, "Wild Thoughts."JAY-Z - 4:44Kendrick Lamar - DAMN.A Tribe Called Quest - We Got It From Here... Thank You 4 Your ServiceDJ Khaled - GratefulLogic - EverybodyMigos - Culture 

Outside Shots

rap album outside.jpgJ Cole's 4 Your Eyez Only and Big Sean's I Decided. each notched a top ten hit and debuted at #1. Admittedly, the albums came and went and were not nearly as good or successful as their predecessors. Both artists are former nominees, so anything is possible. Drake is a former winner of this award and a nominee here last year; More Life wasn't nearly as big as Views, and that album didn't even win, so.... 2 Chainz brought pure heat with his most recent album, Pretty Girls Like Trap Music and he won his first Grammy last year, he could be one to watch. Future is looking for his first Grammy nomination as a lead artist this year, I think he'll submit FUTURE, it was a #1 album and spawned his biggest hit to date. 

Best Rap Song

rap song (1).jpgJAY-Z'S immaculate "The Story of O.J." and Kendrick Lamar's inescapable "HUMBLE." are locks, period. Migos' #1 hit "Bad and Boujee," should make it in as well, it sparked tons of memes which is today's measure of popular songwriting. Cardi B's "Bodak Yellow," is a history-making single and the rare appearance of a dominant female rapper should get her lots of Grammy love. A Tribe Called Quest will most likely nab the final spot with, "We The People..."JAY-Z - The Story Of O.J."Cardi B - "Bodak Yellow"Migos featuring Lil Uzi Vert - "Bad And Boujee"Kendrick Lamar - "HUMBLE."A Tribe Called Quest - "We The People..."

Best Rap Performance

rap perf.jpgJAY-Z - "4:44"Cardi B - "Bodak Yellow"Migos featuring Lil Uzi Vert - "Bad And Boujee"Kendrick Lamar - "HUMBLE."A Tribe Called Quest - "We The People..."Jay, Cardi, Migos, and Kendrick are surefire nominations here. I think the committee will show a lot of love to the underappreciated ATCQ this year in commemoration of their final album. Outside shots include Big Sean's "Bounce Back," Aminé's "Caroline," Yo Gotti's "Rake It Up (feat. Nicki Minaj)," Future's "Mask Off," 21 Savage's "Bank Account," and Nicki Minaj, Drake, and Lil Wayne's "No Frauds." 

Best Rap/Sung Performance

rapsunf.jpgAlthough it is currently an album track, "Family Feud," yet another stellar Bey/Jay collaboration will be nominated here. It will be a way to repay the gross disrespect of Lemonade last year, and it would join Crazy In Love, Drunk In Love, and Part II (On The Run) as a Grammy-nominated/winning collab from the music titans. Kendrick and Rihanna are both former winners in this category and their hit collaboration, "LOYALTY.," will be nominated as well. This year's most surprising rap summer hit came courtesy of French Montana and Swae Lee's "Unforgettable." Swae Lee was nominated for SOTY last year for his contributions to Queen Bey's "Formation," so that gives them a lot of weight here. Also, Post Malone and Quavo's top ten hit, "Congratulations," blurs the lines between singing and rapping more than any of these other songs, and I think they will sneak in. Finally Uzi's "XO Tour Llif3" will probably snatch the last spot but look our for Aminé's "Heebiejeebies (feat. Kehlani)," DJ Khaled's "Shining (feat Beyoncé & JAY-Z)," The Weeknd's "Sidewalks (feat. Kendrick Lamar)," and Jamila Woods' "LSD (feat. Chance the Rapper)."JAY-Z featuring Beyoncé - "Family Feud"Kendrick Lamar featuring Rihanna - "LOYALTY."French Montana featuring Swae Lee - "Unforgettable"Post Malone featuring Quavo - "Congratulations"Lil Uzi Vert - "XO Tour Llif3"

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2018 GRAMMYs Prediction: The Country Field

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2017 American Music Awards: Predicting the Winners