Appears as if the award season has concluded this past Sunday as the entertainment industry’s arguably, second largest show, the 64th Grammy Awards, were held in Las Vegas. Going into the ceremony with 11 nominations was Jon Batiste, who took home five statues. Batiste took the prizes in best American roots performance, best American roots song with “Cry,” best score soundtrack for visual media “Soul,” best music video for “Freedom” and the heralded album of the year with “We Are.” Of his ethic that led to multiple wins, Batiste said in his acceptance speech, “I just put my head down and work on the craft everyday…It’s more than entertainment for me, it’s a spiritual practice.”
Quietly grandiose things happened for the legendary CeCe Winans. She secured wins in best gospel performance/song for “Never Lost,” best gospel album and best contemporary Christian music performance/song for “Believe for It.” A big momentum swing for Winans as she and her brother gear up for an Easter Sunday Verzuz featuring BeBe and CeCe Winans VS Mary Mary.
Other winners of import are as follows:
Best Immersive Audio Album: ALICIA – Alicia Keys
Best Album Notes: The Complete Louis Armstrong Columbia And RCA Victor Studio Sessions 1946-1966 – Ricky Riccardi, album notes writer (Louis Armstrong)
Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media: The United States Vs. Billie Holiday – Andra Day
Best Spoken Word Album: Carry On: Reflections for a New Generation from John Lewis – Don Cheadle
Best Global Music Album: Mother Nature – Angelique Kidjo
Best Global Music Performance: Mohabbat – Arooj Aftab
Best Reggae Album: Beauty in the Silence – Soja
Best Contemporary Blues Album: 662 – Christone “Kingfish” Ingram
Best Traditional Blues Album: I Be Trying – Cedric Burnside
Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album: For Jimmy, Wes And Oliver – Christian McBride Big Band
Best Jazz Instrumental Album: Skyline – Ron Carter, Jack DeJohnette & Gonzalo Rubalcaba
Best Jazz Vocal Album: Songwrights Apothecary Lab – Esperanza Spalding
Best Dance/Electronic Music Album: Subconsciously – Black Coffee
Best Pop Duo/Group Performance: Kiss Me More – Doja Cat feat. SZA
Record of the Year: Leave the Door Open – Silk Sonic
Song of the Year: Leave the Door Open – Brandon Anderson, Christopher Brody Brown, Dernst Emile II & Bruno Mars, songwriters (Silk Sonic)
Best R&B Performance: Leave the Door Open – Silk Sonic (tie), Pick Up Your Feelings – Jazmine Sullivan (tie)
Best R&B Song: Leave the Door Open – Brandon Anderson, Christopher Brody Brown, Dernst Emile II & Bruno Mars, songwriters (Silk Sonic)
Best Traditional R&B Performance: Fight For You – H.E.R.
Best Progressive R&B Album: Table For Two – Lucky Daye
Best R&B Album: Heaux Tales – Jazmine Sullivan
Best Rap Performance: Family Ties – Baby Keem Feat. Kendrick Lamar
Best Melodic Rap Performance: Hurricane – Kanye West feat. The Weeknd & Lil Baby
Best Rap Song: Jail – Dwayne Abernathy Jr., Shawn Carter, Raul Cubina, Michael Dean, Charles M. Njapa, Sean Solymar, Brian Hugh Warner, Kanye West & Mark Williams, Songwriters (Kanye West featuring Jay-Z)
Best Rap Album: Call Me If You Get Lost – Tyler, The Creator
Best Music Film: Summer of Soul
A couple of noticeable tidbits: not only was it criminal that the Nems/WizKid anthem “Essence” was only twice nominated, but it also LOST in both those categories?! HOW? Lastly, winning an Oscar at the top of the week and having it bookended with a Grammy is a very, very big deal. Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson of the Roots looks to be embarking on a journey that will educate and solidify Black music as an art that transformed world history. There are reports that Questlove is currently working on another documentary with Sly Stone as a focal point and will also serve as a co-producer alongside Mick Jagger on a forthcoming documentary series about James Brown for A&E.
WORK!!
Over and out, holla next week. Til then, enjoy the nightlife.