61st GRAMMY Awards
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Poll: Who Do You Think Voters Will Pick For Best Rap Performance?

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Cardi B; Drake; Kendrick Lamar with Jay Rock, Future and James Blake; Anderson .Paak; Travis Scott with Drake, Big Hawk and Swae Lee — who would you choose?
Philip Merrill
GRAMMYs
Dec 12, 2018 - 10:24 am

The musical messages in the 61st GRAMMY Awards Best Rap Performance category examine life from many angles. Cardi B's romantic warning "Be Careful" lets potential partners know their love should be consistent, or else.

Meanwhile, in "Nice For What," Drake doubts assurances of support once it's time to come through.

And the team of Kendrick Lamar, Jay Rock, Future and James Blake brought us "King's Dead," urging that presumptuousness is not advisable and giving a shout-out to Marvel's Killmonger.

Finally, Anderson .Paak's "Bubblin" celebrates a fountain of cash and its implications for living, and Travis Scott, along with Drake, Big Hawk and Swae Lee, takes us into "Sicko Mode": another dimension of playing for keeps.

Polls

Who Do You Think Voters Will Pick For Best Rap Performance?

Who do you think GRAMMY voters will choose for Best Rap Performance at the 61st GRAMMY Awards? Vote and tune to CBS Feb. 10 to see if voters agreed with your pick.

2019 GRAMMY Nominees Album Now Available For Pre-Order

SZA

SZA

Photo: Presley Ann/Patrick McMullan/Getty Images

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6 Singles From 'Black Panther: The Album' Hit Billboard Hot 100

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"King's Dead" and "Pray For Me" are joined by six newcomers from Wakanda on the latest Billboard Hot 100, led by "All The Stars"
Philip Merrill
GRAMMYs
Feb 21, 2018 - 1:52 pm

As the movie Black Panther and Kendrick Lamar's curated Black Panther: The Album continue to make inroads, more tracks have hit the Billboard Hot 100, while Black Panther: The Album hit No. 1 on the Billboard 200 for the week ending Feb. 15.

In the most recent tally on Feb. 24, two songs were on the Hot 100 from the previous week — "Pray For Me," combining Lamar with The Weeknd, at No. 11, while "King's Dead" moved from No. 69 up to No. 38, blending Lamar with James Blake, Future and Jay Rock.

Lamar and SZA's "All The Stars" entered the Hot 100 at position No. 9. Its official video was posted on YouTube Feb. 6 and is now up to more than 27 million views. Other tracks making their first appearance include "X" at No. 49 by 2 Chainz, Saudi and Schoolboy Q. This is Saudi's personal debut on the Hot 100.

One of the love songs featured on our recent Valentine's Day playlist, "The Ways" by Khalid and Swae Lee enters at No. 63. SOB X RBE, who just announced they'd be touring with Post Malone, debut on the chart at No. 67 with their powerful "Paramedic!"

The two other Black Panther Hot 100 newcomer tracks are the catchy "Big Shot" at No. 71, with Lamar and Travis Scott, trailed by the lyrical powerhouse "Black Panther" rap of Lamar's at No. 91.

Stay tuned to see what other cultural products of Wakanda explore the Billboard charts on their own.

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SZA

SZA

Photo: Kevin Winter/Getty Images

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'Black Panther' Soundtrack: Kendrick Lamar & SZA's "All The Stars"

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Let Kendrick Lamar and SZA drop "All The Stars" on you as the world braces for more 'Black Panther' beauty Wakanda-style
Philip Merrill
GRAMMYs
Feb 6, 2018 - 3:11 pm

On Jan. 31 Kendrick Lamar posted the tracklist for the Black Panther soundtrack's accompanying music album, and anticipation has been building musically as well as for the movie itself. On Feb. 6 he posted the "All The Stars" official music video on YouTube, with SZA featured. Watch it and you'll be seeing stars in a different way.

The video's taste of the imaginary kingdom of Wakanda and its sensational style will refresh your mind with its beauty and striking visions, including actual black panthers.

The full soundtrack drops this Friday, Feb. 9 and for an impatient week before the movie goes wide on Feb. 16, fans will enjoy the Kendrick Lamar "Black Panther" theme song, his "Big Shot" collaboration with Travis Scott, his "Pray For Me" collabo with The Weeknd, and "Kings Dead" with Jay Rick, Future and James Blake. Other noteworthy contributing artists include 2 Chainz, Khalid, Anderson .Paak, and Schoolboy Q, making this one of the most highly anticipated soundtracks in recent memory.

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Jay Rock

Jay Rock

Photo by Lester Cohen/Getty Images 

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Jay Rock: "This Is A Real Big Redemption For Me"

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The GRAMMY-winning rapper shares the powerful backstory behind his first win at the 2019 GRAMMYs
Ana Yglesias
GRAMMYs
Feb 15, 2019 - 11:06 am

Los Angeles rapper Jay Rock had a great 2018; he worked with longtime friend and label-mate Kendrick Lamar on a big single from Black Panther: The Album and released his third studio album, Redemption, which also included the hit song.

The track, "King's Dead," also features Future and James Blake and garnered two GRAMMY nods. It won Best Rap Performance at the 61st GRAMMY Awards, Rock's first-ever win.

In an exclusive backstage interview with Rock after his big win, he shares the organic nature of the collab and reveals the deeper significance of his first time at the GRAMMYs.

Jay Rock One-On-One Interview | 2019 GRAMMYs

"Big shouts out to Kendrick Lamar…We were working next door together and I just so happened to walk in while he was working on the Black Panther Soundtrack," Rock said. "I'm still speechless right now, I'm just overjoyed and excited."

Rock and Lamar have been working together since the early 2000s with Top Dawg Entertainment, the label they are both signed to. Rock explains that he was planning on attending the 58th GRAMMY Awards with Lamar, but didn't due to a bad motorcycle accident he was in the day of the show. That year Lamar earned 11 nominations and took home five wins—the most of any artist that night. Now, three years later, Rock had his big moment as they both earned a win.

"This is a real big redemption for me. Three years ago I was supposed to be at the GRAMMYs with the homey, with Kendrick and the TDE fam, unfortunately I got into that real bad bike accident. Now three years later I won a GRAMMY. It's crazy man, it's just so unreal."

Kendrick Lamar, Jay Rock, Future & James Blake Tie Anderson .Paak To Win Best Rap Performance | 2019 GRAMMYs

Jay Rock

Jay Rock

Photo: Randy Shropshire/Getty Images

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Kendrick Lamar, Jay Rock, Future & James Blake Tie Anderson .Paak To Win Best Rap Performance | 2019 GRAMMYs

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Five artists take home Best Rap Performance with a tie win at the 61st GRAMMY Awards
Ana Yglesias
GRAMMYs
Feb 10, 2019 - 4:10 pm

Kendrick Lamar, Jay Rock, Future and James Blake tied with Anderson .Paak for Best Rap Performance at the 61st GRAMMY Awards, for "King's Dead" and "Bubblin," respectively. It is the first-ever GRAMMY wins for Rock, Future, Blake and .Paak, and the 13th career win for Lamar.

Rock accepted the award for the group and gave a speech during the GRAMMY Premier Ceremony. 

"I wanna give a big shoutout to my lil bro Kendrick for letting me be part of the [Black Panther] soundtrack. Shouts out to everybody that got nominated," Rock said in his brief speech. He talked more about the win in a follow up interview backstage.

The fellow nominees for Best Rap Performance were: Cardi B ("Be Careful"), Drake ("Nice For What") and Travis Scott featuring Drake, Big Hawk and Swae Lee ("SICKO MODE").

"King's Dead" is one of the singles from Black Panther: The Album, the project Lamar led in support of the 2018 hit film Black Panther. The track is also featured on Rock's third studio album, Redemption. "Bubblin" is a one-off single from .Paak, released before he dropped his third LP, Oxnard, in November.

Lamar earned his first career GRAMMY nominations at the 56th GRAMMY Awards for Best New Artist and Album Of The Year for Good Kid, M.A.A.D City. He won his first career wins—for Best Rap Performance and Best Rap Song for "I"—the following year at the 57th GRAMMY Awards. Rock earned his first nomination for his feature on "Money Trees," from Good Kid, M.A.A.D City.

Future earned his first nod for his feature on Drake's track "Grammys," from Views, which was nominated for Album Of The Year at the 59th GRAMMY Awards. Blake received his first nomination for Best New Artist at the 56th GRAMMY Awards, the same year Lamar was in the running.

.Paak, meanwhile, earned his first two career GRAMMY nominations for Best New Artist and Best Urban Contemporary Album for Malibu at 59th GRAMMY Awards. He made his GRAMMY stage debut that year, performing a medley alongside A Tribe Called Quest, Consequence and Busta Rhymes.

2019 GRAMMYs: Full Nominees And Winners List