The 66th Annual Grammy Awards are set to light up the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, California, on February 4, 2024, and the buzz is already building with the Recording Academy’s announcement of this year’s nominees on Friday, November 10.
Following the announcement, we’ve sifted through the list to highlight your favorite hip hop and R&B artists, showcasing the best of these genres in this year’s nominations.
This year’s Grammy nominations are dominated by LA natives, showcasing a strong representation and influence from the City of Angels in the music industry’s most prestigious awards.
West Coast’s finest, Kendrick Lamar and Baby Keem are nominated for Best Rap Performance for “The Hillbillies,” highlighting the enduring legacy of West Coast hip hop. Joining this representation is Watts/LA’s , Kenyon Dixon up for his second Grammy nomination for his song “Lucky”. Inglewood’s SiR and Los Angeles’ Alex Isley stand out with nominations for their features on Robert Glasper’s “Back to Love” in both the Best R&B Song and Best R&B Performance categories, showcasing the depth of talent in the LA area.
Transitioning from the West Coast’s influence to the broader R&B scene, R&B sensation SZA leads with an impressive nine nominations. Her nominations span major categories, including Album of the Year for “SOS,” and both Record of the Year and Song of the Year for her hit “Kill Bill.”
Coco Jones and Victoria Monét are making waves at this year’s Grammys, competing head-to-head in several categories. Their nominations underscore a powerful moment for the R&B scene, with these talented ladies leading the way and showcasing the strength and versatility of female artists in the genre. It’s a celebration of the R&B girlies taking center stage and setting new standards in the music industry.
Victoria Monét captured her anticipation for the Grammy nominations on Twitter, likening the suspenseful wait to a draft day experience.
In the rap realm, the competition heats up with Drake and 21 Savage’s “Her Loss,” Travis Scott’s “UTOPIA,” Nas and Hit-Boy’s “King’s Disease 3,” Metro Boomin’s “Heroes & Villains,” and Killer Mike’s “Michael” all vying for the Best Rap Album award.
The Best Rap Song category sees a dynamic mix, featuring Doja Cat’s “Attention,” the Nicki Minaj and Ice Spice collaboration “Barbie World,” Lil Uzi Vert’s “Just Wanna Rock,” Drake and 21 Savage’s “Rich Flex,” and Killer Mike’s “Scientists & Engineers” with André 3000, Future, and Eryn Allen Kane.
Even with a limited presence of Hip Hop artists in the top categories, the genre’s dynamic nature is highlighted by the first-time nomination of Ice Spice for Best New Artist, showcasing the continuous evolution and influence of Hip Hop in the music industry.
The Grammy Awards have made a historic move this year by introducing the Best African Music Performance category, acknowledging the growing global influence and the rich diversity of the music industry. This significant addition shines a light on the rich musical heritage and contemporary innovation within the African music scene.
To delve deeper into the implications and motivations of this groundbreaking decision, Grammy.com conducted an exclusive interview with Harvey Mason Jr., the CEO of the Recording Academy. In this insightful conversation, Mason Jr. explores the importance and impact of this new category at this year’s Grammys, offering a comprehensive perspective on how it enhances the prestigious awards lineup.
As anticipation builds for the awards ceremony, these nominations not only celebrate the current state of music but also signal a shift towards a more inclusive and diverse musical landscape on the global stage.
Explore the complete list of nominees for the 2024 Grammy Awards here:
Best Rap Album
- Drake & 21 Savage — Her Loss
- Killer Mike — Michael
- Metro Boomin — Heroes & Villains
- Nas — King’s Disease 3
- Travis Scott — UTOPIA
Best Rap Song
- Doja Cat — “Attention”
- Nicki Minaj & Ice Spice f. Aqua — “Barbie World”
- Lil Uzi Vert — “Just Wanna Rock”
- Drake & 21 Savage — “Rich Flex”
- Killer Mike f. André 3000, Future & Eryn Allen Kane — “Scientists & Engineers”
Best Rap Performance
- Kendrick Lamar & Baby Keem — “The Hillbillies”
- Black Thought — “Love Letter”
- Drake & 21 Savage — “Rich Flex”
- Killer Mike — “Special”
- Coi Leray — “Players”
Best Melodic Rap Performance
- Burna Boy f. 21 Savage — “Sittin’ On Top of the World”
- Doja Cat — “Attention”
- Drake & 21 Savage — “Spin Bout U”
- Lil Durk f. J. Cole — “All My Life”
- SZA — “Low”
Album of the Year
- Taylor Swift — Midnights
- SZA — SOS
- Jon Batiste — World Music Radio
- Boygenius — The Record
- Miley Cyrus — Endless Summer Vacation
- Lana Del Rey — Did You Know That There’s a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd
- Janelle Monáe — The Age of Pleasure
- Olivia Rodrigo — Guts
Record of the Year
- Jon Batiste — “Worship”
- Boygenius — “Not Strong Enough”
- Miley Cyrus — “Flowers”
- Billie Eilish — “What Was I Made For?”
- Victoria Monét — “On My Mama”
- Olivia Rodrigo — “Vampire”
- Taylor Swift — “Anti-Hero”
- SZA — “Kill Bill”
Song of the Year
- Lana Del Rey — “A&W”
- Taylor Swift — “Anti-Hero”
- Jon Batiste & Dan Wilson — “Butterfly”
- Dua Lipa — “Dance the Night”
- Miley Cyrus — “Flowers”
- SZA — “Kill Bill”
- Olivia Rodrigo — “Vampire”
- Billie Eilish — “What Was I Made For?”
Best New Artist
- Gracie Abrams
- Fred Again
- Ice Spice
- Jelly Roll
- Coco Jones
- Noah Kahan
- Victoria Monét
- The War and Treaty
Best R&B Album
- Babyface — Girls Night Out
- Coco Jones — What I Didn’t Tell You (Deluxe)
- Emily King — Special Occasion
- Victoria Monét — Jaguar II
- Summer Walker — Clear 2: Soft Life (EP)
Best R&B Song
- Halle Bailey — “Angel”
- Robert Glasper f. SiR & Alex Isley — “Back To Love”
- Coco Jones — “ICU”
- Victoria Monét — “On My Mama”
- SZA — “Snooze”
Best Progressive R&B Album
- 6LACK — Since I Have a Lover
- Diddy — The Love Album: Off the Grid
- Terrace Martin & James Fauntleroy — Nova
- Janelle Monáe — The Age of Pleasure
- SZA — SOS
Best R&B Performance
- Chris Brown — “Summer Too Hot”
- Robert Glasper f. SiR & Alex Isley — “Back To Love”
- Coco Jones — “ICU”
- Victoria Monét — “How Does It Make You Feel”
- SZA — “Kill Bill”
Best Traditional R&B Performance
- Babyface f. Coco Jones — “Simple”
- Kenyon Dixon — “Lucky”
- Victoria Monét f. Earth, Wind & Fire & Hazel Monét — “Hollywood