Grammy Award Nominees 2009 | The Black Musicians Who Made the Cut

The nominations for the 51st Grammy Awards are out and our favorite Black musicians have managed quite a few nods this year! Kanye said this was Lil’ Wayne’s year and he couldn’t have been more right! Lil’ Wayne has got himself eight nods this year, including the big one – ‘Album of the Year’. Coldplay’s ‘Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends’ and Lil’ Wayne’s ‘Carter III’are the only two albums that went double platinum this year; which in human language translates to selling 2 million copies! Ne-Yo’s ‘Year of the Gentleman’ is also up for ‘Album of the Year’.

Kanye himself has got six nods from the Grammy jury, as have Jay-Z and Ne-Yo.
“Swagga Like Us” which features Kanye, Li’l Wayne, Jay-Z and T.I. has been nominated for ‘Best Rap Song’ and ‘Best Rap Performance By a Duo or Group’.

Jazmine Sullivan just made it to the nominee list with her album releasing seven days before the cut-off date. She’s been nominated in four categories including ‘Best Newcomer’. I’m disappointed though that Leona Lewis didn’t make the newcomer list. Yeah ok so she’s not African-American, but I love her songs!

Former member of the Black Eyed Peas, Barack Obama booster and hip-hop super producer, will.i.am, has been nominated for ‘Producer of the Year, Non Classical’

Some of the other nominations for Black musicians are:

• Best Male Pop Vocal Performance
  Closer – Ne-Yo
• Best Pop Performance By a Duo or Group with Vocals
  Going On – Gnarls Barkley
• Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals
  Lesson Learned – Alicia Keys & John Mayer
  4 Minutes – Madonna, Justin Timberlake & Timbaland
  If I Never See Your Face Again – Rihanna & Maroon 5
  No Air – Jordin Sparks & Chris Brown
• Best Dance Recording
  Disturbia – Rihanna
  Just Dance – Lady GaGa feat. Akon & Colby O’Donis
• Best Alternative Music Album
  The Odd Couple - Gnarks Barkley
• The R&B Field is all about Beyonce, Keyshia Cole, Chris Brown, Jennifer Hudson, Usher, Eric Benet, Jazmine Sullivan and that’s just naming a few!
• Nominees in The Rap Field also include stars like Snoop Dogg, Jay-Z, Lupe Fiasco, Li’l Wayne, T.I., Ludacris and so many more!
• Best Pop Instrumental Performance , Best Pop Instrumental album, Best New Age Album, Best Jazz Instrumental Solo, Best Traditional Blues Album, Best Contemporary Blues Album, Best Reggae Album, Best Gospel Performance and other Gospel categories also feature a number of Black musicians as nominees.
  

The date to remember is February 8th, 2009!

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