Jalylah Burrell

Hello, Babar

Seattle-bred, Brooklyn-based cultural critic Jalylah Burrell riffs on anything and everything.

The 50th Annual GRAMMY Nominations: The Recording Academy gets it wrong, again

Posted 12/06/2007 at 10:08 PM | Comment?

Akon & Jimmy Jam

One of these things is not like the other: Whiny, fan-throwing, polygamist pop star Akon and the great Jimmy Jam at the 50th Annual GRAMMY Awards Nomination Press Conference

The Recording Academy has long been off it's rocker but this year I find its nominations offensive to common sense. Here are my biggest beefs:

+The Corinne Bailey Rae record nominated for Song of the Year is not good and ancient but I might be biased.

+Neither Best New Artist nominees Feist nor Ledisi are new artists. I am happy for both though.

+Placing Aguilera and Winehouse in the pop category is definitely suspect when Black folk who do the same type of music are excluded.

+I'm glad "LoveStoned/I Think She Knows" got a nom.' Although I was a & *NSYNC fan from "I Want You Back", I haven't really been able to get down with most of FutureSex/LoveSounds

+Why is Lily Allen nominated in the alternative music category?

Best Alternative Music Album (Vocal or Instrumental.)
* Alright, Still...
Lily Allen
[Capitol Records]

* Neon Bible
Arcade Fire
[Merge Records]

* Volta
Bjork
[Elektra/Atlantic]

* Wincing The Night Away
The Shins
[Sub Pop]

* Icky Thump
The White Stripes
[Third Man/Warner Bros.]

+Way to make it clear that R&B is just a euphemism for Black music, academy! Every single nominee is the entire R&B category is Black (2 are bi-racial, but one self identifies as Black and the other is de facto Black per the one drop def.)

+I don't like nan one song nominated in the Best Female R&B Vocal Performance (which is related to another of my posts).

Best Female R&B Vocal Performance (For a solo vocal performance. Singles or Tracks only.)
* Just Fine
Mary J. Blige
[Geffen]

* When I See You
Fantasia
Track from: Fantasia
[J Records/19 Records/S Records]

* No One
Alicia Keys
[J Records/MBK Entertainment]

* If I Have My Way
Chrisette Michele
Track from: I Am
[Def Jam Recordings]

* Hate On Me
Jill Scott
Track from: The Real Thing
[Hidden Beach Recordings]

+I don't like nan one song nominated for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance. "Woman" is okay, but Raheem can do much better. Still, I'm glad he snagged a nom'.

Best Male R&B Vocal Performance (For a solo vocal performance. Singles or Tracks only.)
* Woman
Raheem DeVaughn
[Jive Records]

* B.U.D.D.Y.
Musiq Soulchild
Track from: Luvanmusiq
[Atlantic Records]

* Because Of You
Ne-Yo
[Def Jam Recordings]

* Future Baby Mama
Prince
Track from: Planet Earth
[Columbia/NPG Records]

* Please Don't Go
Tank
Track from: Sex, Love & Pain
[Blackground/Universal Motown]

+This is not a beef but I need to listen to the Ann Nesby album as I'm a ole school Sounds of Blackness stan and it was nominated but for Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance.

+The Earth Wind & Fire tribute album was so so. Recommending two tracks from it for the Best Urban Alternative Performance was just lazy especially being that one of the nominees, Meshell Ndegeocello, released a challenging album this year worth acknowledgment.

+Oh Lawd! The Best R&B Song category makes me want to scream. I've never heard India Arie's "Beautiful Flower" and don't want to. Somebody tell India Arie to leave the clichés alone. Fantasia's "When I See U" is good but not award-winning great. No comment on "No One" or "Buddy."

+I hope Emily King wins Best Contemporary R&B Album but I don't think the buzz will be with her. And I don't see too much difference in what the contemporary R&B artists vs. regular R&B. The distinction seems random.

Tags: GRAMMYS

de.licio.us digg Furl Reddit YahooMyWeb