The Grammy Awards have always been one of my Favorite Award shows. Even though they have yet to reward so great talents as of yet, I still love watching them. So since the show is this coming Sunday on CBS I decided to do my Predictions in the R&B Field…you know, the one that hardly ever gets televised…since it’s a so called “ethnic” Category…here are my list of who WILL (X) and who SHOULD (Y) win….
Best Female R&B Vocal Performance
Me, Myself And I
Beyoncé
Track from: The Beyonce Experience Live Audio
[Columbia/Music World Music]
Heaven Sent
Keyshia Cole
Track from: Just Like You
[Geffen/Confidential]
X - Spotlight
Jennifer Hudson
[Arista]
Y - Superwoman
Alicia Keys
Track from: As I Am
[J Records]
Need U Bad
Jazmine Sullivan
[J Records]
Jennifer Hudson will win this Category on the sheer strength of the fact that the recording academy loves two things “Sympathetic Votes” and “Over Due” votes and in this case it will be the “sympathetic vote” that wins Jennifer the award. Alicia Keys was sabotaged by her own record company because her stronger song Teenage Love Affair should’ve gotten the Nomination instead of the weaker Superwoman
Best Male R&B Vocal Performance
You're The Only One
Eric Benét
Track from: Love & Life
[Friday/Reprise]
Take You Down
Chris Brown
Track from: Exclusive
[Jive]
X - Miss Independent
Ne-Yo
Track from: Year Of The Gentleman
[Def Jam/Compound]
Can't Help But Wait
Trey Songz
Track from: Trey Day
[Atlantic]
Y - Here I Stand
Usher
Track from: Here I Stand
[LaFace]
The Peeping-Tom of R&B will win this Category over the more deserved Usher track simply because Ne-Yo has momentum going into the show, but make no mistake about it, Usher gives a better Vocal Performance. Chris Brown is too young, Trey Songz isn’t that popular and Eric Benet is well…..The oldest person in the category.
Best R&B Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals
Ribbon In The Sky
Boyz II Men
Track from: Motown: A Journey Through Hitsville USA
[Decca Records]
Words
Anthony David Featuring India.Arie
Track from: Acey Duecy
[Soulbird/ Universal Republic Records]
Y - Stay With Me (By The Sea)
Al Green Featuring John Legend
Track from: Lay It Down
[Blue Note Records]
X - I'm His Only Woman
Jennifer Hudson Featuring Fantasia
Track from: Jennifer Hudson
[Arista Records]
Never Give You Up
Raphael Saadiq Featuring Stevie Wonder & CJ Hilton
Track from: The Way I See It
[Columbia Records]
Once again Jennifer Hudson could prevail here…I wouldn’t count out Al Green though because he is a Grammy veteran and he has the edge of Grammy golden boy John Legend along side of him..so this one may be close but this is a way to finally recognize Fantasia as well as the influence of American Idol so that may tip the votes.
Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance
A Change Is Gonna Come
Wayne Brady
Track from: A Long Time Coming
[Peak Records]
X - You've Got The Love I Need
Al Green Featuring Anthony Hamilton
Track from: Lay It Down
[Blue Note Records]
Baby I Know
(Linda Jones) With Helen Bruner & Terry Jones
Track from: Soul Talkin
[Philerzy Productions]
Love That Girl
Raphael Saadiq
Track from: The Way I See It
[Columbia Records]
Y - In Love With Another Man
Jazmine Sullivan
Track from: Fearless
[J Records]
If Al Green looses in the other Category , he is sure to win this one. However in a category where most of the nominees have never been heard of before and Wayne Brady is well kinda a joke to some, Jazmine Sullivan could pull off a win here.
Best Urban/Alternative Performance
Say Goodbye To Love
Kenna
Track from: Make Sure They See My Face
[Star Trak/Interscope]
Wanna Be
Maiysha
Track from: This Much Is True:
[Eusonia Records]
XY - Be OK
Chrisette Michele Featuring will.i.am
Track from: I Am
[Def Jam]
Many Moons
Janelle Monae
Track from: Metropolis: The Chase Suite (Special Edition)
[Wondaland/Bad Boy]
Lovin You (Music)
Wayna Featuring Kokayi
Track from: Higher Ground
[Quiet Power Productions, LLC]
This is the most handicapped race of the night….do any of you recognize any names aside from that of Chrisette Michele and Will.I.Am???....no!...so this is a done deal and a way to recognize Chrisette and keep her somewhat viable after the record company completely lost interest in promoting her CD.
Best R&B Song
Bust Your Windows
Salaam Remi & Jazmine Sullivan, songwriters (Deandre Way, songwriter) (Jazmine Sullivan)
Track from: Fearless
[J Records; Publishers: Nappy Puddy Music/Universal Music-Z Tunes, Salaam Remi Music/EMI April Music, Soulja Boy Tellem Music/Croomstacular Music]
Customer
I. Barias, Raheem DeVaughn, C. Haggins, K. Oliver & Johnnie Smith, songwriters (Raheem DeVaughn)
Track from: Love Behind The Melody
[Jive; Publishers: Universal Music-Z Tunes/Ahmad's World/Universal Music/Nivrac Tyke Music/Fresh Paint Music/HC 1030 Publishing/Universal Music/Tetragrammaton Music/Melodic Piano Productions/HC 1030 Publishing]
Heaven Sent
Keyshia Cole, Jason Farmer & Alex Francis, songwriters (Keyshia Cole)
Track from: Just Like You
[Geffen/Confidential; Publishers: She Wrote It/BMG Songs, J Vibe Publishing/Ultra Tunes, Lex Project Publishing]
Y - Miss Independent
Mikkel S. Eriksen, T.E. Hermansen & S. Smith, songwriters (Ne-Yo)
Track from: Year Of The Gentleman
[Def Jam/Compound; Publishers: Pen In The Ground Publishing, Universal Music-Z Tunes]
X - Spotlight
Mikkel S. Eriksen, Tor Erik Hermansen & Shaffer Smith, songwriters (Jennifer Hudson)
[Arista Records; Publishers: Super Sayin' Publishing/Universal Music-Z Songs, Sony/ATV Tunes, EMI Music Publishing]
Either way this is a win for Ne-Yo but I think the story of the night is going to be about Jennifer Hudson so I give her track the edge.
Best R&B Album
Love & Life
Eric Benét
[Friday/Reprise]
Motown: A Journey Through Hitsville USA
Boyz II Men
[Decca Records]
Lay It Down
Al Green
[Blue Note]
XY - Jennifer Hudson
Jennifer Hudson
[Arista Records]
The Way I See It
Raphael Saadiq
[Columbia]
Once again for some strange reason Alicia Keyes was shut out of this Category…how is that possible when her CD was one of the strongest of the year….this is clearly a win for Jennifer Hudson, until this category was announced not too many people even knew the other CD’s were out aside from hers.
Best Contemporary R&B Album
Growing Pains
Mary J. Blige
[Geffen]
Back Of My Lac'
J. Holiday
[Capitol Records]
First Love
Karina
[Def Jam]
XY - Year Of The Gentleman
Ne-Yo
[Def Jam/Compound]
Fearless
Jazmine Sullivan
[J Records]
The CD is also nominated for Album of The Year which will not win and usually the nominees win their Album Categories elsewhere to make up for the loss. I hope Mary J is on her best behavior cause if not she just may walk up on stage and slap Ne-Yo and take the award from him.
WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS?