The Grammys and Hip Hop 2014

I personally don't think of Hip Hop mostly when Macklemore's name is mentioned. Angela Yee even said on the Breakfast Club that the Grammys couldn't decide whether to put his album in the Hip Hop or Pop category.

There was a lot of hype surrounding Macklemore's album in general and overall, but it didn't come from the Hip Hop community, that's the whole purpose of the category. Macklemore knows this, which is why he publicized that text. Like I said, it was more appropriate that he win Best New Artist over Kendrick or Best New Album for example because the scope is more broad.
 
Thing is, the same people who discredit the Grammys put on that Kanye smile when their favorite wins.
 
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Macklemore sold more albums, but his influence is NOT in the Hip-Hop category which is the category he won the award in. R.A. the Rugged Man is telling the truth whether you want to hear it or not. If you are white you are going to sale more because you get the white vote. Whether its Macklemore or Eminem. There is no exception to the rule. Macklemore talks about gay marriage (which will get you the gay vote right now) and makes Pop-rap (like Eminem) and sales a lot of records. Why? More people relate to having fun (pop-rap) than facing real (Hip-Hop) issues. When people talk about Macklemore's album they mention 2 songs. 2 songs. This is not only the state of Hip-Hop now but music in general. You can have 2 hits and win an award for Best Album? Macklemore and Eminem won on their first albums. Nas is still trying. I'm not racist but can you honestly say there is no racial bias with a straight face. Hip-Hop in its truest form is not televised. It damn sure doesn't receive an award at the Grammy's, the Oscars, Billboard Awards, MTV Awards or the BET Awards. Let's not begin to talk about radio (which is one of the criteria for receiving these awards). Not only has Nas never won a Grammy, Jimi Hendrix, Diana Ross, Bob Marley (Lifetime Achievement posthumously doesn't count), Queen, Janis Joplin, Led Zeppelin, Run-D.M.C., Guns-N-Roses, The Ramones, Journey (how many times have you heard "Don't Stop Believing"?), 2Pac (posthumously, when he is no longer a threat to the establishment doesn't count), Biggie, Bjork (13 nominations!), Snoop Dogg (15 nominations!), Chuck Berry, Mos Def, Katy Perry ("Teenage Dream"-record 5 #1 singles), Brian McKnight (16 nominations!), Oasis, and the Spice Girls (the best-selling girl-group album) have never won either. Who watches the Grammy's anymore?
 
mwandishi said:
Man this is one of the best responses to some of the stuff Jamar said and the conversations we've having around here. :cheers:
I use to mess with RA hard back in the day, soundbombing, lyrics lounge-classic.
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RA hits it on a ton of topics and his last album is on heavy rotation in my playlist.
 
The Light said:
Macklemore sold more albums, but his influence is NOT in the Hip-Hop category which is the category he won the award in. R.A. the Rugged Man is telling the truth whether you want to hear it or not. If you are white you are going to sale more because you get the white vote. Whether its Macklemore or Eminem. There is no exception to the rule. Macklemore talks about gay marriage (which will get you the gay vote right now) and makes Pop-rap (like Eminem) and sales a lot of records. Why? More people relate to having fun (pop-rap) than facing real (Hip-Hop) issues. When people talk about Macklemore's album they mention 2 songs. 2 songs. This is not only the state of Hip-Hop now but music in general. You can have 2 hits and win an award for Best Album? Macklemore and Eminem won on their first albums. Nas is still trying. I'm not racist but can you honestly say there is no racial bias with a straight face. Hip-Hop in its truest form is not televised. It damn sure doesn't receive an award at the Grammy's, the Oscars, Billboard Awards, MTV Awards or the BET Awards. Let's not begin to talk about radio (which is one of the criteria for receiving these awards). Not only has Nas never won a Grammy, Jimi Hendrix, Diana Ross, Bob Marley (Lifetime Achievement posthumously doesn't count), Queen, Janis Joplin, Led Zeppelin, Run-D.M.C., Guns-N-Roses, The Ramones, Journey (how many times have you heard "Don't Stop Believing"?), 2Pac (posthumously, when he is no longer a threat to the establishment doesn't count), Biggie, Bjork (13 nominations!), Snoop Dogg (15 nominations!), Chuck Berry, Mos Def, Katy Perry ("Teenage Dream"-record 5 #1 singles), Brian McKnight (16 nominations!), Oasis, and the Spice Girls (the best-selling girl-group album) have never won either. Who watches the Grammy's anymore?
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The main thing that combats the argument of "they only sale because they're white" is the slew of white artist who never had as much success as Em or Macklemore. Bubba Sparks, Whitey Ford, Eyedea, MGK, Yellawolf, Tom Green, Riff Raff, George Watsky are all white and have nowhere near the success of Em or Macklemore. So what about them? Truthfully white rappers are rare success stories in hip hop.

And to add to that Macklemore's album goes against the grain of most mainstream hip hop. It's indy, anti materialistic and rooted in a unique local sound. Isn't this what people have been complaining has been missing from the Grammy's? And also what's wrong with fun hip hop? Remember the music was originally party music. Not every song has to be a hood cnn news report

As far as those who haven't won grammy awards. For the most part if you were to look at the competition that some of these artists were up against it becomes appearant why. Katy Perry Lost to Adele 3 times. Snoop lost to Beyonce twice and Eminem. Biggie Lost to his boy Diddy post humously. Oasis is bigger in the U.K. than in the U.S. Which attributes to their lack of nominations. 2pac died before Hip Hop was given a fully established category. Some just happened to suffer from delayed appreciation. Jimi Hendrix didn't get love in the U.S. until after he came back from Britain, The Ramones were too underground during their prime and didn't get just recognition until after they're prime was over. And then there are upsets and overlooks that goes with any awards
 
I'mma give everybody some insight on the grammys. Take it or leave it, i'm not gonna argue when I know.

It's not about race, sexual preference, popularity, none of that crap. NOT EVEN ALBUM SALES. It's about who they feel displayed artistic talent. This is why an artist like Janelle Monae IS and has been popular with the grammy judges her entire career(racist, huh? or is she gay?). Same for Jill Scott, Nora Jones, LAURYN HILL(who doesn't mind saying she hates white people BTW), Bruno Mars, Daft Punk, Maxwell, DeAngelo, Erykah Badu...I'll be here all day.

I don't agree Macklemore had a "good hip hop album". I think he makes music for a demographic I can't familiarize with, because even the white guys I know agree he's wack as f**k, lol. I won't call conspiracy, but I'm a guy who can bump 3Oh3!, Dev, Fort moinor, ect. I don't get Ke$ha or Macklemore, but Pitbull makes that same bullshyt and he's from the REAL HOOD! I'll chuck it up to 'not my cup o' tea.

Macklemore won because his album was diverse, wide scaled with topics and touched on things from alot of different aspects. The instrumentation was unorthodox for "hip hop", alot of his songs had "soulful" hooks. Respect my quotes.

If Macklemore didn't exist, Kendrick would have racked up for the exact same reasons. I didn't like his album, but soon as I heard it, I knew it was that "artistic grammy bullshyt".

Anyone who can't see how that shyt works needs to sit in a room for a month straight doing nothing but playing grammy nominated albums behind albums that weren't nominated. It's as obvious as what the guys over at Complex like to listen to. But that's yet another thread.....
 
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