From Dreams To Reality…J. Cole’s Squad Has Been Nominated For A Grammy

The nominations for the 2020 Grammy Awards have been announced. The upcoming year’s contenders celebrate a host of potential first-time winners, especially in Rap and Hip-Hop.

In the “Best Rap Album” category, there are several key contenders. Notably, J. Cole (who has never previously won a Grammy) earned that distinction with his entire squad and Dreamville’s Revenge Of The Dreamers III. Between 2012 and 2019, Cole was nominated seven times without a win. The announcement comes one year after many fans felt Cole was snubbed for 2018’s omission surrounding KOD. This chart-topping compilation’s nomination belongs to a crew that also includes Bas, J.I.D., Omen, EarthGang, Cozz, Ari Lennox, and Lute. A host of guests joined the fold, including Reason, Buddy, Vince Staple, Ty Dolla $ign, Guapdad4000, DaBaby, Saba, King Mez, Baby Rose, Smokepurpp, Ski Mask The Slump God, Smino, Reese La Flare, Mereba, Deante Hitchcock, Dreezy, and Maxo Kream, among others.

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Also in the category are YBN Cordae for The Lost Boy, 21 Savage for late 2018’s I Am > I Was, Tyler, The Creator for IGOR, and Meek Mill for one year ago’s Championships. Cordae and Meek are first-time nominees. 21 previously was nominated last year for his Post Malone collaboration. The rapper did not attend due to an arrest by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. In 2018, Tyler was nominated for Flower Boy, as well as a channel ORANGE nod alongside Frank Ocean in 2013.

In the “Best Rap Song” category, Cordae and previous Grammy winner Chance The Rapper are nominated for “Bad Idea.” Rick Ross’ latest Drake collabo’ “Gold Roses” is included. DaBaby’s JetsonMade-produced hit “Suge (Yea Yea)” joins the fold, as does late Nipsey Hussle’s “Racks In The Middle,” featuring Hit-Boy and protege Roddy Ricch. Cole and 21 Savage share a nomination with 2018’s video single “a lot.” Although nominated for “Best Rap Album” and in attendance this year, Nipsey never won a Grammy ahead of his March, 2019 murder. This category could potentially mark first-time wins for Ross, Cordae, Cole, and 21.

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Cole receives a solo nomination for “Middle Child” in the “Best Rap Performance” category, as well as a group nod for “Down Bad,” alongside J.I.D., Bas, EarthGang, and Young Nudy. He joins ROTD3 collaborator (and fellow North Carolina native) DaBaby for “Suge,” Nipsey’s “Racks In The Middle,” and Migos member OffSet’s spousal collaboration, “Clout,” alongside ’19 winner Cardi B. Apart from Cardi, this category guarantees a 2020 first-time winner.

In the “Best Rap/Sung Performance” category, DJ Khaled competes for his first Grammy alongside Nipsey Hussle and John Legend on “Higher.” Quality Control artists Lil Baby and Gunna are nominated for “Drip Too Hard.” Newcomer Lil Nas X appears with “Panini,” as does DJ Mustard and Roddy Ricch on “Ballin.'” J. Cole appears once more, alongside Young Thug and Travis Scott for “The London.”

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Other nominations of note include Anderson .Paak and André 3000’s “Come Home” appearing in the “Best R&B Performance” category. Paak’s second Aftermath Entertainment album, Ventura, is also in the “Best R&B Album” category. Earlier this year, the veteran artist in several genres won his first trophy for a la carte single “Bubblin'” in a category win shared with Jay Rock. Hip-Hop veteran MC/producer Georgia Anne Muldrow is nominated for “Best Adult Contemporary Album” for her ’18 Brainfeeder LP Overload. Dave Chappelle is nominated for his Sticks & Stones standup special. If he wins, it’ll be a three-peat in the “Best Comedy Album” category since 2018. Mike D and AdRock are nominated for “Best Spoken Word Album” in the audiobook of The Beastie Boys Book. That piece includes readings by LL Cool J, Nas, Will Ferrel, and others. Between 1999 and 2008, the Beasties won three trophies for their music.

One of 2020’s top nominees is Lizzo. The Missy Elliott collaborator who spent years in the Minnesota indie scene (and collaborated with Doomtree’s Lazerbreak) and her Cuz I Love You get the nod in “Album Of The Year” (as does H.E.R. and Lil Nas X). She and Lil Nas X also get “Record Of The Year” honors for “Truth Hurts” and “Old Town Road,” respectively. The former gets a “Song Of The Year” nominee too. She and Lil Nas X appear in the “Best New Artist” category. If Lil Nas X wins, he will receive a Grammy trophy before Nas.

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Two-category 2018 Grammy nominee Rapsody was not nominated for this year’s Eve. She expressed herself with a shrug emoji online. Freddie Gibbs & Madlib’s Bandana, also a fan favorite from ’19, which saw the duo move to a major label, also received no nominations. Gibbs is currently on the “Album Of The Year” tour. J. Cole and Dreamville have not publicly reacted to this morning’s news.

Additional nominations in other categories are available at Pitchfork. The Grammys will take place on January 26, 2020, at Los Angeles, California’s Staples Center.