Beyoncé, Pop Smoke, Lil Baby, Megan Thee Stallion Among List of 2021 Grammy Nominees

The Recording Academy announced the 2021 nominees on Tuesday and the Rap and R&B categories saw some new faces this year. The announcement came virtually on Grammy.com and was announced by CBS This Morning co-host Gayle King.

Jhené Aiko received 3 nominations for her work on the 2020 album Chilombo in the categories Best Progressive R&B album, Best R&B Performance and Album of the Year.

Beyoncé was nominated in 9 different categories including Best R&B Performance, Best Rap Performance, Best Rap Song, Best Music Film, Best Music Video, Best R&B Song, Song of the Year and Record of the Year where she is nominated twice for “Black Parade” and “Savage” with Megan Thee Stallion.

In addition to the Record of the Year, Best Rap Song, and Best Rap Performance Nominations, Megan Thee Stallion who also was a presenter during the announcement livestream was nominated for Best New Artist competing against “Say So” performer Doja Cat.

Doja Cat’s single crossed over into the pop realm and earned the 25-year-old first time nominee a nomination for Best Pop Solo Performance and Record of the Year.

Nipsey Hussle and Pop Smoke have been posthumously nominated for Best Rap Performance. This was Pop Smoke’s only nomination for his single “Dior.” Nipsey was nominated via Big Sean’s single “Deep Reverence” from his Detroit 2 LP. Sean and Nip will compete against Da Baby’s “Bop,” Jack Harlow’s “What’s Poppin” Lil Baby’s “The Bigger Picture and ” Megan Thee Stallion’s “Savage.”

Other nominees include Drake who was nominated for Best Melodic Rap Performance and Best Rap Song with “Laugh Now Cry Later” and Best Music Video for “Life is Good” with Future.

Kanye West also received his first Grammy nomination in the Gospel music category for Best Contemporary Christian Album with Jesus is King.

The ceremony airs January 31, 2021 on CBS and will be hosted by Comedian Trevor Noah.

See the complete list of nominees here. See the R&B and Rap Nominees below:

Record of the Year

Beyonce – Black Parade

Da Baby – Rockstar feat. Roddy Ricch

Doja Cat – Say So

Post Malone – Circles

Megan Thee Stallion x Beyonce – Savage Remix

Album of the Year

Jhene AIko – Chilombo

Post Malone -Hollywood’s Bleeding

Song of the Year

Beyonce – Black Parade

Roddy Ricch – The Box

Post Malone – Circles

H.E.R. – I Can’t Breathe

Best New Artist

Doja Cat

Megan Thee Stallion

D Smoke

Best Rap Album

Jay Electronica – A Written Testimony

Royce Da 5’9 – The Allegory

Nas – King’s Disease

Freddie Gibbs – Alfredo

D Smoke – Black habits

Best Rap Song

Lil Baby – The Bigger Picture

Roddy Ricch – The Box

Drake – Laugh Now Cry Later feat. Lil Durk

Da Baby – Rockstar feat. Roddy Ricch

Megan Thee Stallion – Savage feat. Beyonce

Best Melodic Rap Performance

Travis Scott – Highest in the Room

Anderson Paak – Lockdown

Roddy Ricch – The Box

Drake – Laugh Now Cry Later feat. Lil Durk

Da Baby – Rockstar feat. Roddy Ricch

Best Rap Performance

Pop Smoke – Dior

Big Sean – Deep Reverance feat. Nipsey Hussle

Da Baby- Bop

Jack Harlow – What’s Poppin

Megan Thee Stallion – Savage

Lil Baby – The Bigger Picture

Best R&B Performance

Jhene Aiko – Lightning & Thunder feat. John Legend

Beyonce – Black Parade

Jacob Collier – All I need feat. Ty Dolla Sign & Mahalia

Brittany Howard – Goat Head

Emily King – See Me

Best Traditional R&B Performance

The Baylor Project Featuring Jean Baylor & Marcus Baylor – Sit on Down

Chloe x Halle – Wonder What She Thinks of Me

Mykal Kilgore – Let Me Go

Ledisi – Anything For You

Yebba – Distance

 Best R&B Song

Robert Glasper – Better Than I Imagine feat. H.E.R.

Beyonce – Black Parade

Tiana Major9 – Collide feat. Earthgang

Chloe x Halle – Do It

Skip Marley – Slow Down feat. H.E.R.

Best R&B Album

Ant Clemons – Happy 2 Be Here

Giveon – Take Time

Luke James – To Feel Love/D

John Legend – Bigger Love

Gregory Porter – All Rise

Best Progressive R&B Album

Jhene Aiko – Chilombo

Chloe x Halle- Ungodly Hour

Free Nationals – Free Nationals

Robert Glasper -F*** Yo Feelings

Thundercat – It is What it Is