Relapse likely to win grammy due to strong sales

[EminemIVLife]

Pop & Hiss
The L.A. Times music blog
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Grammy countdown: Is Eminem's 'Relapse' a lock for best rap album?
January 19, 2010 | 6:40 pm
Pop & Hiss will be handicapping the major Grammy categories leading up to the Jan. 31 telecast. Read our picks, and vote for your own, below.



The category: Best rap album

The field at a glance: Three of the last five years, the best rap album went to Kanye West. During the eligibility period for the 2010 awards, West drifted from his hip-hop past, offering up a collection of moody pop with "808s and Heartbreak," and thus opening up the rap album field.

But West isn't the only superstar absent from this category. Due to a one-month advance in the eligibility period from Sept. 31 to Aug. 31, Jay-Z's "The Blueprint 3" missed the window to be considered for the 2010 awards, having been released on Sept. 8. The omission of the 2010 Coachella headliner will be felt, as the album has sold more than 1.5 million copies in just four months, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

What's left, however, is a rather broad snapshot of hip-hop over 2009. Flo Rida maintained his dominance as a singles artist, as his "Right Round" featuring Ke$ha sold more than 4 million downloads throughout 2009. His album "R.O.O.T.S.," however, didn't make the same impact as its individual cuts.

Introspective rapper and perennial nominee Common went the party route with his more lighthearted "Universal Mind Control," and indie-minded artists such as Mos Def and Q-Tip are also represented in the field. Q-Tip's album, "The Renaissance," was released in late 2008 and featured him melding hip-hop and neo-soul, as well as working with an impressive group of collaborators including Norah Jones and Nelly Furtado. It should be the kind of easily approachable album Grammy voters love, but it's far from the biggest success in the category, as Eminem's first album in five years, "Relapse," rounds out the field.


And the Grammy goes to: Book it for Eminem. Though some of the rapper's outrageous attacks at times felt a bit dated or obvious (Jessica Simpson? Hannah Montana?), the album still achieved the kind of sales success that voters won't pass up. To date, the spring release has sold more than 1.75 million copies, and whether making borderline violent videos or lashing out at Mariah Carey, Eminem proved to still be adept at garnering headlines. Q-Tip deserves it, but Eminem will get his fourth best rap album Grammy on Jan. 31.

Thank you for voting!
Q-Tip, "The Renaissance" 2% (9 votes)
Eminem, "Relapse" 93% (378 votes)
Common, "Universal Mind Control" 2% (7 votes)
Mos Def, "The Ecstatic" 2% (10 votes)
Flo Rida, "R.O.O.T.S." 1% (3 votes)
Total Votes: 407

[Jay-19]

There's no competition to talk about...
Eminem got this.

[EminemIVLife]

Those votes are ridiculous

[EminemBase]

Shouldn't be based on sales. That's silly.

I'm glad BP3 missed the deadline though because otherwise it would of won just because everyone sucks off Jay-Z like he's god. And it's not a scratch on Relapse.

[dR3]

[EminemIVLife]

Shouldn't be based on sales. That's silly.

I'm glad BP3 missed the deadline though because otherwise it would of won just because everyone sucks off Jay-Z like he's god. And it's not a scratch on Relapse.

I know it shouldnt, but in this case I'm glad it is. And Blueprint 3 suuuuckkkkkeed. What a tame overhyped piece of shit album.

[mbmfan]

LOL, you beat me to it. I hope he wins. He should be there, great way to promo Relapse 2, and great place to make an Announcement about it . Remembering the days when people would show up to these things and be onstage and advertise when their new album would come out, then present an award. Don't think that's his style though .

[EminemIVLife]

LOL, you beat me to it. I hope he wins. He should be there, great way to promo Relapse 2, and great place to make an Announcement about it . Remembering the days when people would show up to these things and be onstage and advertise when their new album would come out, then present an award. Don't think that's his style though .

It would be great if he showed up, took the grammy and announced Relapse 2 release date

[RealSickLindley]

Shouldn't be based on sales. That's silly.

I'm glad BP3 missed the deadline though because otherwise it would of won just because everyone sucks off Jay-Z like he's god. And it's not a scratch on Relapse.

Different albums, with different themes. But as a whole, they were even to me.

And i don't think anyone "sucks him off", IMO, way more people hate on Jay than Em.

[EminemBase]

Shouldn't be based on sales. That's silly.

I'm glad BP3 missed the deadline though because otherwise it would of won just because everyone sucks off Jay-Z like he's god. And it's not a scratch on Relapse.

Different albums, with different themes. But as a whole, they were even to me.

And i don't think anyone "sucks him off", IMO, way more people hate on Jay than Em.

I don't think so. In the media, especially US, they threat him like a king.

Weren't even to me either. Jay's album had 15 tracks and 10 of them were features. Every name was a 'hot' name for the time too. Pure desperation.

Just a feature heavy, commercial lump of an album. The only thing great about it is the production. Thanks to the wonderful Kanye West. Jay's bragging isn't even witty. And that's all it's packed with.

Where as Em had 2 features. Dre and 50. 50 was fucking awful as usual though. But other than that, totally beautiful hip-hop album in terms of craft. Dre's production wasn't that impressive but it was solid enough. But Em's lyricism and flows on it... Aw man, endlessly more entertaining, skillful, witty, interesting and original to me than Jay's.

If Em had come out with something like BP3. Ten out of fifteen features, just 'hot' names, every single track just bragging about being the biggest selling rapper ever and how he's king... Yeah, sure that would go down well. Don't know why Jay gets away with it. I would bash Em the same if he did that bullshit.

[Alaine]

Pop & Hiss
The L.A. Times music blog
« Previous Post | Pop & Hiss Home

Grammy countdown: Is Eminem's 'Relapse' a lock for best rap album?
January 19, 2010 | 6:40 pm
Pop & Hiss will be handicapping the major Grammy categories leading up to the Jan. 31 telecast. Read our picks, and vote for your own, below.



The category: Best rap album

The field at a glance: Three of the last five years, the best rap album went to Kanye West. During the eligibility period for the 2010 awards, West drifted from his hip-hop past, offering up a collection of moody pop with "808s and Heartbreak," and thus opening up the rap album field.

But West isn't the only superstar absent from this category. Due to a one-month advance in the eligibility period from Sept. 31 to Aug. 31, Jay-Z's "The Blueprint 3" missed the window to be considered for the 2010 awards, having been released on Sept. 8. The omission of the 2010 Coachella headliner will be felt, as the album has sold more than 1.5 million copies in just four months, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

What's left, however, is a rather broad snapshot of hip-hop over 2009. Flo Rida maintained his dominance as a singles artist, as his "Right Round" featuring Ke$ha sold more than 4 million downloads throughout 2009. His album "R.O.O.T.S.," however, didn't make the same impact as its individual cuts.

Introspective rapper and perennial nominee Common went the party route with his more lighthearted "Universal Mind Control," and indie-minded artists such as Mos Def and Q-Tip are also represented in the field. Q-Tip's album, "The Renaissance," was released in late 2008 and featured him melding hip-hop and neo-soul, as well as working with an impressive group of collaborators including Norah Jones and Nelly Furtado. It should be the kind of easily approachable album Grammy voters love, but it's far from the biggest success in the category, as Eminem's first album in five years, "Relapse," rounds out the field.


And the Grammy goes to: Book it for Eminem. Though some of the rapper's outrageous attacks at times felt a bit dated or obvious (Jessica Simpson? Hannah Montana?), the album still achieved the kind of sales success that voters won't pass up. To date, the spring release has sold more than 1.75 million copies, and whether making borderline violent videos or lashing out at Mariah Carey, Eminem proved to still be adept at garnering headlines. Q-Tip deserves it, but Eminem will get his fourth best rap album Grammy on Jan. 31.

Thank you for voting!
Q-Tip, "The Renaissance" 2% (9 votes)
Eminem, "Relapse" 93% (378 votes)
Common, "Universal Mind Control" 2% (7 votes)
Mos Def, "The Ecstatic" 2% (10 votes)
Flo Rida, "R.O.O.T.S." 1% (3 votes)
Total Votes: 407

I don't like the way they say it

[shadeonback]

Flo Rida, "R.O.O.T.S." 1% (3 votes)


LOL!

[EminemIVLife]

@ Eminem Base: agree with u totally about blueprint 3; just a mess of features and technically lacking bravado thats well produced and safe singles with susan boyle on the hook (oh shit, sorry Alicia keys ) bp3 felt so soulless to me; Jay has such a great catalogue that u know he never had to make this album but he wanted to cash in and get his 11th number 1

@Alaine: noticed how alot of media sites on the net grudgingly post news of Em (because it appears they have to) and then have a dig at him at the same time.

[AJS2050]

Relapse will give him his 10th Grammy, not sure about the other two his nominated in though. I'd enjoy the show more if he was performing, but that doesn't look likely to happen now. Hopefully he will show up at least to recieve the award or awards.

[EminemIVLife]

Relapse will give him his 10th Grammy, not sure about the other two his nominated in though. I'd enjoy the show more if he was performing, but that doesn't look likely to happen now. Hopefully he will show up at least to recieve the award or awards.

I hope he wins a grammy for beautiful too, wouldnt that take his tally up to 10 ?