Timeline of Hip-Hop's Grammy History:
Photos,
Left: A kilt-wearing Sting, pictured with wife Trudie Styler and daughter
Coco.
Hip-hop was well-represented
at this year's Grammys, with OutKast, producer-singer Pharrell Williams, Jay-Z
and his girlfriend Beyonce (whose R&B album included plenty of rap lyrics and
beats) leading all nominees with six each. Not bad for a genre that wasn't
even acknowledged by the Grammys until 1989. Here's a timeline of hip-hop's
Grammy history:
1989 - Grammys
give out first rap award, for "best performance," to the lightweight Parents
Just Don't Understand by Will Smith (known then as The Fresh Prince) and DJ
Jazzy Jeff. Rap community claims that voters ignored the best artists, like
KRS-One, Big Daddy Kane and NWA, whose debut album Straight Outta Compton
launched gangsta rap.
1990
- MC Hammer's megaplatinum
Please Hammer Don't Hurt 'Em nominated for best album; his U Can't Touch This
wins best rap performance. Rap community still upset, especially by best rap
performance nomination for Vanilla Ice, widely considered a fraud by
knowledgeable fans. Public Enemy boycotts show despite nomination for best
performance, accusing Grammys of racism.
1993
- Arrested Development is first rap act to win best new artist trophy. They
also win best group rap performance for Tennessee.
1999
- Lauryn Hill is first rap act to win best album category with The
Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, a mainly R&B album with rap and hip-hop touches.
She sets a record with five awards, which was the most ever for a female
artist. Jay-Z's "Vol. 2 ... Hard Knock Life" wins best album, but he boycotts
awards show, saying the Grammys don't respect rap.
2000
- Burying the legacy of Vanilla Ice, the well-respected Eminem becomes first
white rapper to win rap category, taking best rap album over Busta Rhymes, Nas,
Missy Elliott and The Roots. Also wins best rap solo performance.
2001
- Eminem's The Marshall Mathers LP, which slurs gays and women, is focus of
protests after being nominated for album of the year. Eminem loses best album
to Steely Dan, but sweeps rap categories.-
NEKSA MOODY
THE NOMINEES AND
WINNERS
Continues on the following pages