Culture
Rap & Grammys By Josh Forte/ Gavel Media staff Since 1959, the Grammy Awards have annually recognized outstanding achievements in the music industry. Yet after the 55th edition of the ceremony aired on February 10, it remains clear that the event is becoming more of a sales-based popularity contest than a true celebration of the artistry within the music industry, and particularly within the rap subset of the industry. The Grammys have been especially critical in their treatment of contenders for Rap Album of 38
the Year. This year big artists such as Drake and Rick Ross dominated the category, while musicians with less radio airtime were excluded from the ticket. Mac Miller’s Blue Side Park, Common’s The Dreamer/The Believer and Childish Gambino’s Camp received widespread critical acclaim, and yet were all overlooked in the nominations. This is just further proof that the members of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sci-
February2013