NOMINEES:
The New Classic by Iggy Azalea
Because The Internet by Childish Gambino
Nobody's Smiling by Common
The Marshall Mathers LP2 by Eminem
Oxymoron by ScHoolboy Q
Blacc Hollywood by Wiz Khalifa
WHO SHOULD WIN: Oxymoron by ScHoolboy Q
Last year's Best Rap Album decision was a disaster and that's not meant as a jab at Macklemore and Ryan Lewis. Although The Heist was a sincere and enjoyable effort, the Recording Academy chose it over two incredible albums—Kendrick Lamar's Good Kid, M.A.A.D City and Kanye West's Yeezus—and had to deal with an industry firestorm accordingly.
The Academy, if it knows what's good for both it and music, should do the right thing and acknowledge another one of Top Dawg Entertainment's stars with the Best Rap Album Trophy this year.
Almost like watching the Netflix reboot of Arrested Development, listening to ScHoolboy Q's Oxymoron was a retelling of Lamar's M.A.A.D City from the eyes of a totally different character. Lamar was George Michael, awash in the whirlwind of his surroundings while Q acts as Michael Bluth, wrestling with his ethics and responsibilities while often letting the bad guys in his mind win. Both albums work in layers that many chart-topping albums simply don't aim to do (namely The New Classic and Blacc Hollywood, two duds prominent among this year's nominees).
Common has always held himself to a higher standard and Nobody's Smiling represents his legacy well.
ScHoolboy Q managed to create a quality album while turning out a few bangers in the process however ("Man of The Year," "Los Awesome" for example), making Oxymoron a rarity among nominees.
Childish Gambino gets a nod from us for Because The Internet, a worthwhile collection just a tad less tied together than Oxymoron and Nobody's Smiling.
WHO WILL WIN: Oxymoron by ScHoolboy Q
ScHoolboy Q happens to be in the right place at the right time. One year earlier and the popular mass would have resulted in Iggy Azalea winning this award as a noteworthy consolation prize for her failed attempt at Album of The Year. Hip-hop fans won't allow for it. Not with the uproar over Lamar's snubbing last year and not with the nation's awkward racial politics playing into the mix this year.
Don't think the protests and outrage over the deaths of Michael Brown and Eric Garner won't play a role in deciding this year's winner. Azalea, although somewhat unfairly, has become the face of white appropriation due to her questionable Atlanta-via-Australia attitude and the Recording Academy doesn't want to deal with the accusations that would result from giving her the biggest award in hip-hop. This means Eminem won't get any trophies either but even with a loss he still holds 25 percent of the Grammys for Best Rap Album ever presented...a staggering and telling stat.
The apologists at the Recording Academy might not settle on Oxymoron for the right reasons—opting instead to reward Top Dawg for two year's worth of quality nominations—but the Grammy for Best Rap Album will actually go to the best nominee for the first time since 2012.
Wiz Khalifa probably has the second best chance at the award, unfortunately, as the names Common and Gambino don't resonate with the Top 40 voters at the Academy.
