Best Rap Album
Will Win - Macklemore & Ryan Lewis "The Heist"
Should Win - Kendrick Lamar "good kid, m.A.A.d city"
Could Win - Kanye West "Yeezus"
Commentary - Kanye West has, rightfully so, has had a stranglehold on the Rap categories over the last decade. And so I am really, really careful here. Yeezus is unlike anything else he has done, and yet it got rave reviews, got on a lot of top ten lists for 2013. It could be a consolation prize for missing out in the top categories. But I think this could finally be the year that West loses, to two hot acts that did really well by getting into Album of the Year. My personal choice would be Lamar's album, but I think that across the board Macklemore and Ryan Lewis performed really well, and will probably take this prize home.
Best Rap Performance
Will Win/Should Win - Macklemore & Ryan Lewis "Thrift Shop"
Could Win - Drake "Started from the Bottom" or Kendrick Lamar "Swimming Pools (Drank)"
Commentary - I think Rap Album is really up in the air, but I will be surprised if the hugely successful and incredibly catchy Thrift Shop doesn't take this one pretty easily.
Best Rap/Sung Collaboration
Will Win - Jay Z and Justin Timberlake "Holy Grail"
Should Win/Could Win - Kendrick Lamar feat. Mary J. Blige "Now or Never"
Commentary - Since Same Love was surprisingly snubbed here (I seriously need to look into how the Grammy votes are tabulated, because I think it could help explain some of these strange anomalies). I think that the dynamic duo of Jay-Z and Justin Timberlake will be hard to pass up, and this category has less competition than the Pop category, where they might miss out.
Best Rap Song
Will Win/Should Win - Macklemore & Ryan Lewis "Thrift Shop"
Could Win - Jay-Z & Justin Timberlake "Holy Grail" or Kanye West "New Slaves"
Commentary - Once again, the old guard of Jay-Z or Kanye West could pull sentimental votes, but the lyrically catchy, and impeccably layered Thrift Shop should win, and probably will.
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