Since the Recording Academy established the Grammy award for best melodic rap performance — named best rap/sung collaboration until 2017, and best rap/sung performance from 2018 to 2020 — in 2002, Rihanna has emerged as the most-nominated (nine) and most-awarded (five) woman in the category. This year, Beyoncé could earn her ninth nod in the category and match Riri’s record.
Of Rihanna’s nine career Grammy wins, five come from this category. She first won alongside Jay-Z for “Umbrella” back in 2008, and followed that up with four more victories: 2010’s “Run This Town (with Jay-Z & Kanye West), 2012’s “All of the Lights” (with West, Kid Cudi and Fergie), 2015’s “The Monster” (with Emninem) and 2018’s “Loyalty” (with Kendrick Lamar).
Beyoncé won this category in 2004 for “Crazy in Love” (with Jay-Z). Her other nominated songs in this category include 2007’s “Deja Vu” (with Jay-Z), 2010’s “Ego” (with West), 2012’s “Party” (with André 3000), 2014’s “Part II” (with Jay-Z), 2017’s “Freedom” (with Lamar) and 2018’s “Family Feud” (with Jay-Z). In 2006, she also earned a nod as a part of Destiny’s Child with “Soldier,” alongside Lil Wayne and T.I.
This year, Beyoncé is in contention with “Spaghettii,” a country-rap hybrid that features record-breaking newcomer Shaboozey and oft-overlooked country pioneer Linda Martell. Thanks to the combined star power of the names attached and the cultural pull of Cowboy Carter and “A Bar Song,” “Spaghettii” could be Beyoncé’s first victory in this category in more than 20 years. A nod for “Spaghettii” would enable her to tie Rihanna as the most-nominated woman in this category; Shaboozey and Martell would also both earn their first nods in this category.
But what other songs could give “Spaghetti,” which peaked at No. 31 on the Billboard Hot 100, a run for its money? Let’s break down the contenders.
Future and Metro Boomin‘s names will be all over the Grammy ballot thanks to their myriad submissions from We Don’t Trust You and We Still Don’t Trust You, both of which topped the Billboard 200 this year. In this category, they submitted the Weeknd-assisted title track from the latter album. The Weeknd won here in 2022 (“Hurricane”) and Future reigned victorious in 2023 (“Wait for U”), so two out of the three credited artists on “We Still Don’t Trust You” have a favorable history in this category. A nod for the synthy track would be the third for both Future and The Weeknd, and the first for Metro. Tommy Richman‘s No. 2-peaking “Million Dollar Baby” is probably the frontrunner here from a purely commercial standpoint, a nod here would be the first for the Virginia native.
Drake, who is currently tied with Beyoncé as the fourth-most nominated artist in this category, is in contention as a part of Sexyy Red‘s “U My Everything,” which peaked at No. 44 on the Hot 100. A nod here would be Sexyy’s first in any category; she is also in contention for best new artist this year. Justin Timberlake, a five-time nominee and two-time winner here, could score a nod for “Sanctified” (with Tobe Nwigwe).
At the most recent ceremony, Latto made history when “Big Energy” became the first live rendition to earn a nod in this category. This year she’s in contention with “Big Mama,” which could surprise with a nomination despite its No. 92 Hot 100 peak. Some other notable 2024 Hot 100 hits in contention include: Jordan Adetunji and Kehlani‘s “Kehlani” (No. 24), Flo Milli‘s “Never Lose Me” (No. 15), Offset and Don Toliver‘s “Worth It” (No. 90), Toliver, Charlie Wilson and Cash Cobain‘s “Attitude” (No. 58), Quavo and Lana Del Rey‘s “Tough” (No. 33), 21 Savage and Summer Walker‘s “Prove It” (No. 43) and Travis Scott, James Blake and Savage’s “Til Further Notice” (No. 38). A nod in this category would be the first for all aforementioned artists except for Wilson, Scott and 21 Savage. Scott and 21 Savage are both seeking their fourth nominations and first wins in this category, while Wilson is seeking his third nod here. Notably, if “Attitude” pulls off the win, Charlie Wilson would take home his very first Grammy — more than four decades after his first nomination.
Of course, there are some other songs to keep an eye on; their critical acclaim and name recognition can make up for what they lack in commercial success. Those songs include: Anycia and Latto’s “Back Outside”; Big Sean, Thundercat and Eryn Allen Kane‘s “Black Void”; Childish Gambino, Amaarae and Flo Milli’s “Talk My Shit”; Cordae and Anderson .Paak‘s “Summer Drop”; Doja Cat‘s “Acknowledge Me”; Erick the Architect and Lalah Hathaway‘s “Liberate”; Gunna‘s “Bittersweet”; Rapsody and Erykah Badu‘s “3:AM”; ScHoolboy Q and Jozzy‘s “Lost Times”; SiR & .Paak’s “Poetry In Motion”; Tems and J. Cole‘s “Free Fall” and Bryson Tiller‘s “Ciao!”
Keep an especially close eye on “Free Fall” — Tems (2023, “Wait For U”) and Cole (2024, “All My Life”) are the last two winners in this category — as well as “Black Void,” which features Eryn Allen Kane who won best rap song and performance last year for “Scientists and Engineers” alongside Killer Mike, Future and André 3000.
Our Fearless Forecast
So, which five songs could make up the next crop of best melodic rap performance nominees? Our picks are: “Spaghettii” (Beyoncé, Shaboozey & Linda Martell), “We Still Don’t Trust You” (Future, Metro Boomin & The Weeknd), “Free Fall” (Tems & J. Cole), “Attitude” (Don Toliver, Charlie Wilson & Cash Cobain) and “Million Dollar Baby” (Tommy Richman).
