Grammys mid-season rap contenders: Metro Boomin, Doja Cat, Lil Durk among top artists in a slow year for hip-hop

It’s a slow year for hip-hop so far, especially on the charts. Big names like J. Cole, Kendrick Lamar, Cardi B, and Jay-Z haven’t released new music in 2023, other icons like Nicki Minaj seem to be prepping for Q4 releases, and so far there’s just not been a lot of hip-hop topping the charts. In fact, no number-one song this year has been by a hip-hop artist. Even worse, there has not even been a number-one album by a rapper this year either, with releases from high-profile names like Gunna and Lil Durk failing to reach the top spot. The silver lining is that a weak year for rap overall means that the Grammys’ rap categories might be more fun than ever, with no boring sweeps or predictably locked categories in sight.

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Of course, there’s still a fair share of contenders that could be vying for wins. Perhaps the biggest name is Metro Boomin, who has had tremendous success with both his album “Heroes and Villains” and his work as a producer on the soundtrack for “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.” The former launched the top-10 hit “Superhero” featuring Future and Chris Brown. Metro is the likely frontrunner for Best Rap Album as of now, but he could face competition from Drake and 21 Savage’s “Her Loss.” The big question there is whether Drake will allow the album to be submitted, after he pulled out of nominations in 2022. While Drake could do that again (hopefully not), I imagine he might let this album slide, as it’s a good chance for his collaborator 21 Savage to earn a Grammy. “Heroes and Villains” has held up better on the charts, though, and perhaps Grammy voters will have had it this time with Drake and choose to go for a fresh face.

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Another big name is Ice Spice. The rapper is this year’s breakout star, earning hits like “In Ha Mood,” “Boy’s A Liar, Pt. 2,” and the Nicki Minaj-assisted “Princess Diana.” As such, you could expect to see her somewhere in the nominations, with there even being a chance of her getting across the board noms in the field; her EP “Like” has yielded four Hot 100 hits, after all. Her team could opt for “Princess Diana” in Rap Performance and “Barbie World” for Best Melodic Rap Performance, or submit “In Ha Mood” somewhere instead. Minaj herself might also pick up a nomination for her hit “Red Ruby Da Sleeze” in Best Melodic Rap Performance.

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Female rappers might have a good year with nominations overall. Latto and Cardi B’s “Put It On Da Floor” is a certified hit, so it’s likely to show up somewhere. Similarly, Coi Leray’s “Players” might be the biggest female rap hit of the year, so don’t be surprised if she actually goes all the way to win Best Melodic Rap Performance with it. Of course, there’s also Doja Cat, whose “Attention” shows a more refined style of rapping from her and could be a hot ticket to a win for Best Rap Song, especially in a weaker year. Doja Cat might also become a potential frontrunner for Best Rap Album, as her upcoming record is supposed to be heavy on rap. And I’ve got to mention Kali, whose buzzing hit “Area Codes” could be up for Best Rap Song, especially with a sweet alphabetical ballot position to help it out.

But a big contender to beat will be Lil Durk, especially for his hit “All My Life” featuring J. Cole. Interestingly enough, the song has a similar vibe to 21 Savage’s Grammy-winning “A Lot” when it comes to its awards stakes: a big hit with more of a serious tone for the main rapper, a killer J. Cole verse and a lack of Grammy darlings competing against it. Durk’s album, “Almost Healed,” also seems like a good bet for a nomination, although a mix of disappointing reviews and a Morgan Wallen feature might mean it’s not competitive enough for a win. Still, with “All My Life” shaping up to be a contender for biggest hip-hop song of the year, Durk and Cole could be eyeing Grammy gold soon.

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