Femi Kuti on Grammy Awards Nominees list again

Nigerian musician and respected Afrobeat singer Femi Kuti  has been nominated at the 54th edition of the prestigious Grammy Awards.

Femi picked up his third ever nomination in the World Music Category for his ‘Africa for Africa‘ album last night Wednesday, November 30, 2011 when the list was unveiled at the ‘Grammy Nominations Concert Live!!‘ in Los Angeles, US.

In 2003, Femi, eldest son of late Afrobeat pioneer Fela Anikulapo Kuti picked up his first ever Grammy Award nomination but lost out to  Panamanian salsa singer Rubén Blades. He similarly lost in 2010  when he was nominated in the same category. US banjo player Bela Fleck walked away with the award.

His recent nomination sees him up against Latin/Roots music band AfroCubism, South African male choral group Ladysmith Black Mambazo, and Malian band Tinariwen.

‘We’re extremely happy, and hoping they give him this time around‘ Femi’s elder sister and Positive band veteran Yeni Kuti told us this morning over the phone. ‘It’s his third time and he has really worked hard‘. Femi Kuti himself, currently touring Europe, is unreachable for now. ‘I can’t say if he’ll attend or not, but I hope he will. He did not attend last year‘ Yeni says.

US rapper Kanye West leads the pack with seven nods, making it the second year in row a Hip-hop artiste has reached that feat. (Eminem topped the nominees list in 2010, with 10nods. He walked away with two wins).

Kanye is closely followed by UK singer Adele who is tied with Foo Fighters and Bruno Mars with six nods each. But the controversial rapper-producer was, surprisingly missing on the biggest award category ‘Album of the Year’. Other notable acts that missed out on the big prize are Taylor Swift and veteran singer Tony Bennett.

The awards ceremony is billed to hold on February 12, 2012, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.

ALBUM OF THE YEAR

Adele, 21

The Foo Fighters, Wasting Light

Lady Gaga, Born This Way

Bruno Mars, Doo-Wops and Hooligans

Rihanna, Loud


RECORD OF THE YEAR

Adele, ‘Rolling in the Deep’

Bon Iver, ‘Holocene’

Bruno Mars, ‘Grenade’

Mumford & Sons, ‘The Cave’

Katy Perry, ‘Firework’


SONG OF THE YEAR

Kanye West, ‘All of the Lights’

Mumford & Sons, ‘The Cave’

Bruno Mars, ‘Grenade’

Bon Iver, ‘Holocene’

Adele, ‘Rolling in the Deep’


BEST NEW ARTIST

The Band Perry

Bon Iver

J. Cole

Nicki Minaj

Skrillex


BEST POP SOLO PERFORMANCE

‘Someone Like You’ — Adele

‘Yoü And I’ — Lady Gaga

‘Grenade’ — Bruno Mars

‘Firework’ — Katy Perry

‘F***in’ Perfect’ — Pink


BEST POP DUO/GROUP PERFORMANCE

‘Body And Soul’ — Tony Bennett & Amy Winehouse

‘Dearest’ — The Black Keys

‘Paradise’ — Coldplay

‘Pumped Up Kicks’ — Foster The People

‘Moves Like Jagger’ — Maroon 5 & Christina Aguilera


BEST DANCE RECORDING

‘Raise Your Weapon’ — Deadmau5 & Greta Svabo Bech

‘Barbra Streisand’ — Duck Sauce

‘Sunshine’ — David Guetta & Avicii

‘Call Your Girlfriend’ — Robyn

‘Scary Monsters And Nice Sprites’ — Skrillex

‘Save The World’ — Swedish House Mafia


BEST DANCE/ELECTRONICA ALBUM

Zonoscope, Cut/Copy

4×4=12, Deadmau5

Nothing But The Beat, David Guetta

Body Talk, Pt. 3, Robyn

Scary Monsters And Nice Sprites, Skrillex


BEST TRADITIONAL POP VOCAL ALBUM

Duets II, Tony Bennett & Various Artists

The Gift, Susan Boyle

In Concert On Broadway, Harry Connick Jr.

Music Is Better Than Words, Seth MacFarlane

What Matters Most – Barbra Streisand Sings The Lyrics Of Alan And Marilyn Bergman, Barbra Streisand


BEST ROCK PERFORMANCE

‘Every Teardrop Is A Waterfall’ — Coldplay

‘Down By The Water’ — The Decemberists

‘Walk’ — Foo Fighters

‘The Cave’ — Mumford & Sons

‘Lotus Flower’ — Radiohead


BEST HARD ROCK/METAL PERFORMANCE

‘On The Backs Of Angels’ — Dream Theater

‘White Limo’ — Foo Fighters

‘Curl Of The Burl’ — Mastodon

‘Public Enemy No. 1″ — Megadeth

‘Blood In My Eyes’ — Sum 41


BEST ROCK ALBUM

Rock ‘N’ Roll Party Honoring Les Paul — Jeff Beck

Wasting Light — Foo Fighters

Come Around Sundown — Kings Of Leon

I’m With You — Red Hot Chili Peppers

The Whole Love — Wilco


BEST ALTERNATIVE MUSIC ALBUM

Bon Iver — Bon Iver

Codes and Keys — Death Cab For Cutie

Torches — Foster The People

Circuital — My Morning Jacket

The King of Limbs — Radiohead


BEST TRADITIONAL R&B PERFORMANCE

‘Sometimes I Cry’ — Eric Benét

‘Fool For You’ — Cee Lo Green & Melanie Fiona

‘Radio Message’ — R. Kelly

‘Good Man’ — Raphael Saadiq

‘Surrender’ — Betty Wright & The Roots


BEST R&B ALBUM

F.A.M.E. — Chris Brown

Second Chance — El DeBarge

Love Letter — R. Kelly

Pieces Of Me — Ledisi

Kelly — Kelly Price


BEST RAP/SUNG COLLABORATION

‘Party’ — Beyoncé & André 3000

‘I’m On One’ — DJ Khaled, Drake, Rick Ross & Lil Wayne

‘I Need A Doctor’ — Dr. Dre, Eminem & Skylar Grey

‘What’s My Name?’ — Rihanna & Drake

‘Motivation’ — Kelly Rowland & Lil Wayne

‘All Of The Lights’ — Kanye West, Rihanna, Kid Cudi & Fergie


BEST RAP PERFORMANCE

‘Look At Me Now’ — Chris Brown, Lil Wayne & Busta Rhymes

‘Otis’ — Jay-Z & Kanye West

‘The Show Goes On’ — Lupe Fiasco

‘Moment 4 Life’ — Nicki Minaj & Drake

‘Black And Yellow’ — Wiz Khalifa


BEST RAP ALBUM

Watch The Throne, Jay-Z & Kanye West

Tha Carter IV, Lil Wayne

Lasers, Lupe Fiasco

Pink Friday, Nicki Minaj

My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, Kanye West


BEST COUNTRY SOLO PERFORMANCE

‘Dirt Road Anthem’ — Jason Aldean

‘I’m Gonna Love You Through It’ — Martina McBride

‘Honey Bee’ — Blake Shelton

‘Mean’ — Taylor Swift

‘Mama’s Song’ — Carrie Underwood


BEST COUNTRY SONG

‘Are You Gonna Kiss Me Or Not’ — Jim Collins & David Lee Murphy

‘God Gave Me You’ — Dave Barnes

‘Just Fishin’’ — Casey Beathard, Monty Criswell & Ed Hill

‘Mean’ — Taylor Swift

‘Threaten Me With Heaven’ — Vince Gill, Amy Grant, Will Owsley & Dillon O’Brian

‘You And Tequila’ — Matraca Berg & Deana Carter


BEST AMERICANA ALBUM

Emotional Jukebox — Linda Chorney

Pull Up Some Dust And Sit Down — Ry Cooder

Hard Bargain — Emmylou Harris

Ramble At The Ryman — Levon Helm

Blessed — Lucinda Williams


BEST WORLD MUSIC ALBUM

AfroCubism – AfroCubism

Femi Kuti- Africa For Africa

Ladysmith Black Mambazo- Songs From A Zulu Farm

Tinariwen- Tassili


BEST BLUES ALBUM

Low Country Blues — Gregg Allman

Roadside Attractions — Marcia Ball

Man In Motion — Warren Haynes

The Reflection — Keb’ Mo’

Revelator — Tedeschi Trucks Band


BEST FOLK ALBUM

Barton Hollow — The Civil Wars

I’ll Never Get Out Of This World Alive — Steve Earle

Helplessness Blues — Fleet Foxes

Ukulele Songs — Eddie Vedder

The Harrow & The Harvest — Gillian Welch