Hip-hop heights

By Randy Lewis

Dec. 5, 2003 12 AM PT

Times Staff Writer

Just as they’ve monopolized radio airwaves and sales charts all year, hip-hop and R&B; performers dominated nominations for the 43rd Grammy Awards while the “American Idol” phenomenon that yielded three hit singles and two hit albums generated just two Grammy nods, neither in major categories.

Critically acclaimed Atlanta rap duo OutKast is the only act that appears in both the prestigious record and album of the year categories, and Detroit rapper Eminem returns to the Grammy forefront with the nod for his Academy Award-winning song “Lose Yourself,” from the movie “8 Mile,” in the best record category.

For the record:

12:00 a.m. Dec. 6, 2003 For The Record
Los Angeles Times Saturday December 06, 2003 Home Edition Main News Part A Page 2 National Desk 1 inches; 34 words Type of Material: Correction
Grammy number -- An article in Friday’s Calendar incorrectly referred to the nominations that were announced Thursday as being for the 43rd Grammy Awards. The Feb. 8 ceremony will be the 46th Grammy Awards.
For The Record
Los Angeles Times Tuesday December 09, 2003 Home Edition Main News Part A Page 2 National Desk 1 inches; 34 words Type of Material: Correction
Iovine title -- A story about the Grammy nominations in Friday’s Calendar incorrectly reported Jimmy Iovine’s title as chairman and chief executive of Interscope Geffen A&M; Records. He is chairman of the label group.

OutKast’s “Speakerboxxx/The Love Below” album generated six nominations, the same number accumulated by rapper Jay-Z, singer Beyonce and producer-performer Pharrell Williams. Nominations were announced Thursday in Beverly Hills, and winners will be announced Feb. 8 at Staples Center.

Following OutKast’s multiple nominations in 2002 for its album “Stankonia,” the group is turning into a favorite among Grammy voters.

“I have no idea why,” group member Andre Benjamin, a.k.a. Andre 3000, said. “Music is going through a lot of changes, not only rap but all forms of music. People want to hear something different and with OutKast, we do something different.”

His OutKast partner Big Boi (Antwan Patton) added, “This is motivation, actually, motivation to go back into the studio and keep working on our new music. It’s such an extra added push that it’s so well received, and so gratifying that people dig what we’re doing, it makes you want to go back in and do your best.”

The appearances of Detroit rock band the White Stripes and hard-rock group Evanescence in the album of the year category next to OutKast, Missy Elliott and Justin Timberlake were two of the biggest surprises among the 105 Grammy categories.

Of the Stripes’ best album nomination for “Elephant,” Andy Gershon, president of the duo’s label, V2 Records, North America, said, “What impressed me from the get-go is this unique setup with [Jack and Meg White], and what they could do with two instruments, which is really a testament to how great a songwriter Jack is.”

Another surprise was the absence of “American Idol” performers from major categories.

Kelly Clarkson, the show’s first winner, is nominated in the female pop vocal category, and 2003 winner Ruben Studdard appears in the male R&B; vocal category. But neither Studdard nor this year’s runner-up, Clay Aiken (whose hit album, “Measure of a Man,” was released after the eligibility period closed), are nominated for best new artist.

Instead, that category’s contenders are rapper 50 Cent, whose debut album “Get Rich or Die Tryin’ ” has sold 6.3 million copies, making it the year’s top seller; Evanescence; alt-rock group Fountains of Wayne; reggae singer Sean Paul; and R&B; singer Heather Headley.

Record of the year nominees, in addition to Eminem’s “Lose Yourself,” are OutKast’s “Hey Ya!,” Jay-Z and Beyonce’s “Crazy in Love,” “Where Is the Love” by the Black Eyed Peas and Timberlake, and Coldplay’s “Clocks.”

Eminem’s nomination was one of five for the controversial rapper. His seven career Grammy wins have all come in rap categories. It was the motion picture academy that gave him his first major industry award with the best song Oscar for “Lose Yourself.” “The simple fact that people of his caliber haven’t won before means less and less to me,” said Jimmy Iovine, chairman and chief executive of Interscope/Geffen/A&M; records, Eminem’s label. “The Grammys are not as prestigious as the Academy Awards and this is one of the reasons.”

Other performers up for five awards are Timberlake, Missy Elliott, Evanescence, 50 Cent, Chad Hugo (Williams’ partner in the Neptunes), Ricky Skaggs, Luther Vandross and the late Warren Zevon.

Zevon, in a macabre twist the sardonic singer-songwriter would have appreciated, is competing against another deceased rock star in the category of best male pop vocal performance. “Any Road,” from George Harrison’s posthumous album “Brainwashed,” is nominated along with Zevon’s “Keep Me In Your Heart,” along with records by Timberlake, Sting and Michael McDonald.

Zevon, who died in September of lung cancer, also is nominated in best song, rock song, rock duo or group performance and contemporary folk album categories. Harrison, who died of cancer in 2001, received two other nominations, for pop instrumental performance and pop vocal album.

Other emotionally laden nominations went to R&B; singer Vandross, who is still recuperating from a stroke he suffered in April, and Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash, both of whom died this year.

The title track from Vandross’ latest album, “Dance With My Father,” is nominated for best song. When he finished writing it, Vandross said, “I’ve written my career song, my Grammy song of the year song,” according to a statement released Thursday by his record label, J Records. “I want to make sure that everyone around me knows that I feel that way.”

Additionally, Johnny Cash is nominated for the video that accompanied his recording of Trent Reznor’s “Hurt” and his wife is up for female country vocal and traditional folk album Grammys for her final release, “Wildwood Flower.” They also received a joint nomination in the country collaboration category for their duet “Temptation” from her album.

And R&B; trio TLC, whose singer Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes died last year in an automobile accident, received a nomination for duo or group R&B; performance.

Last year’s big Grammy winner, Norah Jones, was nominated anew, this time in the country collaboration category for a duet with Willie Nelson.

In revealing the nominations at the Beverly Hilton Hotel, electronic artist Moby departed from the script, referring to Barbra Streisand’s “The Movie Album” instead as “her ‘How to Defeat Our Current Inept President’ album.”

Recordings released between Oct. 1, 2002, and Sept. 30, 2003, are eligible for Grammy consideration. Awards are voted on by the recording academy’s members, including musicians, producers, record executives, managers and others.

The awards and announcement of nominations were bumped up several weeks this year from their traditional times to avoid head-to-head competition with the Academy Awards, which have been moved ahead from late March to late February.

Times staff writer Agustin Gurza contributed to this report.

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Record of the year

“Crazy in Love,” Beyonce Featuring Jay-Z

“Where Is the Love?” The Black Eyed Peas & Justin Timberlake

“Clocks,” Coldplay

“Lose Yourself,” Eminem

“Hey Ya!” Outkast

Album of the year

“Under Construction,” Missy Elliott

“Fallen,” Evanescence

“Speakerboxxx/The Love Below,” Outkast