LL Cool J was joined by Kelly Rowland, Robin Thicke, Tamar Braxton, T.I. and Miguel at the Grammy Nominations Concert where Jay Z, Pharrell and Kendrick Lamar grabbed top honors. See pics and nominations inside.....
Last night, L Cool J hosted The GRAMMY Nominations Concert Live!! Countdown To Music's Biggest Night show at Nokia Theatre L.A. Live . The broadcast included a tribute to Nelson Mandela.
Hopefully, we'll be seeing several YBFers at the winner's podium when the broadcast airs on Jan. 26 from the Staples Center. Jay Z led the pack with nine nominations including Rap Album and two nods in the Rap/Sung Collaboration category. Kendrick Lamar, Pharrell and Justin Timberlake scored big earning seven nominations a piece.
Also, Newcomer and YBF fave Mack Wilds is nominated for Urban Contemporary Album. On a side note, we know he's got the vote of Grammy winning songwriter Sevyn Streeter who called him "attractive" in a new YouTube clip. We still have them on couples watch!
Tamar Braxton certainly has something to sing about! She nab a few nominations including Best R&B Performance, Best R&B Song, and Best Urban Contemporary Album.
T.I. walked the carpet in a track suit and socks with a Native American print.
Legendary EWF bassist Verdine White wore a shiny suit.
Kelly Rowland, one of the presenters, turned heads in a Tom Ford jacket, Victoria Beckham skirt and jewelry from Lorraine Schwartz.
Kelly is featured on Fantasia's Grammy nominated track "Without Me". The track is competing in the best R&B song category.
Robin Thicke and T.I. performed "Blurred Lines" with Earth, Wind & Fire. The song picked up seven nominations including Record Of The Year.
Miguel was joined by country star Keith Urban for a rendition of Bill Withers' "Ain't No Sunshine." He also picked up a nod for Best R&B Performance.
Talk Show host Arsenio Hall was spotted at the show.
See the R&B/Rap Nominations here:
Record of the year
Get Lucky — Daft Punk & Pharrell Williams
Radioactive — Imagine Dragons
Royals — Lorde
Locked Out Of Heaven — Bruno Mars
Blurred Lines — Robin Thicke Featuring T.I. & Pharrell
Album of the Year
The Blessed Unrest — Sara Bareilles
Random Access Memories — Daft Punk
Good Kid, M.A.A.D City — Kendrick Lamar
The Heist — Macklemore & Ryan Lewis
Red — Taylor Swift
Best R&B Performance
Love And War — Tamar Braxton
Best Of Me — Anthony Hamilton
Nakamarra — Hiatus Kaiyote Featuring Q-Tip
How Many Drinks? — Miguel Featuring Kendrick Lamar
Something — Snarky Puppy with Lalah Hathaway
Best Traditional R&B Performance
Please Come Home — Gary Clark Jr.
Get It Right — Fantasia
Quiet Fire — Maysa
Hey Laura — Gregory Porter
Yesterday — Ryan Shaw
Best R&B Song
Best Of Me - Anthony Hamilton & Jairus Mozee, songwriters (Anthony Hamilton)
Love And War - Tamar Braxton, Darhyl Camper, Jr., LaShawn Daniels & Makeba Riddick, songwriters (Tamar Braxton)
Only One - PJ Morton, songwriter (PJ Morton Featuring Stevie Wonder)
Pusher Love Girl - James Fauntleroy, Jerome Harmon, Timothy Mosley & Justin Timberlake, songwriters (Justin Timberlake)
Without Me - Fantasia Barrino, Missy Elliott, Al Sherrod Lambert, Harmony Samuels & Kyle Stewart, songwriters (Fantasia Featuring Kelly Rowland & Missy Elliot)
Best Urban Contemporary Album
Love And War - Tamar Braxton
Side Effects Of You - Fantasia
One: In The Chamber - Salaam Remi
Unapologetic - Rihanna
New York: A Love Story - Mack Wilds
Best R&B Album
R&B Divas - Faith Evans
Girl On Fire - Alicia Keys
Love In The Future - John Legend
Better - Chrisette Michele
Three Kings - TGT
Best Rap Performance
Started From The Bottom - Drake
Berzerk - Eminem
Tom Ford - Jay Z
Swimming Pools (Drank) - Kendrick Lamar
Thrift Shop - Macklemore & Ryan Lewis Featuring Wanz
Best Rap/Sung Collaboration
Power Trip - J. Cole Featuring Miguel
Part II (On The Run) - Jay Z Featuring Beyoncé
Holy Grail - Jay Z Featuring Justin Timberlake
Now Or Never - Kendrick Lamar Featuring Mary J. Blige
Remember You - Wiz Khalifa Featuring The Weeknd
Best Rap Song
...Problems - Tauheed Epps, Aubrey Graham, Kendrick Lamar, Rakim Mayers & Noah Shebib, songwriters (ASAP Rocky Featuring Drake, 2 Chainz & Kendrick Lamar)
Holy Grail - Shawn Carter, Terius Nash, J. Harmon, Timothy Mosley, Justin Timberlake & Ernest Wilson, songwriters (Kurt Cobain, Dave Grohl & Krist Novoselic, songwriters) (Jay Z Featuring Justin Timberlake)
New Slaves - Christopher Breaux, Ben Bronfman, Mike Dean, Louis Johnson, Malik Jones, Elon Rutberg, Sakiya Sandifer, Che Smith, Kanye West & Cydell Young, songwriters (Anna Adamis & Gabor Presser, songwriters) (Kanye West)
Started From The Bottom - W. Coleman, Aubrey Graham & Noah Shebib, songwriters (Bruno Sanfilippo, songwriter) (Drake)
Thrift Shop - Ben Haggerty & Ryan Lewis, songwriters (Macklemore & Ryan Lewis Featuring Wanz)
Best Rap Album
Nothing Was The Same - Drake
Magna Carta...Holy Grail - Jay Z
Good Kid, M.A.A.D City - Kendrick Lamar
The Heist - Macklemore & Ryan Lewis
Yeezus - Kanye West
View the full list here.
BONUS:
Watch the Grammy tribute to Nelson Mandela.
Photos via Frederick M. Brown/Gabriel Olsen/Getty Images North America/lastniteslooks' Instagram / Francis Specker/CBS via Getty Images