Music fans are signaling The GRAMMYs have finally done well for deserving black artists.  The music organization announced their nominations for the 66th annual award ceremony, with Victoria Monet, Nicki Minaj, Killer Mike, Coco Jones, and more leading.

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The Grammy announcements are usually met with tough criticism from the black community.  But this year, fans seem pleased with nods to some well-deserved favorites.

Heading into the 66th annual Grammy Awards, Victoria Monét shines brightly with a remarkable seven nominations. Her outstanding work in the music industry is recognized through nominations in categories such as Record Of The Year, Best New Artist, Best R&B Performance, Best R&B Song, Best R&B Album, Best Engineered Album, and Best Traditional R&B Performance. 

Victoria Monet is finally receiving recognition for her artistry after being told she was not ready.  The “On My Mama” singer recently disclosed the reason behind her absence from the 2023 VMAs and the lack of nominations saying the VMAs told her it was “too early in her story” to extend an invitation or nomination.

Another artist notably absent from the 2023 VMAs was Coi Leray, who, despite the snub, has now secured her first Grammy nominations. Leray is nominated in two categories: Best Pop Dance Recording and Best Rap Performance.

Joining Monét in the Best New Artist category is rising R&B star Coco Jones. With four nominations, including Best R&B Album, Best R&B Performance, Best R&B Song, and Best Traditional R&B Performance, Coco Jones makes her Grammy debut alongside Monét. Coco has also been recognized for her craft, as she has not only received a Grammy nomination for Best New Artist but had previously been honored with the same title at the 2023 BET Awards.

R&B star SZA is also a major contender with nine nominations for her album, “SOS.” The “Snooze” singer’s presence is seen in categories like Record Of The Year, Album Of The Year, and Song Of The Year, as she is the most nominated artist at this year’s Grammys. 

Notably, singer and actress Halle Bailey achieved her first solo Grammy nomination for her debut solo single, “Angel,” in the Best R&B Song category. Her joy and surprise are evident as she expresses her gratitude on X, formerly known as Twitter writing, “you guys are you serious?? my first song, Angel has gotten a grammy nomination for best r&b song?! omg i just got off a plane i didn’t know !! i am crying thank you God!!”

In the realm of hip-hop, Killer Mike garners attention with nominations in categories like Best Rap Performance, Best Rap Song, and Best Rap Album for his latest album, “Michael.” This marks his first Grammy nomination, as the rapper hoped for stating that his album stands as “album of the year”. 

Similarly, Nicki Minaj breaks her seven-year curse with nominations for her collaboration with Ice Spice in “Barbie World.” The song is nominated for Best Rap Song and Best Song Written for Visual Media, reviving Minaj’s presence in the Grammy landscape after her last nomination in 2016. Ice Spice herself finds success with four nominations, including Best Pop Duo/Group Performance, Best New Artist, Best Rap Song, and Best Song Written For Visual. 

As the Grammy nominations are unveiled, it’s worth mentioning the 2023 Hip-Hop BET Awards, where various categories showcased the dominance of artists like Kendrick Lamar, 21 Savage, and Cardi B.