Breaking a previously endless chain of men winning Best Solo Rap Album at the Grammys, last night, at the 61st edition, i-D coverstar Cardi strode into the history books in her big tall heels and grabbed the baton for her debut album Invasion of Privacy. “I’m sorry,” she stammered, dragging Offset onto the stage for support. “The nerves are so bad. Maybe I need to start smoking weed.” The award was the NY rapper’s first, but hopefully not last, Grammy win. And when some criticised the decision to award it to Cardi over the late Mac Miller — whose fifth studio album, Swimming, was released last August before his death in September — in a slightly more coherent video filmed backstage later, Cardi announced that she’d like to share it with him.
Ariana, who upset Grammy bosses last week when she refused to perform at the ceremony over a setlist disagreement, also won her first Grammy last night. Scoring Best Pop Vocal Album for Sweetener, she showed off the custom Zac Posen dress she would’ve worn had she attended, from home, and shared a super cute video with her fans. “It’s me, your tiny, highly-emotional, Italian and now Grammy Award-winning friend,” read the accompanying message. “I’m super tarnished lol, but super grateful. Thank you for everything.”
Accepting the award for Best Rap Song (God’s Plan) Drake slyly called out the long-standing rift between the Grammys and hip-hop with the words; “sometimes it’s up to a bunch of people that might not understand what a mixed-race kid from Canada has to say, or a fly Spanish girl from New York, or a brother from Houston”. As the cameras panned to Travis Scott in the audience, Drake went on to suggest what many of us have been feeling for some time. That awards don’t matter. He pointed out that “if you have people singing your songs word for word, if you’re a hero in your hometown… you don’t need this right here. You already won.” His speech was then cut short and his mic switched off. Make of that what you will.
Childish Gambino’s This Is America (how has it been in our lives for less than a year?) won four awards, Lady Gaga’s Shallow scored two and Michelle Obama joined her pal Alicia Keys on stage to discuss their love of music. Then there was the appearance of BTS, who presented the Grammy for Best R&B Album to H.E.R., making them the first Korean act to ever present at the awards. To do the honours, they wore custom suits by Korean designers JayBaek Couture and Kim Seo Ryong and looked every bit the idols they are.
All in all, it wasn’t as much of a sausage fest as last year, considering in 2018 only one woman won a solo award and the former Recording Academy President Neil Portnow suggested that women in music should “step up”. That statement was something that the UK’s Dua Lipa — who performed with St. Vincent then took home Grammys for Best Newcomer and Best Dance Recording — actually referenced in her acceptance speech last night. “I want to begin by saying how honoured I am to be nominated alongside so many incredible female artists this year,” she said. “I guess this year we’ve really stepped up?” Burn.