LOS ANGELES – Follow us for real-time updates on the carpet and behind the scenes Grammy Awards 2023 from The Associated Press. Live updates – anytime in the Pacific – are brought to you by AP journalists at the Los Angeles show and across the country.
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50 YEARS OF HIP HOP
The Grammys celebrating hip-hop’s 50th anniversary produced icons like Grandmaster Flash, a pioneer of DJing who said he was “like a lucky grandfather.”
“That was 50 years ago. … I can remember when this was just recreation, went to the park, took our makeshift sound systems in a supermarket trolley, went to the nearest park, plugged in and just had block parties, and here we are now,” he said. “It is undeniably the greatest music on planet earth.”
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MIC DROP
“We are here with empty pockets, but our hands are not!”
– Sir the Baptist, accepted the Best Roots Gospel Album award on behalf of the Tennessee State University Marching Band for The Urban Hymnal. Baptist used his acceptance speech to highlight how historically underfunded black colleges and universities like the state of Tennessee are, saying he had to “put my last dime to get us across the border.”
The nomination alone marked the first time a college marching band had been nominated in this category, which is particularly significant given the role marching bands play in HBCUs’ identity and culture The AP’s Travis Loller explained last month. With the victory, the “aristocrat of bands” from Tennessee State beat greats like Willie Nelson.
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trophy list
You can’t beat Kendrick Lamar for best rap performance.
He extended his category record with a sixth career trophy for The Heart Part 5.
The 35-year-old rapper from nearby Compton put even more distance between himself and Kanye West and Jay-Z, who are tied on points with two wins each.
Lamar was also recognized for his writing with a Grammy for Best Rap Song for “The Heart Part 5.” He shared it with three co-authors.
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YOU SAID IT
“It’s rock ‘n’ roll, man.”
– Brandi Carlile after running onto the stage to collect the trophy for Best Rock Performance for Broken Horses. Carlile was the only woman nominated this year in a category long dominated by men.
She wasn’t long gone from the stage. She soon returned to receive the Grammy for Best Rock Song, a writers award. She co-wrote Broken Horses with twin brothers Phil and Tim Hanseroth.
“Oh my god, that’s amazing,” Carlisle exclaimed. “Oh, I’ll never be the same again.”
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trophy list
On the heels of announcing the end of his touring days, Ozzy Osbourne has won two Grammys.
Ozzy Osbourne’s “Degradation Rules” featuring Tony Iommi won Best Metal Performance and his album “Patient Number 9” won Best Rock Album. Osbourne’s 2020 album Ordinary Man was well received and his 2022 album Patient Number 9 entered the Grammys with four nominations. The one with Iommi reunited him with his Black Sabbath bandmate. Osbourne did not attend.
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MIC DROP
“I just EGOT!”
— Viola Davis, accepting her Grammy Award for The Spoken Word Album. Davis has an Emmy for How to Get Away With Murder, an Oscar for Fences, a Tony for King Hedley II and Fences, and now a Grammy for her audiobook performance of her memoir Finding Me.
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SNAPSHOT
Bebe Rexha’s hot pink halterneck dress is Moschino. It twists and turns from neck to floor. And like Doja Cat, she wore long, matching gloves.
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LINER NOTES
Eric Schilling couldn’t accept his Grammy Award because he had to work. At the Grammys.
No, he doesn’t handle the bar, but the engineer records and mixes the Grammys show.
He won for Best Immersive Album for Divine Tides.
“Hello Eric! If you can see us on screen, we’ve won!” said Herbert Waltl, who won the award along with Schilling, Ricky Kej and Police drummer Stewart Copeland.
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BEY WATCH
All eyes are on Beyonce, who has a chance to take the title of artist with most Grammy Awards tonight. She’s on her way to winning her first Grammy on what could be a historic day and night.
She accepted her 29th career trophy for Best Dance Electronic Recording early in the premiere ceremony. The win puts Beyoncé in second place for the most Grammys of all time, breaking the tie with legendary producer Quincy Jones.
If she wins three more before the day is over, she will be the biggest Grammy winner of all time. She is nominated for eight more.
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SNAPSHOT
Doja Cat warmed up the Grammys red carpet in a skintight, shiny Versace. She capped off her lustrous look with long black gloves and cropped black hair.
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13 o’clock
Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla has won the first Grammy Award ever for a video game music soundtrack.
The composer Stephanie Economou accepted the award, which was newly created this year. She thanked everyone who fought for the category to be created.
“Thank you for recognizing and acknowledging the power of game music,” she said.
She beat out composers who worked on Aliens: Fireteam Elite, Call of Duty: Vanguard, Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy, and Old World.
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trophy list
“Encanto” took home the first two Grammys of the night. The 2021 Disney film won Best Visual Media Compilation Soundtrack and Best Soundtrack Awards. The soundtrack included last year’s mega hit “We Don’t Talk About Bruno”. Soundtrack writer Lin-Manuel Miranda was not present but offered thanks during both acceptance speeches.
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RED CARPET ROLLOUT
The Grammys red carpet opens five hours before the show begins, but it doesn’t take nearly that long to walk through. let’s take a tour of them.
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YOU SAID IT
“I keep thinking back to when I was 16, when I was 20, what would it have been like for me if I had seen the kind of visibility that’s there now?”
– Anoushka Shankar, sitar player and Grammy nominee, on representing South Asia in the music industry. She was accompanied by Sister and fellow candidate Norah Jones and added that one of her best friends, ‘Never Have I Ever’ actress Poorna Jagannathan, helped her get dressed today.
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12:30 pm
So what can you expect from the premiere party that is about to begin? Around 80 awards will be presented during this pre-TV event. Categories earmarked for this ceremony include Best Rap Song; Best Alternative Music Album; and Best Audiobook, Narration, and Storytelling Recording.
The premiere party is organized by randy rainbow, best known for his musical parodies. Presenters include poets Amanda Gorman, Actor Myles Frost, jazz musician Arturo O’Farrill, Singer JudyCollins and R&B star baby face. Performers include jazz singer Samara Joy, sitar players Anoushka Shankar and Pakistani singers Arooj Aftab, Colombian singer Carlos Vives and singer Madison Cunningham.
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12 o’clock
The premiere party is supposed to start in just half an hour. Cash our guide to viewing the pre-show offer and the main event.
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INTRO TRACK
The 2023 Grammy Awards show is upon us. With the notoriously long red carpet due to be rolled out in a matter of hours, it’s time to catch up on the predictions of our authors for the evening.
Most of the awards are made before the CBS broadcast begins, but we’ll keep you updated on the tally premiere party.
The AP will host its own red carpet show with a mix of fashion and interviews. It will continue to be streamed youtubeTwitter and more here apnews.com.
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Follow AP’s coverage of the 2023 Grammys at https://apnews.com/hub/grammy-awards.
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