Music

The Grammys’ New Best Progressive R&B Album Category Is Here, And It’s Awesome

Getty Image / Uproxx Studios The new category revamps the Academy’s previous attempts at honoring hip-hop-influenced R&B. …

The Grammys have a new category this year. In an effort to better recognize the increasing breadth and variety of modern R&B, they’ve split the R&B Album category into two: Best Progressive R&B and Best R&B. The new range allows them to nominate more artists — five each — and give the nod to non-traditional contemporary R&B artists who aren’t forced to compete with genre mainstays like Alicia Keys and John Legend.

Although the Grammys have tried similar moves in the past, this year’s move is timely, as the style of some R&B has been reshaped by contributions from alt-rock, ambient music, hip-hop, EDM, trap, and other styles to make it something far more futuristic but still rooted in the tenets of the sound established in the late ’80s and early ’90s. From 2003 to 2011, more hip-hop-influenced albums could be found under Best Contemporary R&B Album, but they were shifted back to the main category after 2011. The new category was created as Best Urban Contemporary Album, but that name was phased out as a result of longstanding criticisms and the industry-wide revamping of “Urban” classifications after this summer’s “Blackout Tuesday.”

According to the Recording Academy, the new category “is intended to highlight albums that include the more progressive elements of R&B and may include samples and elements of hip-hop, rap, dance, and electronic music. It may also incorporate production elements found in pop, euro-pop, country, rock, folk, and alternative.” For its inaugural clutch of nominees, the Academy has acknowledged Chloe X Halle, Jhené Aiko, Free Nationals, Robert Glasper, and Thundercat. The traditional category includes Ant Clemons, Giveon, Gregory Porter, John Legend, and Luke James.

Speaking of Robert Glasper, the accomplished pianist/producer is planning his eighth annual Grammy Jam to coincide with 2021 Grammy Awards, gathering together some of the biggest names in R&B, jazz, and hip-hop for a special night of music. Check out the video from the 2020 edition above.

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Celebrity

Lil Durk Co Defendants OTF Dede and David Lindsey Seek Acquittal and New Trial

OTF Dede and David Lindsey are fighting their recent stalking convictions as the legal process in Lil Durk’s case continues to play out.

Lil Durk was facing five charges, two of them murder-for-hire related and three of them stalking related, while the two co-defendants were convicted on three counts of stalking in the same case. Durk was just cleared of all charges in that case a couple of weeks ago, but Dede and Lindsey didn’t get the same result.

The latest legal twist adds another chapter to a case that has remained tightly connected to Lil Durk’s ongoing legal troubles. Durk was acquitted in the initial murder-for-hire case, but his larger legal battle is far from over.

For Dede and Lindsey, the immediate issue is their stalking convictions and whether the court will grant either of the new requests filed. The couple’s pleas carry long prison sentences, and the pending motions are especially important for their attorneys.
The court has not ruled on the Rule 29 and Rule 33 motions, leaving the next phase of litigation uncertain.

Lil Durk, meanwhile, is set to appear in court on November 4 for a bond hearing. His trial in the VICAR case was scheduled for the next few weeks, but it is likely to be delayed.

Separate legal proceedings are now moving forward in the cases of Durk, Dede, and Lindsey, who remain active. Dede and Lindsey’s latest filings ensure that the group’s legal saga continues even after Durk’s acquittal in the original case.

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Celebrity

Meek Mill steps back from his ongoing feud with DJ Akademiks,

Meek Mill and DJ Akademiks’ ongoing social media beef has taken another turn, with Meek seemingly getting the last word.

The two have been feuding for around a decade, and their tensions have become closely tied to the fallout from Meek’s beef with Drake. Following Akademiks taking Drake’s side in the public feud, Meek clearly didn’t want to be featured on Akademiks’ page. Since then, they have exchanged occasional messages and renewed disagreements.

The latest chapter heated up around the Lil Durk trial. Meek Mill called out Akademiks for his coverage and commentary on the case, saying he had become a bad influence on the culture.

Akademiks fired back hard, and the beef snowballed into a back and forth of threats between the two. At one point, Meek asked for Akademiks’ address, while Akademiks showed off an arsenal of machine guns and rifles. The confrontation had been really serious before apparently cooling off in recent days.

The message is the latest chapter in a long-running feud that has flared up several times over the past decade. This latest back-and-forth could be Meek’s attempt to close the door on the feud, but given the history between the two, tensions can flare up fast.
So far, it looks like Meek is putting a line under his part of the conversation. Only time will tell whether Akademiks responds.

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