In today's episode of Billboard Unfiltered, Billboard staffers Trevor Anderson, Kyle Denis, Carl Lamarre and Damien Scott predict who will win big at the 2025 Grammys, discuss Snoop Dogg and Nelly performing during Donald Trump's inauguration and more.
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00:00I don't think Snoop needs a bag that bad, he was just getting paid, you know, a gazillion
00:04to be on the Olympics coverage.
00:05This guy has been a cancer to the culture for a long time, has really emboldened some
00:09of the worst parts of intel culture and hip-hop conversation over the past couple years.
00:14He's been funky for a long time, it's time to get him out of here.
00:17We got the Grammys coming up this Sunday.
00:20Hip-hop will be very well represented.
00:24Shout out to Mr. Kendrick Lamar, seven nominations.
00:27I think the brothers are going to take home five.
00:31Yo, yo, what's going on y'all and welcome to a fresh episode of Billboard Unfiltered.
00:37Gentlemen!
00:38Yo!
00:39What up, what up?
00:40We are here once again.
00:42Yes, we are.
00:43How's everybody feeling?
00:44Feeling good.
00:45We're doing good.
00:46It's the biggest night.
00:47It's coming up.
00:48Yes, it is.
00:49Right?
00:50BET Awards?
00:51Oh, hell yeah!
00:52BET Awards.
00:53I love you, BET.
00:54I'm just joking.
00:55Shout out to BET.
00:56Shout out.
00:57Always supporting BET.
00:58It's going to be the Grammys this weekend.
01:00It's going to be a big night, which we'll talk about shortly.
01:03But we're going to talk about the new reign.
01:06Trumpito.
01:08Donald Trumpito is officially back in office.
01:12That's correct.
01:14Feels like it's been four years already.
01:16Yeah, right?
01:17Arguably the longest month.
01:19This feels like the longest January ever.
01:21Feels like nine months we've already endured.
01:24With Trumpito back in the building.
01:27Nine days.
01:28Feels like nine months is nine days.
01:30Nine days, yeah.
01:31Only nine days, yeah.
01:33Some of our beloveds.
01:35Looks like they already switched sides.
01:38Nelly, who performed at the inauguration.
01:42Rick Ross, who performed at the Crypto Ball.
01:46And then, of course, Snoop Doggy Dogg was there.
01:50Not performing, but DJing the event.
01:52Donald Trump was not there.
01:54Let's put that out there at the Crypto Ball event.
01:57Man, the backlash came hard.
02:00Over 500,000 people unfollowed Snoop on his Instagram account.
02:06After seeing him DJ at the Crypto Ball, he spoke on it on Instagram.
02:11Nonchalantly, like pretty much, you know.
02:14I'm going to do what I got to do.
02:16If y'all love me, y'all love me.
02:17If y'all don't, hey, it's all good.
02:20I'm going to be all right.
02:23Were you guys shocked to see Snoop supporting Donnie?
02:27Knowing that in 2017, he put out a video pretty much calling out Kat.
02:33Saying, yo, if y'all are going to support Trump, you're a jiggaboo.
02:35We can't do this here.
02:36And then eight years later, he's out here spinning in support.
02:41Well, that's going to be a lot of hair splitting with this kind of topic.
02:45That right there is the first one.
02:47Because some people are going to say, okay, were you supporting Trump?
02:51If it wasn't, say, the official ball.
02:53If Donald Trump himself wasn't there.
02:55This was just a, was it the Crypto Ball?
02:59So an event that, yes, it's tied to the festivities, obviously, in Washington, D.C. at that time.
03:05But it's not like this was a pro-Trump advertised, hey, come hang out with the 47th president.
03:13Donald Trump and Snoop weren't taking pictures or nothing like that.
03:15So right there, people are going to say, okay, well, it was about crypto.
03:19It was about an investment.
03:20It's almost like if you were sponsored by McDonald's or whatever, and it was a McDonald's ball.
03:27It's like, oh, can you be mad at the celebrity who's sponsored by McDonald's, who's doing the jingle now, Justin Timberlake, whoever the hell.
03:33Are you mad if they show up?
03:34Because it's like, oh, you're tied in with that initiative and that program.
03:40So that's why you're there.
03:41So that's sort of where I think the defense comes in, where people are going to say, oh, y'all being too hard on Snoop because he might be doing that.
03:50That said, on a PR look, it's like, I don't know.
03:56I don't know if Snoop needed to do this.
03:58And I think that's the big thing that people are probably going to say.
04:00Look, dog, you know, you know who your fan base is.
04:03You know where your supporters are.
04:04You know what you said and how people feel about it.
04:07I don't think Snoop needs a bag that bad.
04:09He was just getting paid, you know, a gazillion to be on the Olympics coverage and all that.
04:14So I know people are going to say, why take this unnecessary hit?
04:17And maybe you didn't expect the backlash to be that bad.
04:19It seems like Nelly, Rick Ross, you know, some other cats were there.
04:22They are getting smoke.
04:23But Snoop seems to be public enemy number one for this.
04:27So I just don't know if he needed to make this happen.
04:31Like everything would have been just the same if you'd have stayed home.
04:35And now you're sort of caught in this firestorm that you really didn't need to be a part of.
04:39I agree.
04:40Kyle?
04:42Not surprised.
04:43It's like it's disappointing knowing what his previous stance was and knowing what he's broadcasted himself about performing for this particular president and stuff like that.
04:53So to see him go back on that is disappointing.
04:57But honestly, I really do feel like anyone in hip hop who didn't explicitly like stomp for Harris was probably liable to turn out as a Trump supporter or inaugural performer in some capacity in some way.
05:09I think people are noticing which way the wind is blowing in terms of, you know, culture and what the next four years might look like.
05:16And they kind of want to go where the bag is.
05:18And if the bag seems to be over with 47, then that's where people are going to go.
05:23That in itself doesn't surprise me.
05:25I think contextualizing it with Snoop himself does make it a little bit more disappointing.
05:29But it's like, you know, I understand Trump pardoned Harry O and stuff, you know, Death Row co-founder, et cetera, et cetera.
05:35But you don't got to lick the boot 24-7, OG.
05:38You can do what you need to do for you to remain in the good graces of the guy who pardoned your partner.
05:45I don't know if you have to do that for every single thing going forward.
05:49Like, it doesn't have to be, you know, 24-7.
05:52We show up for him in that way.
05:55But I think my biggest takeaway from all the inauguration stuff is that I was mostly happy that no one who truly is moving hip hop culture in 2025 was a performer there.
06:07Like, it's disappointing to see Snoop there.
06:10Disappointing to see Rick Ross there.
06:12Disappointing to see Soulja Boy there.
06:13But it's not like any of those three are, like, people who, I don't know, the next generation of voters are, you know, turning to for music and culture.
06:22So that made me a little bit more happy.
06:24But then I remembered the streamers that were invited to the inauguration to watch, and I get less happy.
06:28So you win some, you lose some.
06:30Right.
06:31Daym, are you a bit taken back, though, by the fact that Snoop actually doubled down on it more than anything?
06:38A little bit.
06:39I mean, I think Snoop understands, one, I think Snoop understands his place within not only black culture, but wider pop culture.
06:51And so I think he's always thinking about how he best operates in those two worlds.
06:57I don't think anyone, maybe I'm wrong, I don't think there's anyone that has learned to operate better in those two worlds than Snoop.
07:06I mean, the guy was on the, you know, he was on the Olympics.
07:08And this is a guy who, growing up, was on trial for murder.
07:12You know, the transformation has been incredible.
07:15You know, he's done so much good.
07:18He's done so much good, not only for himself and for the black community, but also for artists that he's worked with and etc.
07:24So I think he understands that.
07:28And I think in his mind, if he, you know, when he decides to do this, I don't think he does something like that lightly.
07:36And so it's not surprising to me that when people are like, well, why did you do this?
07:40That he's like, no, I meant to do this.
07:42This is something that I really had to do.
07:46And there was intention behind it.
07:49You know, I would like to believe that there's not malice behind it in the way that we all believe.
07:56But, you know, it's disappointing when you have the guy go from being, you know, one of our finest moral compasses in terms of, you know, what the black rap community is supposed to be going towards to, you know, him doing this.
08:18But it's unfortunate.
08:21Yeah. I mean, when you think about it from a motive standpoint, he is a crypto advocate and enthusiast.
08:28But I do agree with Trevor.
08:30He is a man who gets bags all the time, you know, in different area codes, in different levels.
08:37So it does kind of make you wonder, why is this one specifically?
08:41Is it the platform?
08:43Is it to get on Trump's side very early on, knowing that, OK, I know the game I got to play the next four years.
08:50And it's been documented.
08:52You know, we're homies in the past.
08:54You know what I'm saying?
08:55So I am curious to see, one, the black community.
08:59We have a tendency to forgive.
09:01How soon will we forgive?
09:04Or do we see us forgiving at all?
09:07Yeah, for sure.
09:08This is not going to be a Chrisette Michelle situation.
09:10Yeah.
09:11Chrisette never came back.
09:12Yeah, Chrisette never came back.
09:14Which is like, we could have a whole discussion about that.
09:17But it's like, she is not like, we're not going to treat Snoop the same way for a litany of reasons.
09:23But I mean, Snoop's also done way more.
09:25Yes.
09:26That's a much harder tower to top.
09:28Yeah.
09:29Chrisette Michelle.
09:30Shout out Chrisette Michelle.
09:33She must be so confused.
09:35She must be like, you guys called me all sorts of names.
09:39Everything but a childhood name.
09:41And then now it's okay.
09:43Eight years later, everybody rolling on.
09:45Come on down.
09:46What's up?
09:47You there too?
09:48You call me?
09:49You shout?
09:50Yeah.
09:51It's not like he went to the inauguration and was shaking hands with Trump.
09:52And he hasn't said anything positive about Trump.
09:54He still hasn't come out and said, like, I fuck with that guy.
09:57He's the dude.
09:58He just showed up at this crypto thing and was like, yeah, this is the world I'm in.
10:05This is what I'm going to have to do in order to make these inroads that other people aren't going to make.
10:12And to give him the benefit of the doubt and to play devil's advocate, it's not impossible to view it as like, yeah, this guy is seeing the opportunity there and being like, oh, there's not a lot of actual black executives in that room.
10:28There's not a lot of people who have ownership in that room.
10:31There's not a lot of people who have the stature that I have and the access that I have in that room.
10:36I'm going to go and represent for my people and hopefully bring some people along with me.
10:41That's a very generous reading of the situation.
10:43I love that high level of optimism, right?
10:45I mean, we could take it a step further.
10:47I love that.
10:50You could also say that maybe he thought that this could be a moment of unification, like someone like him being there at an event like that.
11:00The celebrity class has very interesting ideas of what unity is and how that plays out and what that looks like for people.
11:06He could have also just thought that, hey, we need people from all walks of life at these events to celebrate this and get into this new era after all the trauma and turmoil over the past 18 months.
11:17So let's go ahead and do this.
11:18But, you know, also a very generous, very optimistic reading of the situation.
11:24It's not crazy to me to believe that Snoop, not saying it's right, just thinking that Snoop and Snoop said,
11:31I can see that.
11:32Why take yourself out?
11:34Yeah, like, yeah, I'm going to.
11:35They're in charge.
11:36They're running the system.
11:37If I put myself into Snoop Dogg's head.
11:38We're going to fuck around, turn around.
11:40Right.
11:42If this president who is so crypto forward is so about this, about deregulating this space and making it so it actually grows into not an official currency, but turns into a good vehicle for investment.
12:00Why would I leave myself and my people out of that?
12:03I'm going to go be a part of that.
12:05Right. Yeah.
12:06I would I would love if someone on Snoop's team or Snoop himself sat down and was like, oh, look, this was why I went there.
12:12You know, he doesn't owe us that, but he kind of does owe us that.
12:16To that point, before we pivot, Trevor, if you're on Snoop's PR team, how are you navigating this situation?
12:24Boy, um, I mean.
12:27I guess there's there's two.
12:28There's the idea of.
12:29I would say.
12:31Yeah, he was posting on MLK day.
12:33Pretty crazy.
12:34I mean, you definitely you definitely take a pause for a second.
12:38I mean, if what James says is true, you know, then, yeah, you put that out there in your next, you know, interview statement, whatever the case may be.
12:46I mean, I won't lie to your point.
12:48He didn't he didn't do anything that seems unforgivable, you know, stepped across a red line.
12:53So, you know, it probably will be the playbook of, you know, just lay low for a second.
12:58It kind of washes over.
13:00I mean, look, we have a new crisis every hour.
13:03Yeah.
13:04We also have bigger problems.
13:05Look at the last nine days.
13:06I think you'll be aight.
13:08Give him three months.
13:09Three months.
13:10Like, if even, you know, we'll see how everything unfolds within the next few weeks, months, what Snoop's PR is going to do, what Snoop's going to do.
13:17Might just keep posting away.
13:19So, uh.
13:20Gotta post with the pain.
13:21Right.
13:22Well, we'll keep a track.
13:23I'll keep track on that.
13:25Um, moving on.
13:27DJ academics has been officially banned on Twitch.
13:36Fans noticed that his academic TV page was banned, and it came about when he was on a stream of 15 year old streamer.
13:46I believe is Noir.
13:47Are you pronouncing Noir?
13:49Yeah.
13:50And said some inappropriate comments, which came across as grooming.
13:55So DJ academics spoke on it with Aiden Ross.
13:59Tried to say that wasn't the case.
14:01He tried to say it was like something about Kendrick Lamar.
14:05Yeah.
14:06I don't know.
14:07I don't know how to Kendrick.
14:08Apparently, he had called Aiden Ross on his stream to ask if it was true that Aiden had paid for medical bills or whatever for Kendrick's cousin's parents.
14:19Aiden was banned by Twitch.
14:21So by doing that, that's what he was saying.
14:23That's why Twitch took his channel down because he called someone who was banned on the channel.
14:28That's probably not.
14:29Yeah.
14:31It seems pretty flimsy.
14:33Rappers like Meek Mill came out.
14:36This was a field day for me.
14:38He's been waiting on this.
14:39Yeah.
14:40He's been waiting on this day.
14:41He's been waiting on this.
14:42Like I told you.
14:44Officially, you know, disavow anything related to DJ academics.
14:49A lot of people have been waiting for the hammer to come down on academics.
14:52Oddly enough, for it to be at this moment is interesting.
14:57What were your early reactions seeing him get banned off Twitch?
15:01Is it an about time moment?
15:02Because he does have like a case currently going on as well.
15:05We know about his allegations.
15:07Integral part of the culture.
15:08But yeah.
15:10I mean, it broke my heart that there are even 15 year old streamers to begin with.
15:16Just wish that wasn't a thing.
15:19But regardless, I think what really did break my heart was that he had to experience such an awkward, uncomfortable, really just predatory conversation in front of the entire world.
15:28Like, that's odd.
15:29Like, that's going to be there forever.
15:31It's insane.
15:32You look at this kid's name for the rest of his life.
15:35And like, this will always be there.
15:36And he didn't ask for any of this.
15:38He's actively asking academics to stop talking about this kind of stuff in the clip.
15:43The guy just does not do that.
15:44So that was really gross.
15:46But like, it's even more insane that it took all of this foul shit to like finally get him about it here.
15:51Like, this guy has been a cancer to the culture for a long time.
15:55Has really emboldened some of the worst parts of intel culture and hip hop conversations over the past couple years.
16:01Been funky for a long time.
16:02It's time to get him out of here.
16:03I'm happy about this.
16:05I hope this is not a moment that it's like, we just lay low, wait for it to blow over.
16:09Then he's back to the promo circuit.
16:11And we're back to covering him.
16:12We're back to talking about him.
16:13We don't actually really take this moment to get him out of here for real.
16:17Because this is indefensible.
16:19And the fact that he was even trying to make another narrative when we all were watching the clip circulate in real time says it all.
16:27Yeah, he was very open and honest in saying, you know, despite him being barred off Twitch, 80% of his people are on YouTube.
16:36So he claims he's going to be okay.
16:38Trev?
16:39Yeah, I mean, academics is always sort of, you know, his resilience is part of the brand right there.
16:46So, you know, anytime he's even close to taking an L, he always, you know, finds a way to duck and dodge.
16:51So I wouldn't be surprised.
16:52And clearly he has built a following that, you know, is loyal, does tune in.
16:56We'll see.
16:57We will see sometimes how, you know, if the platform does go away, that shrinks a lot of people's, you know, sort of outreach.
17:05So I guess we'll see how wide that microphone carries in this new era.
17:08I think it's interesting, too, just the fact that Twitch did this because we're in an interesting era in social media where it feels like we're having all these questions about, you know, who is allowed to be on, to what limits are people are going to be on, where does free speech start and stop and all that kind of thing.
17:22And for someone as big as academics to be banned, you know, Twitch had to really, like, feel like that was something they had to do and something that they're going to seem like going to stick with.
17:32So I think the fact that they went this far, you know, it's Amazon owned.
17:36I think particularly the reasons why the conversation that went about all this sort of grooming allegations, it's really something that as we have these combos about who and what and where, you know, blurry lines and things like that, these companies like anything sexually related, anything grooming related, any of those kind of things.
17:53You know, you think about everything that's going on in the larger sense of it with the Diddy trial that's going on, the Drake allegations, all these kind of things.
18:00This is, you know, happily like one of the one of the places that companies are not going to have wiggle room for this kind of thing.
18:07You get any kind of hint that we're involved with this or we're backing this or we're allowing this to, you know, continue to proliferate or support.
18:14We're not going to be involved in that shit.
18:16You are you if you are even like a whiff of that comes on you, you're out.
18:20We're not going down trying to be alleged that, oh, Amazon or Twitch is an academic's pocket.
18:25They're trying to help them out.
18:26They're supporting this.
18:27They're platforming this.
18:28Like that is one of those things.
18:30I think in twenty twenty five in particular and going forward, we're going to see that, you know, that is a is a real red line third rail for a lot of these companies.
18:38So I forgot the Amazon angle.
18:40That's important. Yeah.
18:41I mean, to that point, what I think is interesting, because he did say on a stream to like, you know, notable platforms and brands like stake are still supporting him.
18:50So I do wonder, Dame, is there a reason for him to feel confident and continue to feel Teflon knowing that he has been able to skate over the last few years?
19:01Yeah, I think, you know, there's. I think there's very little for him to fear.
19:13For a number of reasons, one, he's built this audience that.
19:18For better or worse, just doesn't care about what we consider to be moral norms.
19:26They don't give a fuck.
19:27Yeah, that hurts him because it limits his reach in terms of being on certain platforms.
19:33Brands are, you know, he lost brand sponsorship because of this.
19:37So brands are going to be tough for him when he even on YouTube.
19:40I'm sure his reach is going to be limited because YouTube's algorithm is just not going to allow certain people to go to his channel because of what he does on there.
19:51And now it's more public.
19:52I think they're gonna have to take a stance there.
19:53But for all intents and purposes, he doesn't really need a platform.
19:59He can go off and do something on his own and people, a good chunk of that audience will follow him there.
20:06Right.
20:07And, you know, now when we have a president who is enabling high level government officials to act in that way.
20:18You know, our new defense secretary is a person who has abuse allegations and is on record of being an alcoholic, drinking 10 martinis in the morning.
20:31It's tough to look at academics and want him to be a bastion of good when the larger American culture is championing people who aren't that.
20:49I think hopefully there's going to be some sort of backlash to it.
20:56The thing that was most surprising to me was not that people were upset because people on Twitter get upset over anything.
21:02You know, they get fucking mad and then they scream for a few days.
21:06It peters out and nothing happens.
21:09The shit that was surprising to me was like other streamers were like, you know, get this freaky ass nigga out of here.
21:14You know, like Black Boy Max was like, oh, this dude is a danger to two kids.
21:21He shouldn't be. He shouldn't be streaming like he is.
21:24You know, he's a predator. That was surprising to me because now you have people in his own world saying this.
21:32I think that holds more weight than anything else, because now the people he felt that he was a part of, that he felt comfortable around, that emboldened him are like, you got to relax.
21:45You know, and even like Aiden Ross, like Aiden Ross came out a few weeks ago and was like, yo, I gave birth to a generation of extremely toxic kids and I apologize.
21:58We don't know what that, why he did that. We don't know what was behind that or why he felt the need to do that.
22:04I assume it's, if I had to guess, it'd be like he lost something, a brand deal or he lost some access to something.
22:10But even he came out and was like, yo, like I, I'm going to try to be a better, a better person.
22:17And to Trevor's point, it's like, yeah.
22:21Are we seeing a change now because it's just too much?
22:25You know, is it just like we can't have Donald Trump and academics?
22:32We can't have both of them.
22:36I don't know if y'all saw that report, but now they're going to allow like influencers.
22:43Oh, and White House press briefings.
22:45YouTubers to pull up.
22:47It's a new media.
22:49Yeah. I mean, that's part of what won them, you know, the White House in the first place.
22:54A lot of these Joe Rogan podcasts, you know, all of them, all that.
22:59I mean, I mean, you saw him up there, you know, giving Baron credit for for suggesting a lot of their Gen Z sort of reach out and media strategy.
23:06So, I mean, you know, why would you block the folks that put you there?
23:10That's I mean, that's insane.
23:12These kids don't know shit about anything.
23:15Like even the best of them don't know shit about shit.
23:19Like we have the White House. I mean, I don't want to get into politics on this, but like you watch the White House briefings now.
23:24And, you know, like we have some of those people now are asking ridiculous questions.
23:30You know, like someone literally yesterday, a guy, I forget what outlet he was from.
23:35It was very clearly, you know, a right wing outlet was like, because we know that the rest of the world leaders are afraid of Donald Trump.
23:48That's how you preference his question.
23:51I was like, what the fuck is going on here?
23:54Like imagine Aiden Ross in a in a in a press briefing.
23:58I mean, it's very realistic.
24:01It's coming in sooner than you think.
24:03Because Trump is so lit.
24:06Like, yo, this is this is madness, man.
24:10But it feels as if, you know, slowly that people are like, we can't have this.
24:17Like we've the pendulum has swung too far.
24:20Right. You got to like somehow get this shit back in order.
24:23On a lighter note, we got the Grammys coming up this Sunday.
24:30Hip hop will be very well represented.
24:33Shout out to Mr. Kendrick Lamar.
24:34Seven nominations.
24:36I think the brothers are going to take home five.
24:38What we're going to do here.
24:40I think so. I think so.
24:41Hey, you know, it's high praise.
24:44Right, right, right.
24:46I'm objective. I could be real.
24:49What we're going to do here.
24:50We're going to go through some of the categories, specifically best rap album, best rap performance and best R&B performance and give our prediction.
24:59So we will start with the best rap album nominees.
25:04J.Cole, My Delete Later, Common and Pete Rock, The Auditorium Volume One, Dochi, Alligator Bites Never Heal, Eminem, The Death of Slim Shady, Future and Metro Boomin, We Don't Trust You.
25:17Gentlemen, I'll start with Dame.
25:19Who's your pick for best rap album?
25:22I will go with.
25:26I'll say what my head thinks and what my heart.
25:29OK, my heart says, you know, we don't trust you.
25:32OK, my heart says Alligator Bites Never Heal.
25:37Dochi would be the first female rap female to win since Cardi 2018, 2019 Invasion of Privacy.
25:46That feels like she's so big that people call her an industry plant.
25:54That, you know, that to me is like, oh, you're you're like really up there.
25:58People know you in a way that I'm shocked how many people know her, considering that this project, you know, it's not her first project, but this is like her first mainstream look.
26:10And I'm shocked at how well it's been received.
26:14I mean, I think it's great. It's just shocking.
26:16And I think it's a good pick.
26:18You know, it's like. It's like it comes from a house that is known for producing super high quality.
26:30As you said, it's the first woman since Cardi.
26:33It's crazy. Yeah. And it's great.
26:37Yeah. I mean, Denial is a rubber crack.
26:39The Hot 100 first entry for her solo entry.
26:44So let's see what happens. Mr. Trevor Anderson.
26:47Yeah, I personally think that Doji probably will win, given especially the period kind of came around the same time that she was really blowing up with the Colbert performance, the Tiny Desk performance, you know, the Issa Rae Genius thing.
27:02So a lot of things are just really going going her way.
27:05And I think the reason in particular she might win is it feels like that album, the most active right now.
27:10You know, you look at Cole, you look at Eminem, you look at Future Metro Boomin.
27:14Those were such, you know, first half of the year albums didn't necessarily have, you know, I mean, Houdini obviously was a big hit for Eminem.
27:21Obviously, like that was huge. How much of like that is associated with Kendrick versus Future and Metro's whole album?
27:28That'll be sort of one of the questions. Great album, though. Great album, though.
27:32You know, Cole's obviously sort of centered around Kendrick itself and had the one seven minute drill kind of came and went there.
27:39So I think the fact that Dochi just feels like her album was peaking at the right time in voters minds and some of those narratives that you talked about.
27:46And I think she also kind of appeals to, you know, just non-core rap fans.
27:50I know a lot of folks who if they just like more alternative music or more expressive things or more, you know, just even.
27:58Folks sort of, you know, a creative influencer doing her thing on her own terms, I think she appeals to a lot of those folks.
28:04A lot of people who don't don't listen to hip hop, like regularly sort of what's on the main charts or blown up on playlists.
28:09And they're like, you know, I like Dochi. Like I came across I came across her somehow, whether it's SZA shouted her out or whoever.
28:14And it's like, you know, that Dochi, like she's you know, she's somewhat special.
28:18But I think all those factors kind of coming together, I think will will probably carry her to the top.
28:23I will never put Eminem out of question. Grammy voters like Eminem in this category.
28:27He's won several times. I don't think this album necessarily is the one that had undeniable hits where you kind of have to give it to him.
28:33But, I mean, Eminem is always a favorite. He's always a crowd favorite.
28:37With him being so anti-Grammy too?
28:39Yeah, but I mean, he's been that way since day one and they still, you know, they throw trophies at him.
28:43So it's also probably his best album in a long time. And he did a lot.
28:48He was like out here doing press and yeah, he was actually a lot of the complex cover.
28:53Wherever all that kind of you never see him when he drops albums now.
28:56He's like, whatever, here's the work.
28:58So, I mean, if Grammy's going to Grammy that kind of year, then Eminem could also take it.
29:02I think.
29:03Okay. Kyle?
29:05Yeah, I agree. I think it's Dochi's to take.
29:08I think it's really between Dochi and Future and Metro.
29:11I think Eminem is probably a distant third, but I don't think Cole or Comet and Pete Rock are taking this particular category home.
29:19Like Trevor said, Dochi just kind of had the perfect storm of timing.
29:23Like everything was happening right during the voting period for her.
29:25She was making massive gains, not just culturally, but also commercially, which is a really nice one-two punch for her to have.
29:32And it does help that every time Future and Metro have been nominated for previous albums in this category, they've lost.
29:38So it's not like they're Teflon here either.
29:40So I think Rap Album is probably Dochi's, which would be very exciting.
29:44Be just the second solo female artist to win this category.
29:48Crazy, crazy, crazy.
29:50I mean, big shout out to Dochi. Definitely want to see what she can do.
29:54What I'm interested about is if she were to win, would this be the first mixtape to win Best Rap Album?
30:01Coloring Book won Best Rap Album?
30:02Coloring Book.
30:03Oh, yeah.
30:04You're right.
30:05When Chance won three that year.
30:06That was a crazy year.
30:08Oh, shit. He won Rap Performance.
30:10Best New Artist.
30:11Best New Artist, Rap Album.
30:12If Dochi pulls off that three.
30:13Best Rap Performance, I think it was.
30:14Yeah, it was Rap Performance.
30:15No Problem.
30:16No Problem is a Rap Album, Best New Artist.
30:17Could Dochi pull off the same three wins on something?
30:19That'd be crazy.
30:20I'm still rooting for you, Chano.
30:22I like Bad Boyz, too. That was a fire song.
30:25I like the music Chance has been putting out.
30:27Yeah, he's been rapping.
30:28He's been good. He's been rapping, man.
30:29I like that shit.
30:30We still got faith in you, brother.
30:31Let's pivot over to Best Rap Performance.
30:34I want to hear Karl Lamar's announcer category voice.
30:38Give it a little, you know.
30:40You want me to get on my black?
30:42Oh, yeah.
30:43Give it a little, yeah.
30:45And Best Rap Performance.
30:47Cardi B, enough.
30:50Common and Pete Rock, When the Sun Shines Again.
30:53Dochi, Nissan Altima.
30:56Eminem, Houdini.
30:58Future and Metro Booming, featuring Kendrick Lamar.
31:01Like that.
31:02Glorilla, Yeah Glow.
31:05Kendrick Lamar, Not Like Us.
31:08So, we have seven nominees.
31:10That's crazy.
31:11For Best Rap Performance, Mr. Lamar has two.
31:15What in the seven?
31:18What are they looking for?
31:20Mr. Dennis, I'll go to you on this.
31:22Your performance on the track, basically.
31:24So, instead of honoring lyrics and songwriting,
31:26this is just about how you spin.
31:28Same thing as, you know, pop solo performance.
31:31It only goes to the artist, so who just delivered it the best?
31:35I asked that because it's interesting.
31:38This is an interesting category because it's like,
31:41one, you know, there's two Kendrick songs,
31:43but also a song like, Yeah Glow,
31:48is like one of those call and response songs.
31:52It's like everyone wants to rap along with it.
31:55It's like, that to me is like a performance.
31:59It's made to be a performance.
32:01Yeah.
32:02Right?
32:03So, to me, it's like, yeah, that's the song.
32:05Because that's the one where everyone's like, yeah, glow.
32:08So, it's like that and Not Like Us are the two songs that are like made.
32:13Yeah.
32:14Those were the picks that when I wrote this one up, I was like,
32:17I think they'll probably give it to Not Like Us,
32:19but if anyone's a dark horse, it's probably Glow.
32:21Because she got that momentum.
32:24That song is a hit.
32:25It's a banger.
32:27I do think it's probably Kendrick's to lose.
32:30The only way I see him losing is if he splits enough votes between
32:34Not Like Us and Like That for another song to come out from behind
32:37and take the win.
32:39But that's also assuming that happens.
32:42I think Not Like Us is too dominant of a song for that to really
32:45happen, as evidenced by the record,
32:47Song of the Year noms and Best Music Video.
32:49It's crazy because Like That was the catalyst.
32:52I mean, you could say first person shooter,
32:54but Like That was the one that really ignited the beef.
32:57And then Not Like Us was the fucking finisher.
33:00I would give Like That performance and Not Like Us song.
33:03That's the way I like to split it.
33:05Yeah, but you asking for too much.
33:07I'm asking for so much.
33:08It's going to be Not Like Us across the board,
33:10but I would really like that.
33:11You know, we are in an era, especially where category sweeps are a real thing.
33:16They're very lazy voters nowadays.
33:18And so I think it starts with Not Like Us.
33:20And, I mean, literally people have to forget to vote, I think,
33:23for this song to not win.
33:25Like everybody just almost one of them tricks where everybody else,
33:28you know, it's going to win.
33:29So maybe I'll give it to my favorite and it's like, what?
33:31But, you know, I mean.
33:35Call Out Covenant and Pete Rock were like, what?
33:38That's how they win.
33:39Kendrick is literally starting at like the two yard line with this one.
33:42To me, of all the categories,
33:44I think also with rap performance to that point about glow,
33:47it's like the call and response is there.
33:49But to me, if I'm looking at this,
33:51best rap performance is like who rapped they ass off in the same way
33:55that like singing is like, oh, who sang the shit out that song?
33:58So I think for a song that, you know,
34:01kind of has a, that isn't like sort of just you up there,
34:05like, you know, blazing on the mic.
34:07I think that's kind of why I'm not sure about glow in this particular
34:12category.
34:13I was wondering if this was, I don't know, maybe, maybe TGIF or some,
34:16another song could have given her a little more leg up.
34:19I love, I love Yeah Glow, but I just think in terms of a song.
34:22Really?
34:23I think this is the strongest submission you probably could have done.
34:25Yeah.
34:26Yeah.
34:27Okay.
34:28You know, but to that point, decent ultimate though,
34:31like that Dochi spit on that.
34:33We talking about who was the best and like, yo.
34:35But it's like a performance.
34:37Like if you had go see glow perform and she performs Yeah Glow,
34:41it's like the way it's like,
34:43it reminds me of when Kanye was making graduation and you know,
34:47the whole thing is like stadium status is like,
34:49I want to make these songs, these rap songs that breathe.
34:52Right.
34:53They like have this breath of, of,
34:55Of space within them allows me to perform them better.
34:58So people can like rap along to them.
35:00And you know, the, the stage performance illuminates the sock.
35:05And he says it all over the album.
35:07He's always saying like stadium status.
35:08And he's like to do that was to like,
35:10What was for graduation graduation,
35:13like graduation that way.
35:14So if you listen to graduation,
35:15the songs like the lyrics are spaced out and the beats have,
35:19have much more space.
35:20I feel like for the, for yeah, glow, it's like,
35:22this is a song that is made for her to perform.
35:25The way she's rapping on it is like made for her to perform.
35:28There's so many,
35:29so many tech talks and videos of people like rapping along to it.
35:32I think because of that very fact that because that she's like,
35:35Oh,
35:36I made this to make it easy for people to digest and understand.
35:41But also when I'm on stage, people are like, yeah,
35:43I can do that as well.
35:44Let me counter that because I agree with you a thousand percent from a
35:48performance standpoint.
35:50I think of the pop out.
35:51And I think of DJ too.
35:53Sorry.
35:54DJ too.
35:55Good call.
35:56And I think I'm not like us.
35:57You want to talk about a performance?
35:59Yeah.
36:00Yeah.
36:01Six consecutive times.
36:02And the crowd,
36:04I think that's the same way though.
36:05I think it's the same thing.
36:06I was saying that vis-a-vis glow,
36:09this being a good song for glow to submit.
36:11I think not like us.
36:12It could go either way.
36:13I think not like us is like the pinnacle of that type of song.
36:16That's not even a, you know,
36:18we're all surprised at that song because Kendrick doesn't make songs like
36:21those.
36:22Kendrick songs are so tightly wound and he raps in such a way where like
36:25you're at the concert,
36:26like you start to try to wrap it and you're like,
36:28I heard you like him.
36:34Yeah.
36:35That's not how Kendrick usually does.
36:37It doesn't have that much space between bars.
36:40Like he usually he's one of those niggas where like you're at the
36:43concert and you're like,
36:45I'm just going to listen because me rap.
36:47It's not like when Jay-Z used to do it.
36:48I can't keep up.
36:49I can't keep up.
36:50You're like every line you're like,
36:51doom, doom, doom.
36:52Kendrick is like.
36:53Nah, Mr. Moralitor was nuts.
36:54I didn't try.
36:55I did not.
36:56You tried.
36:57You tried to be an artist, bro.
36:58But then it got to like a half beat out of the reef and I was like,
37:00yeah, it's cool.
37:01That speaks to Kendrick's genius because the intentionality behind that
37:04record,
37:05knowing I'm going to have my lyrical,
37:07you know,
37:08content there,
37:09but dumb it down enough where it's digestible and the crowd can rap with
37:13me.
37:14I think it's genius.
37:16It's so sad that we couldn't get euphoria in one of these categories.
37:19Just one.
37:20Best rap performance could have been another one too.
37:22Just one.
37:23Oh my God.
37:24Best rap performance,
37:25this song to me would be,
37:26would be,
37:27would be Meet the Grams.
37:28Crazy.
37:29We're not going to make this all about.
37:31We're not doing this.
37:32So.
37:33Also,
37:34fun fact,
37:35Kendrick has won that category six times already.
37:36So.
37:37Damn.
37:38Hey.
37:39If past is prologue.
37:40It's the Kendrick Lamar award.
37:41Pretty much.
37:42Yeah.
37:43Yeah.
37:44Kendrick.
37:45Kendrick.
37:46We're not doing that today.
37:47We're going to celebrate.
37:48We're not going to do that.
37:49Best R and B performance.
37:51Oh,
37:52Janae.
37:53Ico.
37:54Guidance.
37:55Chris Brown.
37:56Residuals.
37:57Cocoa Jones.
37:58Here we go.
37:59Money long made for me.
38:01Live on BET.
38:02SZA.
38:03Saturn.
38:04Trevor.
38:05Woo.
38:06I personally.
38:07I'm thinking.
38:08This is money.
38:09I think,
38:10I think,
38:11I think it.
38:12Okay.
38:13Because.
38:14I mean,
38:15first of all,
38:16the sort of this little story behind the song that it was actually,
38:17you know,
38:18the original studio version was.
38:19In last year's cycle.
38:20Missed out on the nomination.
38:21Cause it really came out like the day before.
38:22So nobody really knew it by the time they were nominating.
38:23So this year,
38:24the live on BET version is up there.
38:25Nobody really cares about,
38:26you know,
38:27the difference between the two.
38:28So.
38:29Yeah.
38:30Yeah.
38:31Yeah.
38:32Yeah.
38:33Yeah.
38:34Yeah.
38:35Yeah.
38:36Yeah.
38:37Yeah.
38:38Yeah.
38:39Yeah.
38:40Yeah.
38:41Yeah.
38:42Yeah.
38:43Yeah.
38:44Yeah.
38:45Yeah.
38:46Yeah.
38:47Yeah.
38:48Yeah.
38:49Yeah.
38:50Yeah.
38:51Yeah.
38:52Yeah.
38:53Yeah.
38:54Yeah.
38:55Yeah.
38:56Yeah.
38:57Yeah.
38:58Yeah.
38:59Yeah.
39:00Yeah.
39:01Yeah.
39:02Yeah.
39:03Yeah.
39:04Yeah.
39:05Yeah.
39:06Yeah.
39:07Yeah.
39:08Yeah.
39:09Yeah.
39:10Yeah.
39:11Yeah.
39:12Yeah.
39:13Yeah.
39:14Yeah.
39:15No.
39:16So I think.
39:17I think,
39:18I think that this type of music just like pure straight army records,
39:19make the kind of impact that this song has top 20 on the hot 100.
39:21All those kinds of things.
39:22I think that voters are looking out for this song.
39:25And I think personally.
39:26That will care here across the finish line.
39:27Kyle.
39:28A thousand percent agree.
39:29You know,
39:30Money is the most nominated artist in the R and B field this year.
39:33She has four noms,
39:34I also think it's important that the version of the song that is nominated is the most viral version
39:39of the song like that performance was the one that was making the rounds on socials that really
39:43helped expose the song on streaming um afterwards so I think it's really cool that they were able to
39:48make it in a way that that was the version that is going to get um hopefully get some love
39:53I really do think it's it's monies to lose here I think SZA will put up a pretty good fight
39:58Satin went top 10 they gave her three awards for SOS they might feel like we've given SOS enough
40:03so like sometimes that might be you know quieter right I think money's in a similar spot to Coco
40:09Jones actually Coco went for ICU last year she's back with Here We Go Here We Go also
40:13topped R&B radio charts um probably had a bit less of an overall impact than ICU comparatively
40:18so maybe she's a bit weaker here but the big question is Chris Brown it's it's residuals
40:23that's the song that's stuck around for a long time like a fourth quarter really really cool
40:29fourth quarter surge right here music video just dropped I wonder if the search came a little bit
40:34too late after the voting period it's also a terrible video really it's fucking terrible
40:40he should just made it a concert video it's a fan yeah I mean it's it's kind of like a fan-esque
40:45just make it the fan thing then why what the hell is the other shit him being in the studio
40:48and no the car crash and then him on it oh I didn't get that wait hold on you ain't finished
40:54the video and you was gonna defend it I was because I think
41:08no in the middle there's a car crash and then he like
41:12that I'm kind of crazy
41:17because I'm thinking it's all recap like like fan recap video
41:23no the video is he performed a song of course on tour and so they've taken various clips of him
41:30performing on tour that he shot not fan shot right and it's like all the stadiums that he's
41:35performing in but then halfway through for some reason he gets into a car accident and then he
41:39like winds up in like heaven yeah some spiritual shit and then like a girl comes who he's presumably
41:45singing to and then I don't know she falls apart I don't understand like the video sucks
41:50should just be like a concert video but but he's my pick but he's but he's my pick for for best
42:00music video yeah he would 100% lose that LeBron loved the video which was very weird
42:09LeBron was he probably didn't finish it either
42:16the fact that I missed that entire part that's kind of crazy
42:20that was a car accident he's dying no that's different
42:24I think also this is probably Chris's best shot at a win this year he's also I've been
42:30and best african music performance I think he's probably a top two contender in the ladder
42:34category okay I don't know if they're gonna give that to an American also 25 nominations one win
42:42one for 25 is kind of nice and also one for fame like really yeah that's the double that's the
42:47grammy win your catalog and Chris Brown's catalog it's fame no he had x yeah yeah I don't know and
42:55also like you know we gotta remember the alphabetical order and stuff he's very lucky
43:00see me on the ballot he's always gonna be at the top and I think that's why you get 25
43:05nominations even though they're not giving you the wins they see your name they're familiar
43:09with your name they're giving you a little vote so I'm sorry Dane were you suggesting like you
43:15think it'll win or you just wanted to win I would like it to win but I also think it has a good a
43:21good chance of winning I think he has had a hell of a year last year you know touring and and he's
43:31the album he released was one of his best I think ever the deluxes were just way way too many songs
43:38of course that's yeah he just can't help himself but that also seems to just be the thing now like
43:44says it did it you know everyone's kind of doing that but the album did well the tour did great
43:50this is probably the best new song he added to the album did well at radio and
43:59it has had a resurgence this year probably because of the video like I've watched so many
44:04YouTube reactions to it people listening to have never heard it before and you know just
44:09giving their opinion on it and a very constant thread through a lot of them is like wow I didn't
44:17know everyone's like I know this song because they all know the
44:23but everyone's like I don't know who's saying that and they're like oh it's Chris Brown and
44:27then they're like wow I love this song I didn't know it was Chris Brown it's a very it's it's
44:31like almost like a ditty it's like such a simple song you know it's it's but it works
44:37right for a second I was like I don't know where this is I said I don't know where this is going
44:41not that one um but special shout out to A1 used to be on love and hip-hop actually he wrote the
44:48record really residuals yeah good for him special shout out to him um do we think Usher gets a
44:54chance to accept a grammy on the telecast this year for the first time ever damn I'm gonna say
45:01no I love Raymond that's not the album it's gonna it's gonna be I think I think it'll be an uphill
45:05battle gonna say no yeah shout to Raymond no man great tour um not a great album wasn't even in
45:11shout out that was crazy no I mean the album man I wanted to give it a chance it just yeah no it
45:16just wasn't so it just wasn't it wasn't there just wasn't there it's him lucky money Layla Chris
45:24Chris and Grammys ain't going like I mean that's that's an interesting one it's a weird one yeah
45:30it might be lucky lucky D-Mile yeah lucky to say pick yeah that's a long time
45:38right I was telling Kyle earlier that album is phenomenal but I just think
45:46grammy voters are still yeah yeah anti-chris yeah you know it's just the reality of it
45:51um Grammys are this Sunday guys make sure you comment below who do you want to see win big
45:57on Sunday night hopefully I really want to see Dolce Dolce and money I want to see
46:03them walk away with multiple so I feel like she's gonna have a good night
46:06do we with at least one each do we think not like us taking home one some of the big hardware
46:12big four uh I think it's gonna be record I would love if it wasn't song song writing okay I really
46:20think it's a really smartly written yeah for many different reasons and I think hip-hop deserves a
46:26general field winner that it's not this is America so yes yeah it's been what 10 years
46:31please give this fucking award to not like us like yeah talking about 26 it's ridiculous
46:40still can't believe that also yeah that shit for now like please I want record and song right
46:45song melodic rap performance a song four of them yeah and Chris Brown has one grammy
46:49one even at us yes one even entertainer right the nacho up to the show Alicia was just grabbing
46:56the first hip-hop song to win record the song of the year this was from Awaken right
47:01no just like it's just standalone no I'm at the I was from an uh I was just a standalone too yeah
47:05he didn't put it on that album um shopped again but you know I did not like it I don't know he's
47:10not made it this year too that is that AOT walk that talk is kind of quiet album of the year
47:17Beyonce I feel like Beyonce album of the year talk is quieter I don't know I saw like four
47:21pieces dropped this morning about like why she should win or why did it and I was like oh we're
47:25doing this again yeah it's just like let's just fast forward y'all don't give her the country
47:29awards and not give her shit until she drops a jazz album when she's 70 and yeah just move on
47:34just like yeah I'm so tired I'm tired of being hurt yeah yeah and she's and apparently she's
47:40reportedly attending Miss Taylor Swift on Sunday so let's see I mean don't look if it is you you
47:45don't want to miss that opportunity right I think it's really funny that after she showed up late
47:49due to the LA traffic last year they like pre-announced that she was like confirmed to
47:54attend because I'm sure she will not show up again until like 40 minutes into the show
47:59don't blame her real same shit again yeah um before we close out
48:08gotta celebrate yes sir it's got another cover story this time with the king of streamers
48:16Mr. Kaisa not Mr. Kaisa not it is on billboard.com right now make sure you go read check it out
48:23how was it kicking it with uh the young young brother he's great uh he's very lively he's has
48:29like a childlike charm to him you know he really seems like just enamored and and delighted by
48:40everything which is nice to be around you know we live in such fucking cynical times it's nice
48:45to be around somebody who seems like literally excited about everything and um yeah he's a
48:53really nice kid he has great people around him um you know he's talked about how like Kevin Hart
49:02has been you know essentially counseling him uh and mentoring him giving him movies to watch
49:09telling him things to read and you know trying to get him to move to the next stage in his career
49:16whatever that may be I think he's going to be streaming for a while longer but I think
49:20he has the opportunity to do you know a number of things he's already made what can what can be
49:27considered scripted tv in a way you know he made like that jail show um I think he can do
49:37a lot of other things uh he can sell something to like Netflix or to to a studio um you know
49:45super bright future I also just love that he's
49:49comparatively positive yeah you know we talked earlier about academics and there's this world
49:57this streaming world that seems to have uh devolved into right-wing incels
50:04you know that just thrive on on negativity and and nonsense and Kai has avoided that in a lot of
50:14ways and I think that's why people love him so much I think that's why every celebrity feels
50:19comfortable just popping up to his house because they know that they go there they're not going to
50:25like have to talk about ridiculous shit or you know be in a room with a Nazi or you know anything
50:32like that you know he's like a very straight and narrow uh uh uh morality that he has is great he's
50:40it's a good kid I see why he has the he's amassed the power that he has in terms of like being able
50:46to you know crown new songs and uh move the needle when things drop yeah I mean he's gotten you know
50:55incredible cosign from entertain entertainers John Cena Kevin Hart like you said to hip-hop
51:00Nicki Minaj uh Glorilla Ice Spice coming through on the stream so yeah the world is always he's
51:07only what 22 23 it's crazy it's crazy you know he's like the first rapper he really he really
51:13listened to is A Boogie and everyone was like what? King of New York that was my favorite part
51:18this dude's only 23 coming up on 10 years A Boogie like you know as a New York kid same age as Kai
51:24like that resonated so deeply with me and that was when A Boogie was like the king he's still I think
51:29he's still that's our forever king like my grand like knife yeah he's you know it makes sense
51:34everyone's like A Boogie Michael Jackson A Boogie and it's like yeah that makes sense makes sense to
51:40me oh man I still can't I think A Boogie's 30 now this year he's close to it yeah that's crazy
51:48yeah you know he's um he's crazy and the kid's like doing super well it's crazy like he's 23
51:56you know you go to his crib and it's like he lives in this like super
52:00super rich neighborhood and you're like goddamn bro well I didn't realize like he was at homeless
52:04shelters and yeah like I really had a rough rough upbringing so you know to go from that to
52:10setting up generational wealth you know before you're even 25 is I mean and the fact that he
52:16does doesn't seem at least like overwhelmed by it too like yeah probably has good advisors around
52:20them good people keeping them grounded and you know knowing what to do and make the right moves
52:24is essential yeah and he's doing good shit he's out here like building schools in Africa
52:28right yeah he's a good kid the Gen Z Oprah yeah Gen Z Oprah yeah if I was gonna be
52:38Carisha it's actually Kai there we go well I'm down to see if you can do a little talk show like
52:44that um shout out to Kai shout out to Dame for a brilliant cover story make sure you guys go check
52:50that out now and yeah make sure you tune in next week for a fresh episode of Billboard unfiltered
52:57and make sure you catch the grammy sunday night and uh billboard preview show as well so oh we
53:02got we got a pre-show we got a pre-show coming through yeah yo we're dropping breaking news
53:11oh shit
53:16i think i think the team west coast got that okay fuck us we're on the east coast yeah
53:21all things grammys billboard all right yeah all things grabby there we go
53:26to us yeah well but we'll catch y'all next week uh see y'all later hops to us yeah i had no idea