With the 2021 Grammy Awards, hip-hop star Nas captured the Best Rap Album award for King’s Disease, besting several other tough contenders.
It gave Nas his first career win at the Grammys, something he had yet to achieve since 1997, despite numerous nominations over the years.
Many of Freddie Gibbs’ fans may have felt he was snubbed for the award win, but he seemed to be fine after the loss based on his reaction.
Nas collects first-ever Grammys win with King’s Disease
It was lucky 13 for rapper Nas, as his 13th nomination was the winner. In an untelevised portion of the 2021 Grammy Awards, the 47-year-old Nasir Jones won the Best Rap Album award for his 13th studio album, King’s Disease.
Some fans believe the Grammys win was more of a lifetime achievement recognition for the rapper, who put his stamp on the hip-hop genre with his classic Illmatic in 1994.
Unfortunately, an official Best Rap Album award wasn’t given out until 1996, so Illmatic didn’t even get a nomination. The group Naughty by Nature would collect the first-ever award in the category with Poverty’s Paradise.
Nas received his first Grammy nomination in 1997 for If I Ruled the World (Imagine That), featuring Lauryn Hill. His first nomination for the Best Rap Album came for 2000’s I Am…, but that fell to Eminem’s The Slim Shady LP.
Other Best Rap Album nominations for Nas came with 2008’s Hip Hop Is Dead, 2009’s untitled album, and 2013’s Life Is Good. Nas also received several Best Rap Performance and song nominations as well as a Best Music Video nomination. However, his 13th nomination proved to be the first career win.
Hit-Boy, who produced King’s Disease, posted his reaction, indicating his Grammy wins only gave him more motivation to keep working.
Appropriately Nas’ 2020 studio album features 13 tracks, including bonus track Spicy. Among the guest stars are Lil Durk, Big Sean, Anderson Paak, and Charlie Wilson. The Firm, a hip-hop supergroup featuring Nas, also pops up on the track Full Circle.
Other 2021 Best Rap nominees included Royce Da 5’9 for The Allegory, Jay Electronica’s A Written Testimony, D Smoke’s Black Habis, and Alfredo by Freddie Gibbs.
Freddie Gibbs reacts to Grammys loss
While Nas picked up his first win, many fans felt it was long overdue. However, plenty of fans also felt that Freddie Gibbs’ Alfredo, a collaboration with producer Alchemist, should have won.
Despite the loss, Freddie Gibbs seemed to have a sense of humor about it, as a reaction video featuring him is now making the rounds.
Seen decked out in a pink suit, he stood up at a dinner party to give a quick speech, acknowledging his Grammys loss.
“Look, I may have lost today- but I’m undefeated in court,” he joked, causing others in attendance to erupt with laughter.
Ahead of the Grammys, a report arrived via The Ringer detailing Freddie Gibbs’ history as he rose to become one of the hip-hop genre’s brightest stars.
Freddie Gibbs (real name Fredrick Jamel Tipton) is nine years younger than Nas, who just won his first. It seems like he should continue to contend for the award based on the quality work he releases.