This would be Beyoncé’s first nomination for best rap performance.
With Megan Thee Stallion‘s “Savage” (featuring Beyoncé) jumping from No. 4 to No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 this week, the track is a serious contender for a Grammy nomination for best rap performance.
This would be the first time in 23 years that an all-female collab was nominated in that category (or one of its forerunner categories, best rap solo performance or best rap performance by a duo or group). It last happened when “Not Tonight” by Lil’ Kim featuring Da Brat, Left Eye, Missy “Misdemeanor” Elliott and Angie Martinez was nominated for the 1997 award for best rap performance by a duo or group.
This would be Beyoncé’s first nomination for best rap performance. Queen Bey has been nominated for best rap/sung performance (formerly known as best rap/sung collaboration) eight times, but she has always provided the “sung” part of the collab. She has received four of those nominations in collaboration with her husband, Jay Z, and one each in collaboration with Kendrick Lamar, André 3000, Kanye West and the team of T.I. and Lil Wayne.
Beyoncé has been nominated for a total of 70 Grammys, more than any other female artist. She needs just 11 more nominations to surpass Quincy Jones as the most nominated person in Grammy history. The legendary producer/artist received 80 nominations between 1960-2018. (Beyoncé has accumulated her nominations at a much faster pace. She received her first nominations, as a member of Destiny’s Child, in 1999.)
Breaking it down by Grammy “fields,” Beyoncé has been nominated in the R&B field 31 times, the general field (better known as “the Big Four categories”) 12 times, the rap field eight times, the pop field seven times, the music video/film field six times, the music for visual media field four times, the rock field once (for a 2016 collab with Jack White) and the production, immersive audio field (formerly known as surround sound) once (for her visual album Beyoncé.)
Four all-female collaborations were nominated for best rap/sung collaboration – a different category than best rap performance (and its forerunners). Eve featuring Gwen Stefani won the 2001 award in that category for “Let Me Blow Ya Mind.” The two women were nominated again four years later (this time with Stefani in the lead position) for “Rich Girl.” Ciara featuring Elliott were nominated for “1,2 Step” (2005). Keyshia Cole featuring Lil’ Kim and Elliott were nominated for “Let It Go” (2007).
No all-female collaborations have been nominated in the category since it became known as best rap/sung performance four years ago.
