LOS ANGELES – Rapper Jay-Z overshadowed Grammys front-runner Eminem as the music awards show got under way on Sunday, while two-time winner Lady Gaga made a grand red-carpet entrance encased in an egg. Jay-Z won three early awards including a pair for his duet with Alicia Keys on ‘Empire State of Mind,’ a love letter to New York that will compete for record of the year later in the ceremony.
The hip-hop star received six nominations in all. Eminem, who leads the field with 10 nominations, received a single early Grammy. He will go head-to-head with Jay-Z for both record of the year and best rap album, and will also vie for song and album of the year. But his losses to the likes of Jay-Z, Lady Gaga and even jazz icon Herbie Hancock indicated that the awards show would not be an early valentine to the rapper.
Lady Gaga was still in her egg when she was wheeled onto the Staples Center stage to perform her newly released single ‘Born This Way,’ a plea for tolerance reminiscent of Madonna’s ‘Express Yourself.’ The flamboyant pop singer is noted for her savvy awards attire, but she opted for relatively demure garb this time after wearing a dress adorned in slabs of meat at the MTV Video Music Awards last year.
The performance-heavy show kicked off with a tribute to ailing “Queen of Soul” Aretha Franklin, who is battling an undisclosed illness. After performances by the likes of Christina Aguilera and Jennifer Hudson, Franklin appeared on the screen and promised to be at the show next year. Country singer Miranda Lambert won the first Grammy of her career after making her Grammys performance debut with song of the year nominee ‘The House That Built Me.’
British rock band Muse turned up the volume with their song ‘Uprising,’ and also won a Grammy for their efforts. The band bested the likes of Pearl Jam and Neil Young to win best rock album for ‘The Resistance.’ The star of the show, as far as millions of young girls are concerned, was likely Justin Bieber. The 16-year-old Canadian performed acoustically, rolled out some African drummers, rapped with Will Smith’s son Jaden, and danced with his mentor Usher.
Bieber will compete for best new artist later in the show alongside a compatriot, hip-hop star Drake. Jay-Z’s awards were in the rap field where ‘Empire State of Mind’ was named best rap song and best rap/sung collaboration. He shared the awards with Keys. He and Keys’ husband, Swizz Beatz, shared a performance award for ‘On to the Next One.’ Lady Gaga picked up a pair for ‘Bad Romance,’ beating Eminem to claim the short form video prize.
She will also compete for album of the year, a field rounded out by Canadian rock band Arcade Fire and perky pop singer Katy Perry. Eminem’s ‘So Afraid’ won the Grammy for best rap solo performance. Other multiple winners included classical producer David Frost with four prizes, while British rock guitarist Jeff Beck and soul singer/songwriter John Legend had three each. Country trio Lady Antebellum, also up for six awards, won two prizes for their song ‘Need You Now,’ which will vie for song and record of the year.
Rock band the Black Keys and R&B singer Usher also scored two awards each. Other winners among the 108 categories included veterans Paul McCartney, Neil Young, Mavis Staples and Buddy Guy. But they were spring chickens compared to 97-year-old Pinetop Perkins, who won the prize for traditional blues album, extending his record as the oldest recipient.
