Entertainment
68th GRAMMYs Recap: Kendrick Lamar wins most awards, Bad Bunny wins Album of the Year
Bad Bunny won album of the year at the 68th annual Grammy Awards on Sunday night for DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS. During the evening, Bad Bunny, aka Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, was among the artists that took stands against the U.S. Immigration Customs and Enforcement (ICE) presence in many American cities.
“Before I say thanks to God, I’m gonna say: ICE out,” Bad Bunny said to great applause while accepting the award for best música urbana album. “We’re not savage, we’re not animals, we’re not aliens. We are humans and we are Americans.”
More Political Statements
Political messaging took center stage at the Grammys, as multiple high-profile artists used the platform to express unity and protest. Billie Eilish, her brother Finneas, and music legend Carole King were seen wearing white pins stamped with the bold message “ICE OUT” during their appearances onstage. The statement extended beyond the usual activists, as Justin and Hailey Bieber—who generally steer clear of overt political expression in U.S. affairs—also chose to wear the pins.
The message was further amplified when Eilish addressed the audience during her Song of the Year acceptance speech, opening with the pointed remark, “no one is illegal on stolen land,” underscoring the broader sentiment behind the symbolic display.
King Kendrick Reigns
Kendrick Lamar made history at the 2026 Grammy Awards, surpassing Jay-Z’s record to become the rapper with the most career Grammy wins. Lamar secured a total of five awards on Sunday night.
His wins included Record of the Year for “Luther” (featuring SZA) and Best Rap Album for GNX. The pre-telecast saw him claim three initial awards: Best Rap Song for “TV Off,” Best Melodic Rap Performance for “Luther” (with SZA), and Best Rap Performance for “Chains & Whips” (where he was a featured performer).
Lamar’s historic fourth win, for Best Rap Album, officially broke Jay-Z’s long-standing record. He solidified his new position with his fifth win of the night for Record of the Year. Among those who picked up two awards each during the pre-telecast: Kehlani, the Cure, Turnstile, Leon Thomas, Mavis Staples, I’m With Her, Gustavo Dudamel, Amy Allen and Ludwig Göransson (for his work on the “Sinners” soundtrack and score).
Lauryn Hill led powerful tributes
Lauryn Hill closed out the night by spearheading two powerful tribute segments dedicated to D’Angelo and Roberta Flack. The homage to D’Angelo unfolded as an expansive musical celebration, featuring performances of his iconic tracks such as “Nothing Even Matters,” “Brown Sugar,” “Lady,” “Devil’s Pie,” “Another Life,” “Untitled (How Does It Feel),” and “Africa.” The segment brought together an impressive lineup of artists, including Lucky Daye, Raphael Saadiq, Anthony Hamilton, Leon Thomas, Bilal, and Jon Batiste. D’Angelo, a four-time Grammy Award recipient whose influence reshaped modern R&B and neo-soul, passed away from pancreatic cancer in October at just 51 years old.
The tribute to Roberta Flack was presented as a sweeping medley honoring her timeless legacy. It included emotionally rich renditions of “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face,” performed alongside Jon Batiste, and “Compared to What,” featuring Leon Bridges and Alexia Jayy. Additional highlights included “The Closer I Get to You” with Lalah Hathaway and October London, as well as “Where Is the Love,” joined by John Legend and Chaka Khan. The tribute culminated in a show-stopping Fugees reunion, as Hill reunited with Wyclef Jean for a stirring performance of “Killing Me Softly with His Song,” the track that helped define their career through its iconic sample. Flack, a revered singer-pianist and five-time Grammy winner, passed away on February 24, 2025, at the age of 88, leaving behind a legacy that was formally recognized with a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2020.
Topping the list of nominees for the 68th GRAMMY Awards® were Kendrick Lamar (9), Cirkut (7), Jack Antonoff (7), Lady Gaga (7), Bad Bunny (6), Leon Thomas (6), Sabrina Carpenter (6), Serban Ghenea (6), Andrew Watt (5), Clipse (5), Doechii (5), Sounwave (5), SZA (5), Turnstile (5), and Tyler, The Creator (5).
A full list of this year’s Grammy winners follows. The winners are in bold.
Record of The Year
“DtMF” – Bad Bunny
“Manchild” – Sabrina Carpenter
“Anxiety” – Doechii
“WILDFLOWER” – Billie Eilish
“Abracadabra” – Lady Gaga
“luther” – Kendrick Lamar With SZA (WINNER)
“The Subway” – Chappell Roan
“APT.” – ROSÉ, Bruno Mars
Album of The Year
DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS — Bad Bunny (WINNER)
SWAG — Justin Bieber
Man’s Best Friend — Sabrina Carpenter
Let God Sort Em Out — Clipse, Pusha T & Malice
MAYHEM — Lady Gaga
GNX — Kendrick Lamar
MUTT — Leon Thomas
CHROMAKOPIA — Tyler, The Creator
Song of the Year
“Abracadabra” – Lady Gaga, Henry Walter & Andrew Watt, songwriters (Lady Gaga)
“Anxiety” – Jaylah Hickmon, songwriter (Doechii)
“APT.” – Amy Allen, Christopher Brody Brown, Rogét Chahayed, Omer Fedi, Philip Lawrence, Bruno Mars,
Chae Young Park, Theron Thomas & Henry Walter, songwriters (ROSÉ, Bruno Mars)
“DtMF” – Marco Daniel Borrero, Scott Dittrich, Benjamin Falik, Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, Hugo René Sención Sanabria, Tyler Thomas Spry & Roberto José Rosado Torres, songwriters (Bad Bunny)
“Golden [From “KPop Demon Hunters”]” – EJAE & Mark Sonnenblick, songwriters (HUNTR/X: EJAE, Audrey Nuna, REI AMI)
“luther” – Jack Antonoff, Roshwita Larisha Bacha, Matthew Bernard, Scott Bridgeway, Sam Dew, Ink, Kendrick Lamar, Solána Rowe, Mark Anthony Spears & Kamasi Washington, songwriters (Kendrick Lamar With SZA)
“Manchild” – Amy Allen, Jack Antonoff & Sabrina Carpenter, songwriters (Sabrina Carpenter)
“WILDFLOWER” – Billie Eilish O’Connell & Finneas O’Connell, songwriters (Billie Eilish) (WINNER)
Best New Artist
Olivia Dean (WINNER)
KATSEYE
The Marias
Addison Rae
sombr
Leon Thomas
Alex Warren
Lola Young
Producer of the Year, Non-Classical
Dan Auerbach
Cirkut (WINNER)
Dijon
Blake Mills
Sounwave
Songwriter of The Year, Non-Classical
Amy Allen (WINNER)
Edgar Barrera
Jessie Jo Dillon
Tobias Jesso Jr
Laura Veltz
Best Pop Solo Performance
“DAISIES” — Justin Bieber
“Manchild” — Sabrina Carpenter
“Disease” — Lady Gaga
“The Subway” — Chappell Roan
“Messy” — Lola Young (WINNER)
Best Pop Duo/Group Performance
“Defying Gravity” — Cynthia Erivo & Ariana Grande (WINNER)
“Golden” (from KPop Demon Hunters) — HUNTR/X: EJAE, Audrey Nuna, REI AMI
“Gabriela” — KATSEYE
“APT” — ROSÉ, Bruno Mars
“30 For 30” — SZA Featuring Kendrick Lamar
Best Pop Vocal Album
SWAG — Justin Bieber
Man’s Best Friend — Sabrina Carpenter
Something Beautiful — Miley Cyrus
MAYHEM — Lady Gaga (WINNERS)
I’ve Tried Everything But Therapy — Part 2 — Teddy Swims
Best Dance/Electronic Recording
“No Cap” — Disclosure & Anderson .Paak
“Victory Lap” — Fred again.., Skepta, & PlaqueBoyMax
“SPACE INVADER” — KAYTRANADA
“VOLTAGE” — Skrillex
“End Of Summer” — Tame Impala (WINNER)
Best Dance Pop Recording
“Bluest Flame” — Selena Gomez & benny blanco
“Abracadabra” — Lady Gaga (WINNER)
“Midnight Sun” — Zara Larsson
“Just Keep Watching” (from F1 The Movie) — Tate McRae
“Illegal” — PinkPantheress
Best Dance/Electronic Album
EUSEXUA — FKA twigs (WINNER)
Ten Days — Fred again..
Fancy That — PinkPantheress
Inhale / Exhale — RÜFÜS DU SOL
F— U SKRILLEX YOU THINK UR ANDY WARHOL BUT UR NOT!! <3 — Skrillex
Best Remixed Recording
“Abracadabra – Gesaffelstein Remix” — Gesaffelstein, remixer (Lady Gaga, Gesaffelstein) (WINNER)
“Don’t Forget About Us” — KAYTRANADA, remixer (Mariah Carey & KAYTRANADA)
“A Dreams A Dream – Ron Trent Remix” — Ron Trent, remixer (Soul II Soul)
“Galvanize” — Chris Lake, remixer (The Chemical Brothers & Chris Lake)
“Golden – David Guetta REM/X” — David Guetta, remixer (HUNTR/X: EJAE, Audrey Nuna, REI AMI)
Best Rock Performance
“U Should Not Be Doing That” — Amyl and The Sniffers
“The Emptiness Machine” — Linkin Park
“NEVER ENOUGH” — Turnstile
“Mirtazapine” — Hayley Williams
“Changes (Live From Villa Park) Back To The Beginning” — YUNGBLUD Featuring Nuno Bettencourt, Frank Bello, Adam Wakeman, II (WINNER)
Best Metal Performance
“Night Terror” — Dream Theater
“Lachryma” — Ghost
“Emergence” — Sleep Token
“Soft Spine” — Spiritbox
“BIRDS” — Turnstile (WINNER)
Best Rock Song
“As Alive As You Need Me To Be” — Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross, songwriters (Nine Inch Nails) (WINNERS)
“Caramel” — Vessel & II, songwriters (Sleep Token)
“Glum” — Daniel James & Hayley Williams, songwriters (Hayley Williams)
“NEVER ENOUGH” — Daniel Fang, Franz Lyons, Pat McCrory, Meg Mills & Brendan Yates, songwriters (Turnstile)
“Zombie” — Dominic Harrison & Matt Schwartz, songwriters (YUNGBLUD)
Best Rock Album
private music — Deftones
I quit — HAIM
From Zero — Linkin Park
NEVER ENOUGH — Turnstile (WINNER)
Idols — YUNGBLUD
Best Alternative Music Performance
“Everything Is Peaceful Love” — Bon Iver
“Alone” — The Cure (WINNER)
“SEEIN’ STARS” — Turnstile
“mangetout” — Wet Leg
“Parachute” — Hayley Williams
Best Alternative Music Album
SABLE, fABLE — Bon Iver
Songs Of A Lost World — The Cure (WINNER)
DON’T TAP THE GLASS — Tyler, The Creator
moisturizer — Wet Leg
Ego Death At A Bachelorette Party — Hayley Williams
Best R&B Performance
“YUKON” — Justin Bieber
“It Depends” — Chris Brown Featuring Bryson Tiller
“Folded” — Kehlani (WINNER)
“MUTT — Live From NPR’s Tiny Desk” — Leon Thomas
“Heart Of A Woman” — Summer Walker
Best Traditional R&B Performance
“Here We Are” — Durand Bernarr
“UPTOWN” — Lalah Hathaway
“LOVE YOU TOO” — Ledisi
“Crybaby” — SZA
“VIBES DON’T LIE” — Leon Thomas (WINNER)
Best R&B Song
“Folded” — Darius Dixson, Andre Harris, Donovan Knight, Don Mills, Kehlani Parrish, Khris Riddick-Tynes & Dawit Kamal Wilson, songwriters (Kehlani) (WINNER)
“Heart Of A Woman” — David Bishop & Summer Walker, songwriters (Summer Walker)
“It Depends” — Nico Baran, Chris Brown, Ant Clemons, Ephrem Lopez Jr., Ryan Press, Bryson Tiller, Elliott Trent & Dewain Whitmore Jr., songwriters (Chris Brown Featuring Bryson Tiller)
“Overqualified” — James John Abrahart Jr, Durand Bernarr, John Derisme, Egberto “Budda” Foster, Amaire Johnson, Frank Moka, Cary Singer & Chase Worrell songwriters (Durand Bernarr)
“YES IT IS” — Jariuce Banks, Lazaro Andres Camejo, Mike Hector, Peter Lee Johnson, Rodney Jones Jr., Ali Prawl & Leon Thomas, songwriters (Leon Thomas)
Best Progressive R&B Album
BLOOM — Durand Bernarr (WINNER)
Adjust Brightness — Bilal
LOVE ON DIGITAL — Destin Conrad
Access All Areas — FLO
Come As You Are — Terrace Martin & Kenyon Dixon
Best R&B Album
BELOVED — GIVĒON
Why Not More — Coco Jones
The Crown — Ledisi
Escape Room — Teyana Taylor
MUTT — Leon Thomas (WINNER)
Best Rap Performance
“Outside” — Cardi B
“Chains & Whips” — Clipse, Pusha T & Malice Featuring Kendrick Lamar & Pharrell Williams (WINNER)
“Anxiety” — Doechii
“tv off” — Kendrick Lamar Featuring Lefty Gunplay
“Darling, I” — Tyler, The Creator Featuring Teezo Touchdown
Best Melodic Rap Performance
“Proud Of Me” — Fridayy Featuring Meek Mill
“Wholeheartedly” — JID Featuring Ty Dolla $ign & 6Lack
“luther” — Kendrick Lamar With SZA (WINNER)
“WeMaj” — Terrace Martin & Kenyon Dixon Featuring Rapsody
“SOMEBODY LOVES ME” — PARTYNEXTDOOR & Drake
Best Rap Song
“Anxiety” — Jaylah Hickmon, songwriter (Doechii)
“The Birds Don’t Sing” — Gene Elliott Thornton Jr., Terrence Thornton, Pharrell Williams & Stevie Wonder, songwriters (Clipse, Pusha T & Malice Featuring John Legend & Voices Of Fire)
“Sticky” — Aaron Bolton, Dwayne Carter, Jr., Dudley Alexander Duverne, Tyler Okonma, Janae Wherry, Gloria Woods & Rex Zamor, songwriters (Tyler, The Creator Featuring GloRilla, Sexyy Red & Lil Wayne)
“TGIF” — Lucas Alegria, Dillon Brophy, Yakki Davis, Jess Jackson, Ronnie Jackson, Mario Mims, Jorge M. Taveras & Gloria Woods, songwriters (GloRilla)
“tv off” — Jack Antonoff, Larry Jayy, Kendrick Lamar, Dijon McFarlane, Sean Momberger, Mark Anthony Spears & Kamasi Washington, songwriters (Kendrick Lamar Featuring Lefty Gunplay) (WINNER)
Best Rap Album
Let God Sort Em Out — Clipse, Pusha T & Malice
GLORIOUS — GloRilla
God Does Like Ugly — JID
GNX — Kendrick Lamar (WINNER)
CHROMAKOPIA — Tyler, The Creator
Best Spoken Word Poetry Album
A Hurricane in Heels: healed people don’t act like that — partially recorded live @City Winery & other places — Queen Sheba
Black Shaman — Marc Marcel
Pages — Omari Hardwick & Anthony Hamilton
Saul Williams Meets Carlos Niño & Friends At Treepeople — Saul Williams, Carlos Niño & Friends
Words For Days Vol. 1 — Mad Skillz (WINNER)
Best Jazz Performance
“Noble Rise” — Lakecia Benjamin Featuring Immanuel Wilkins & Mark Whitfield
“Windows – Live” — Chick Corea, Christian McBride & Brian Blade (WINNER)
“Peace Of Mind / Dreams Come True” — Samara Joy
“Four” — Michael Mayo
“All Stars Lead To You – Live” — Nicole Zuraitis, Dan Pugach, Tom Scott, Idan Morim, Keyon Harrold, Rachel Eckroth & Sam Weber
Best Jazz Vocal Album
Elemental — Dee Dee Bridgewater and Bill Charlap
We Insist 2025 — Terri Lyne Carrington and Christie Dashiell Featuring Weedie Braimah, Milena Casado, Morgan Guerin, Simon Moullier and Matthew Stevens
Portrait — Samara Joy (WINNER)
Fly — Michael Mayo
Live at Vic’s Las Vegas — Nicole Zuraitis, Dan Pugach, Tom Scott, Idan Morim, Keyon Harrold, Rachel Eckroth and Sam Weber
Best Jazz Instrumental Album
Trilogy 3 — Live — Chick Corea, Christian McBride & Brian Blade
Southern Nights — Sullivan Fortner Featuring Peter Washington & Marcus Gilmore (WINNER)
Belonging — Branford Marsalis Quartet
Spirit Fall — John Patitucci Featuring Chris Potter & Brian Blade
Fasten Up — Yellowjackets
Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album
Orchestrator Emulator — The 8-Bit Big Band
Without Further Ado, Vol 1 — Christian McBride Big Band (WINNER)
Lumen — Danilo Pérez and Bohuslän Big Band
Basie Rocks — Deborah Silver and The Count Basie Orchestra
Lights on a Satellite — Sun Ra Arkestra
Some Days Are Better: The Lost Scores — Kenny Wheeler Legacy Featuring The Royal Academy of Music Jazz Orchestra and Frost Jazz Orchestra
Best Latin Jazz Album
La Fleur de Cayenne — Paquito D’Rivera and Madrid-New York Connection Band
The Original Influencers: Dizzy, Chano & Chico Arturo O’Farrill & The Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra — Featuring Pedrito Martinez, Daymé Arocena, Jon Faddis, Donald Harrison & Melvis Santa
Mundoagua – Celebrating Carla Bley — Arturo O’Farrill & The Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra
A Tribute to Benny Moré and Nat King Cole — Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Yainer Horta & Joey Calveiro (WINNER)
Vanguardia Subterránea: Live at The Village Vanguard — Miguel Zenón Quartet
Best Alternative Jazz Album
honey from a winter stone — Ambrose Akinmusire
Keys To The City Volume One — Robert Glasper
Ride into the Sun — Brad Mehldau
LIVE-ACTION — Nate Smith (WINNER)
Blues Blood — Immanuel Wilkins
Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album
Wintersongs — Laila Biali
The Gift Of Love — Jennifer Hudson
Who Believes In Angels — Elton John & Brandi Carlile
Harlequin — Lady Gaga
A Matter Of Time — Laufey (WINNER)
The Secret Of Life: Partners, Volume 2 — Barbra Streisand
Best Contemporary Instrumental Album
Brightside — ARKAI (WINNER)
Ones & Twos — Gerald Clayton
BEATrio — Béla Fleck, Edmar Castañeda, Antonio Sánchez
Just Us — Bob James & Dave Koz
Shayan — Charu Suri
Best Musical Theater Album
Buena Vista Social Club (WINNER)
Marco Paguia, Dean Sharenow & David Yazbek, producers (Original Broadway Cast)
Death Becomes Her
Taurean Everett, Megan Hilty, Josh Lamon, Christopher Sieber, Jennifer Simard & Michelle Williams, principal vocalists; Mary-Mitchell Campbell, Noel Carey, Sean Patrick Flahaven, Julia Mattison & Scott M. Riesett, producers; Noel Carey & Julia Mattison, composers/lyricists (Original Broadway Cast)
Gypsy
Danny Burstein, Kevin Csolak, Audra McDonald, Jordan Tyson & Joy Woods, principal vocalists; David Caddick, Andy Einhorn, David Lai & George C. Wolfe, producers (Jule Styne, composer; Stephen Sondheim, lyricist) (2024 Broadway Cast)
Just In Time
Emily Bergl, Jonathan Groff, Erika Henningsen, Gracie Lawrence & Michele Pawk, principal vocalists; Tom Kirdahy, Derik Lee, Andrew Resnick, Bill Sherman & Alex Timbers, producers (Bobby Darin, composer & lyricist) (Original Broadway Cast)
Maybe Happy Ending
Marcus Choi, Darren Criss, Dez Duron & Helen J Shen, principal vocalists; Deborah Abramson, Will Aronson, Ian Kagey & Hue Park, producers; Hue Park, lyricist; Will Aronson, composer & lyricist (Original Broadway Cast)
Best Country Solo Performance
“Nose On The Grindstone” — Tyler Childers
“Good News” — Shaboozey
“Bad As I Used To Be” (from F1 The Movie) — Chris Stapleton (WINNER)
“I Never Lie” — Zach Top
“Somewhere Over Laredo” — Lainey Wilson
Best Country Duo/Group Performance
“A Song To Sing” — Miranda Lambert And Chris Stapleton
“Trailblazer” — Reba McEntire, Miranda Lambert, Lainey Wilson
“Love Me Like You Used To Do” — Margo Price & Tyler Childers
“Amen” — Shaboozey & Jelly Roll (WINNER)
“Honky Tonk Hall Of Fame” — George Strait, Chris Stapleton
Best Country Song
“Bitin’ List” — Tyler Childers, songwriter (Tyler Childers) (WINNER)
“Good News” — Sean Cook, Collins Obinna Chibueze, Michael Ross Pollack, Sam Elliot Roman, Nevin Sastry & Jacob Torrey, songwriters (Shaboozey)
“I Never Lie” — Carson Chamberlain, Tim Nichols & Zach Top, songwriters (Zach Top)
“Somewhere Over Laredo” — Andy Albert, Trannie Anderson, Dallas Wilson & Lainey Wilson, songwriters (Lainey Wilson)
“A Song To Sing” — Jenee Fleenor, Jesse Frasure, Miranda Lambert & Chris Stapleton, songwriters (Miranda Lambert And Chris Stapleton)
Best Traditional Country Album
Dollar A Day — Charley Crockett
American Romance — Lukas Nelson
Oh What A Beautiful World — Willie Nelson
Hard Headed Woman — Margo Price
Ain’t In It For My Health — Zach Top (WINNER)
Best Contemporary Country Album
Patterns — Kelsea Ballerini
Snipe Hunter — Tyler Childers
Evangeline Vs. The Machine — Eric Church
Beautifully Broken — Jelly Roll (WINNER)
Postcards From Texas — Miranda Lambert
Best American Roots Performance
“LONELY AVENUE” — Jon Batiste Featuring Randy Newman
“Ancient Light” — I’m With Her
“Crimson And Clay” — Jason Isbell
“Richmond On The James” — Alison Krauss & Union Station
“Beautiful Strangers” — Mavis Staples (WINNER)
Best Americana Performance
“Boom” — Sierra Hull
“Poison In My Well” — Maggie Rose & Grace Potter
“Godspeed” — Mavis Staples (WINNER)
“That’s Gonna Leave A Mark” — Molly Tuttle
“Horses” — Jesse Welles
Best American Roots Song
“Ancient Light” — Sarah Jarosz, Aoife O’Donovan & Sara Watkins, songwriters (I’m With Her) (WINNER)
“BIG MONEY” — Jon Batiste, Mike Elizondo & Steve McEwan, songwriters (Jon Batiste)
“Foxes In The Snow” — Jason Isbell, songwriter (Jason Isbell)
“Middle” — Jesse Welles, songwriter (Jesse Welles)
“Spitfire” — Sierra Hull, songwriter (Sierra Hull)
Best Americana Album
BIG MONEY — Jon Batiste (WINNER)
Bloom — Larkin Poe
Last Leaf On The Tree — Willie Nelson
So Long Little Miss Sunshine — Molly Tuttle
Middle — Jesse Welles
Best Bluegrass Album
Carter & Cleveland — Michael Cleveland & Jason Carter
A Tip Toe High Wire — Sierra Hull
Arcadia — Alison Krauss & Union Station
Outrun — The Steeldrivers
Highway Prayers — Billy Strings (WINNER)
Best Traditional Blues Album
Ain’t Done With The Blues — Buddy Guy (WINNER)
Room On The Porch — Taj Mahal & Keb’ Mo’
One Hour Mama: The Blues Of Victoria Spivey — Maria Muldaur
Look Out Highway — Charlie Musselwhite
Young Fashioned Ways — Kenny Wayne Shepherd & Bobby Rush
Best Contemporary Blues Album
Breakthrough — Joe Bonamassa
Paper Doll — Samantha Fish
A Tribute To LJK — Eric Gales
Preacher Kids — Robert Randolph (WINNER)
Family — Southern Avenue
Best Folk Album
What Did The Blackbird Say To The Crow — Rhiannon Giddens & Justin Robinson
Crown Of Roses — Patty Griffin
Wild And Clear And Blue — I’m With Her (WINNER)
Foxes In The Snow — Jason Isbell
Under The Powerlines April 24 – September 24 — Jesse Welles
Best Regional Roots Music Album
Live At Vaughan’s — Corey Henry & The Treme Funktet
For Fat Man — Preservation Brass
Church Of New Orleans — Kyle Roussel
Second Line Sunday — Trombone Shorty And New Breed Brass Band
A Tribute To The King Of Zydeco — (Various Artists) (WINNER)
Best Gospel Performance/Song
“Do It Again” — Kirk Franklin; Kirk Franklin, songwriter
“Church” — Tasha Cobbs Leonard, John Legend; Anthony S. Brown, Brunes Charles, Annatoria Chitapa, Kenneth Leonard, Jr., Tasha Cobbs Leonard & Jonas Myrin, songwriters
“Still — Live” — Jonathan McReynolds & Jamal Roberts; Britney Delagraentiss, Jonathan McReynolds, David Lamar Outing II, Orlando Joel Palmer & Terrell Demetrius Wilson, songwriters
“Amen” — Pastor Mike Jr.; Adia Andrews, Michael McClure Jr., David Lamar Outing II & Terrell Anthony Pettus, songwriters
“Come Jesus Come” — CeCe Winans Featuring Shirley Caesar (WINNER)
Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song
“I Know A Name” — Elevation Worship, Chris Brown, Brandon Lake; Hank Bentley, Steven Furtick, Brandon Lake & Jacob Sooter, songwriters
“YOUR WAY’S BETTER” — Forrest Frank; Forrest Frank & Pera, songwriters
“Hard Fought Hallelujah” — Brandon Lake With Jelly Roll; Chris Brown, Jason Bradley Deford, Steven Furtick, Benjamin William Hastings & Brandon Lake, songwriters (WINNER)
“Headphones” — Lecrae, Killer Mike, T.I.; Tyshane Thompson, Bongo ByTheWay, Michael Render, Lecrae Moore & Clifford Harris, songwriters
“Amazing” — Darrel Walls, PJ Morton; PJ Morton & Darrel Walls,songwriters
Best Gospel Album
Sunny Days — Yolanda Adams
Tasha — Tasha Cobbs Leonard
Live Breathe Fight — Tamela Mann
Only On The Road Live — Tye Tribbett
Heart Of Mine — Darrel Walls, PJ Morton (WINNER)
Best Contemporary Christian Music Album
CHILD OF GOD II — Forrest Frank
Coritos Vol. 1 — Israel & New Breed (WINNER)
King Of Hearts — Brandon Lake
Reconstruction — Lecrae
Let The Church Sing — Tauren Wells
Best Roots Gospel Album
I Will Not Be Moved — Live — The Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir (WINNER)
Then Came The Morning — Gaither Vocal Band
Praise & Worship: More Than A Hollow Hallelujah — The Isaacs
Good Answers — Karen Peck & New River
Back To My Roots — Candi Staton
Best Latin Pop Album
Cosa Nuestra — Rauw Alejandro
BOGOTÁ DELUXE — Andrés Cepeda
Tropicoqueta — KAROL G
Cancionera — Natalia Lafourcade (WINNER)
Y ahora qué — Alejandro Sanz
Best Música Urbana Album
DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS — Bad Bunny (WINNER)
Mixteip — J Balvin
FERXXO VOL X: Sagrado — Feid
NAIKI — Nicki Nicole
EUB DELUXE — Trueno
SINFÓNICO — En Vivo — Yandel
Best Latin Rock or Alternative Album
Genes Rebeldes — Aterciopelados
ASTROPICAL — Bomba Estéreo, Rawayana, ASTROPICAL
PAPOTA — CA7RIEL & Paco Amoroso (WINNER)
ALGORHYTHM — Los Wizzards
Novela — Fito Paez
Best Música Mexicana Album (Including Tejano)
MALA MÍA — Fuerza Regida, Grupo Frontera
Y Lo Que Viene — Grupo Frontera
Sin Rodeos — Paola Jara
Palabra De To’s – Seca — Carín León (WINNER)
Bobby Pulido & Friends Una Tuya Y Una Mía – Por La Puerta Grande – En Vivo — Bobby Pulido
Best Tropical Latin Album
Fotografías — Rubén Blades, Roberto Delgado & Orquesta
Raíces — Gloria Estefan (WINNER)
Clásicos 1.0 — Grupo Niche
Bingo — Alain Pérez
Debut y Segunda Tanda, Vol. 2 — Gilberto Santa Rosa
Best Global Music Performance
“EoO” — Bad Bunny (WINNER)
“Cantando en el Camino” — Ciro Hurtado
“JERUSALEMA” — Angélique Kidjo
“Inmigrante Y Que” — Yeisy Rojas
“Shrini’s Dream” – Live — Shakti
“Daybreak” — Anoushka Shankar Featuring Alam Khan & Sarathy Korwar
Best African Music Performance
“Love” — Burna Boy
“With You” — Davido Featuring Omah Lay
“Hope & Love” — Eddy Kenzo & Mehran Matin
“Gimme Dat” — Ayra Starr Featuring Wizkid
“PUSH 2 START” — Tyla (WINNER)
Best Global Music Album
Sounds Of Kumbha — Siddhant Bhatia
No Sign of Weakness — Burna Boy
Eclairer le monde – Light the World — Youssou N’Dour
Mind Explosion – 50th Anniversary Tour Live — Shakti
Chapter III: We Return To Light — Anoushka Shankar Featuring Alam Khan & Sarathy Korwar
Caetano e Bethânia Ao Vivo — Caetano Veloso And Maria Bethânia (WINNER)
Best Reggae Album
Treasure Self Love — Lila Iké
Heart & Soul — Vybz Kartel
BLXXD & FYAH — Keznamdi (WINNER)
From Within — Mortimer
No Place Like Home — Jesse Royal
Best New Age, Ambient, or Chant Album
Kuruvinda — Kirsten Agresta-Copely
According To The Moon — Cheryl B. Engelhardt, GEM, Dallas String Quartet
Into The Forest — Jahnavi Harrison
NOMADICA — Carla Patullo Featuring The Scorchio Quartet & Tonality (WINNER)
The Colors In My Mind — Chris Redding
Best Children’s Music Album
Ageless: 100 Years Young — Joanie Leeds & Joya
Buddy’s Magic Tree House — Mega Ran
Harmony — FYÜTCH & Aura V (WINNER)
Herstory — Flor Bromley
The Music Of Tori And The Muses —Tori Amos
Best Comedy Album
Drop Dead Years — Bill Burr
PostMortem — Sarah Silverman
Single Lady — Ali Wong
What Had Happened Was… — Jamie Foxx
Your Friend, Nate Bargatze — Nate Bargatze (WINNER)
Best Audio Book, Narration and Storytelling Recording
Elvis, Rocky & Me: The Carol Connors Story — Kathy Garver
Into The Uncut Grass — Trevor Noah
Lovely One: A Memoir — Ketanji Brown Jackson
Meditations: The Reflections Of His Holiness The Dalai Lama — Dalai Lama (WINNER)
You Know It’s True: The Real Story Of Milli Vanilli — Fab Morvan
Best Compilation Soundtrack For Visual Media
A Complete Unknown
Timothée Chalamet
Nick Baxter, Steven Gizicki & James Mangold, compilation producers; Steven Gizicki, music supervisor
F1 The Album
(Various Artists)
Brandon Davis, Joe Khoury, Kevin Weaver, compilation producers; David Taylor & Jake Voulgarides, music supervisors
KPop Demon Hunters
(Various Artists)
Spring Aspers & Dana Sano, compilation producers; Ian Eisendrath, music supervisor
Sinners (WINNER)
(Various Artists)
Ryan Coogler, Ludwig Göransson & Serena Göransson, compilation producers; Niki Sherrod, music supervisor
Wicked
Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande (& Wicked Movie Cast)
Stephen Oremus, Stephen Schwartz & Greg Wells, compilation producers; Maggie Rodford, music supervisor
Best Score Soundtrack For Visual Media (Includes Film And Television)
How To Train Your Dragon
John Powell, composer
Severance: Season 2
Theodore Shapiro, composer
Sinners (WINNER)
Ludwig Göransson, composer
Wicked
John Powell & Stephen Schwartz, composers
The Wild Robot
Kris Bowers, composer
Best Score Soundtrack for Video Games and Other Interactive Media
Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora – Secrets of the Spires — Pinar Toprak, composer
Helldivers 2 — Wilbert Roget, II, composer
Indiana Jones And The Great Circle — Gordy Haab, composer
Star Wars Outlaws: Wild Card & A Pirate’s Fortune — Cody Matthew Johnson & Wilbert Roget, II, composers
Sword of the Sea — Austin Wintory, composer (WINNER)
Best Song Written For Visual Media
“As Alive As You Need Me To Be” — From TRON: Ares
Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross, songwriters (Nine Inch Nails)
“Golden” — From KPop Demon Hunters (WINNER)
EJAE, Park Hong Jun, Joong Gyu Kwak, Yu Han Lee, Hee Dong Nam, Jeong Hoon Seo & Mark Sonnenblick, songwriters (HUNTR/X: EJAE, Audrey Nuna, REI AMI)
“I Lied to You” — From Sinners
Ludwig Göransson & Raphael Saadiq, songwriters (Miles Caton)
“Never Too Late” — From Elton John: Never Too Late
Brandi Carlile, Elton John, Bernie Taupin & Andrew Watt, songwriters (Elton John, Brandi Carlile)
“Pale, Pale Moon” — From Sinners
Ludwig Göransson & Brittany Howard, songwriters (Jayme Lawson)
“Sinners” — From Sinners
Leonard Denisenko, Rodarius Green, Travis Harrington, Tarkan Kozluklu, Kyris Mingo & Darius Poviliunas, songwriters (Rod Wave)
Best Music Video
“Manchild” — Sabrina Carpenter
Vania Heymann & Gal Muggia, video directors; Aiden Magarian, Nathan Scherrer & Natan Schottenfels, video producers
“So Be It” — Clipse
Hannan Hussain, video director; Theresa Kusumadjaja, video producer
“Anxiety” — Doechii (WINNER)
James Mackel, video director; Pablo Feldman, Jolene Mendes & Sophia Sabella, video producers
“Love” — OK Go
Aaron Duffy, Miguel Espada & Damian Kulash Jr., video directors; Petra Ahmann & Andrew Geller, video producer
“Young Lion” — Sade
Sophie Muller, video director; Aaron Taylor Dean & Sade, video producers
Best Music Film
Devo — Devo
Chris Smith, video director; Danny Gabai, Anita Greenspan, Chris Holmes & Chris Smith, video producers
Live At The Royal Albert Hall — Raye
Paul Dugdale, video director; Stefan Demetriou & Amy James, video producers
Relentless — Diane Warren
Bess Kargman, video director; Peggy Drexler, Michele Farinola, Bess Kargman & Kat Nguyen, video producers
Music By John Williams — John Williams (WINNER)
Laurent Bouzereau, video director; Sara Bernstein, Laurent Bouzereau, Justin Falvey, Darryl Frank, Brian Grazer, Ron Howard, Meredith Kaulfers, Kathleen Kennedy, Frank Marshall, Steven Spielberg & Justin Wilkes, video producers
Piece By Piece — Pharrell Williams
Morgan Neville, video director; Morgan Neville, Caitrin Rogers, Mimi Valdes & Pharrell Williams, video producers
Best Recording Package
And The Adjacent Possible
Hà Trịnh Quốc Bảo, Damian Kulash, Jr., Claudio Ripol, Wombi Rose & Yuri Suzuki, art directors (OK Go)
Balloonerism
Bráulio Amado & Alim Smith, art directors (Mac Miller)
Danse Macabre: De Luxe
Rory McCartney, art director (Duran Duran)
Loud Is As
Farbod Kokabi & Emily Sneddon, art directors (Tsunami)
Sequoia
Tim Breen & Ken Shipley, art directors (Various Artists)
The Spins — Picture Disc Vinyl
Darby Kaighin-Shields & Miller McCormick, art directors (Mac Miller)
Tracks II: The Lost Albums (WINNER)
Meghan Foley & Michelle Holme, art directors (Bruce Springsteen)
Best Album Cover
CHROMAKOPIA (WINNER)
Tyler Okonma, art director (Tyler, The Creator)
The Crux
Jake Hirshland, Joe Keery, Neil Krug, Taylor Vandergrift & William Wesley II, art directors (Djo)
Debí Tirar Más Fotos
Benito Antonio Martinez Ocasio, art director (Bad Bunny)
Glory
Cody Critcheloe, Mike Hadreas & Andrew J.S., art directors (Perfume Genius)
moisturizer
Iris Luz, Lava La Rue & Rhian Teasdale, art directors (Wet Leg)
Best Album Notes
Adios, Farewell, Goodbye, Good Luck, So Long: On Stage 1964-1974
Scott B. Bomar, album notes writer (Buck Owens And His Buckaroos)
After The Last Sky
Adam Shatz, album notes writer (Anouar Brahem, Anja Lechner, Django Bates, Dave Holland)
Árabe
Amanda Ekery, album notes writer (Amanda Ekery)
The First Family: Live At Winchester Cathedral 1967
Alec Palao, album notes writer (Sly & The Family Stone)
A Ghost Is Born — 20th Anniversary Deluxe Edition
Bob Mehr, album notes writer (Wilco)
Miles ’55: The Prestige Recordings (WINNER)
Ashley Kahn, album notes writer (Miles Davis)
Best Historical Album
Joni Mitchell Archives – Volume 4: The Asylum Years — 1976-1980 (WINNER)
Patrick Milligan & Joni Mitchell, compilation producers; Bernie Grundman, mastering engineer (Joni Mitchell)
The Making Of Five Leaves Left
Joe Black, Cally Callomon & Johnny Chandler, compilation producers; Simon Heyworth & John Wood, mastering engineers; Richard Whittaker & John Wood, restoration engineers (Nick Drake)
Roots Rocking Zimbabwe – The Modern Sound Of Harare’ Townships 1975-1980 — Analog Africa No.41
Samy Ben Redjeb, compilation producer; Michael Graves, mastering engineer; Michael Graves & Jordan McLeod, restoration engineers (Various Artists)
Super Disco Pirata – De Tepito Para El Mundo 1965-1980 — Analog Africa No. 39
Samy Ben Redjeb, compilation producer; Michael Graves, mastering engineer; Jordan McLeod, restoration engineer (Various Artists)
You Can’t Hip A Square: The Doc Pomus Songwriting Demos
Will Bratton, Sharyn Felder & Cheryl Pawelski, compilation producers; Michael Graves, mastering engineer; Michael Graves & Jordan McLeod, restoration engineers (Doc Pomus)
Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical
All Things Light
Jesse Brock, Jon Castelli, Matt Chamberlain, Tyler Johnson, Nick Lobel, Simon Maartensson, Lawrence “Boo” Mitchell, Rob Moose, Anders Mouridsen, Ryan Nasci, Ernesto Olvera-LaPier, Ethan Schneiderman, Rahm Silverglade & Owen Stoutt, engineers; Dale Becker, mastering engineer (Cam)
Arcadia
Neal Cappellino & Gary Paczosa, engineers; Brad Blackwood, mastering engineer (Alison Krauss & Union Station)
For Melancholy Brunettes & sad women
Joseph Lorge, Blake Mills & Sebastian Reunert, engineers; Patricia Sullivan, mastering engineer (Japanese Breakfast)
That Wasn’t A Dream (WINNER)
Joseph Lorge & Blake Mills, engineers; Patricia Sullivan, mastering engineer (Pino Palladino, Blake Mills)
Best Engineered Album, Classical
Cerrone: Don’t Look Down (WINNER)
Mike Tierney, engineer; Alan Silverman, mastering engineer (Sandbox Percussion)
Eastman: Symphony No. 2; Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 2
Gintas Norvila, engineer; Jennifer Nulsen, mastering engineer (Franz Welser-Möst & The Cleveland Orchestra)
Shostakovich: Lady Macbeth Of The Mtsensk District
Shawn Murphy & Nick Squire, engineers; Tim Martyn, mastering engineer (Andris Nelsons, Kristine Opolais, Günther Groissböck, Peter Hoare, Brenden Gunnell & Boston Symphony Orchestra)
Standard Stoppages
Sean Connors, Robert Dillon, Peter Martin, Bill Maylone, Judith Sherman & David Skidmore, engineers; Joe Lambert, mastering engineer (Third Coast Percussion)
Yule
Morten Lindberg, engineer; Morten Lindberg, mastering engineer (Trio Mediæval)
Producer Of The Year, Classical
Blanton Alspaugh
All Is Miracle – The Choral Music Of Kyle Pederson (Timothy J. Campbell & Transept) (A)
Heggie: Intelligence (Kwame Ryan, Janai Brugger, Jamie Barton, J’Nai Bridges & Houston Grand Opera) (A)
Marsalis: Blues Symphony (Jader Bignamini & Detroit Symphony Orchestra) (A)
Massenet: Werther (Robert Spano, Matthew Polenzani, sabel Leonard & Houston Grand Opera) (A)
The Mirage Calls (Charles Bruffy & Kansas City Chorale) (A)
Sheehan: Ukrainian War Requiem (Michael Zaugg, Axios Men’s Ensemble & Pro Coro Canada) (A)
Sun, Moon, Stars, Rain (Christopher Gabbitas & Phoenix Chorale) (A)
Sergei Kvitko
Biedenbender: Enigma; River Of Time (Kevin L. Sedatole & Michigan State University Wind Symphony) (A)
Chiaroscuro (Vedrana Subotic) (A)
Dancing In A Still Life (Tasha Warren) (A)
Excursions (Vuorovesi Trio) (A)
Four Hands. Two Hearts. One Hope. Ukrainian And American Music For Piano Duo (Mykhailo Diordiiev & Anastasiia Larchikova) (A)
Here And Now – Trumpet Music By Virginia Composers (Jason Crafton, Richard Masters, Annie Stevens & Paul Langosch) (A)
Lansky: Touch And Go (Gwendolyn Dease) (A)
Orbiting Garden (William Hobbs) (A)
Would That Loving Were Enough (Haven Trio) (A)
Morten Lindberg
Fred Over Jorden (Peace To The World) (Elisabeth Holte, Kjetil Bjerkestrand & Uranienborg Vokalensemble) (A)
Stjernebru (Anne Karin Sundal-Ask & Det Norske Jentekor) (A)
Yule (Trio Mediæval) (A)
Dmitriy Lipay
Heggie: Before It All Goes Dark (Joseph Mechavich, Megan Marino, Ryan McKinny & Music Of Remembrance Ensemble) (A)
Odyssey (Jorge Glem, Gustavo Dudamel & Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra Of Venezuela) (A)
Ortiz: Yanga (Gustavo Dudamel, Alisa Weilerstein & Los Angeles Philharmonic) (A)
Elaine Martone (WINNER)
Berlioz: Symphonie Fantastique (Franz Welser-Möst & The Cleveland Orchestra) (A)
Chopin & Rachmaninoff: Cello Sonatas (Brian Thornton & Spencer Myer) (A)
Dear Mrs. Kennedy (Ryan Townsend Strand) (A)
Eastman: Symphony No. 2; Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 2 (Franz Welser-Möst & The Cleveland Orchestra) (A)
LeFrak: Romántico (Sharon Isbin, Lopez-Yañez & Orchestra Of St. Luke’s) (A)
Mozart: Piano Concerto No. 27 & Symphony No. 29 (Garrick Ohlsson, Franz Welser-Möst & The Cleveland Orchestrea) (A)
The Poet & The Prodigy (Debra Nagy & Mark Edwards) (A)
Shapes In Collective Space (Tallā Rouge) (A)
Songs Of Orpheus (Kelley O’Connor) (A)
Best Immersive Audio Album
All American F—boy
Andrew Law, immersive mix engineer (Duckwrth)
Immersed (WINNER)
Justin Gray, immersive mix engineer; Michael Romanowski, immersive mastering engineer; Justin Gray, Drew Jurecka & Morten Lindberg, immersive producers (Justin Gray)
An Immersive Tribute To Astor Piazzolla — Live
Andrés Mayo & Martín Muscatello, immersive mix engineers; Andrés Mayo & Martín Muscatello, immersive producers (Various Artists)
Tearjerkers
Hans-Martin Buff, immersive mix engineer; Hans-Martin Buff, immersive producer (Tearjerkers)
Yule
Morten Lindberg, immersive mix engineer; Morten Lindberg, immersive mastering engineer; Arve Henriksen & Morten Lindberg, immersive producers (Trio Mediæval)
Best Instrumental Composition
“First Snow” (WINNER)
Remy Le Boeuf, composer (Nordkraft Big Band, Remy Le Boeuf & Danielle Wertz)
“Live Life This Day: Movement I”
Miho Hazama, composer (Miho Hazama, Danish Radio Big Band & Danish National Symphony Orchestra)
“Lord, That’s A Long Way”
Sierra Hull, composer (Sierra Hull)
“Opening”
Zain Effendi, composer (Zain Effendi)
“Train To Emerald City”
John Powell & Stephen Schwartz, composers (John Powell & Stephen Schwartz)
“Why You Here / Before The Sun Went Down”
Ludwig Göransson, composer (Ludwig Göransson Featuring Miles Caton)
Best Arrangement, Instrumental or A Cappella
“Be Okay”
Cynthia Erivo, arranger (Cynthia Erivo)
“A Child Is Born”
Remy Le Boeuf, arranger (Nordkraft Big Band & Remy Le Boeuf)
“Fight On”
Andy Clausen, Addison Maye-Saxon, Riley Mulherkar & Chloe Rowlands, arrangers (The Westerlies)
“Super Mario Praise Break” (WINNER)
Bryan Carter, Charlie Rosen & Matthew Whitaker, arrangers (The 8-Bit Big Band)
Best Arrangement, Instruments and Vocals
“Big Fish” (WINNER)
Erin Bentlage, Sara Gazarek, Johnaye Kendrick, Nate Smith & Amanda Taylor, arrangers (Nate Smith Featuring säje)
“How Did She Look”
Nelson Riddle, arranger (Seth MacFarlane)
“Keep An Eye On Summer”
Jacob Collier, arranger (Jacob Collier)
“Something In The Water — Acoustic-Ish”
Clyde Lawrence, Gracie Lawrence & Linus Lawrence, arrangers (Lawrence)
“What A Wonderful World”
Cody Fry, arranger (Cody Fry)
Best Orchestral Performance
“Coleridge-Taylor: Toussaint L’Ouverture, Ballade Op. 4, Suites From 24 Negro Melodies”
Michael Repper, conductor (National Philharmonic)
“Messiaen: Turangalîla-Symphonie”
Andris Nelsons, conductor (Boston Symphony Orchestra) (WINNER)
“Ravel: Boléro, M. 81”
Gustavo Dudamel, conductor (Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra Of Venezuela)
“Still & Bonds”
Yannick Nézet-Séguin, conductor (The Philadelphia Orchestra)
“Stravinsky: Symphony In Three Movements”
Esa-Pekka Salonen, conductor (San Francisco Symphony)
Best Opera Recording
Heggie: Intelligence (WINNER)
Kwamé Ryan, conductor; Jamie Barton, J’Nai Bridges & Janai Brugger; Blanton Alspaugh, producer (Houston Grand Opera; Gene Scheer)
Huang Ruo: An American Soldier
Carolyn Kuan, conductor; Hannah Cho, Alex DeSocio, Nina Yoshida Nelsen & Brian Vu; Adam Abeshouse, Silas Brown & Doron Schachter, producers (American Composers Orchestra; David Henry Hwang)
Kouyoumdjian: Adoration
Alan Pierson, conductor; Miriam Khalil, Marc Kudisch, David Adam Moore, Omar Najmi, Naomi Louisa O’Connell & Karim Sulayman; Mary Kouyoumdjian, producer (Silvana Quartet; The Choir Of Trinity Wall Street)
O’Halloran: Trade & Mary Motorhead
Elaine Kelly, conductor; Oisín Ó Dálaigh, John Molloy & Naomi Louisa O’Connell; Alex Dowling & Emma O’Halloran, producers (Irish National Opera Orchestra; Mark O’Halloran)
Tesori: Grounded
Yannick Nézet-Séguin, conductor; Ben Bliss, Emily D’Angelo, Greer Grimsley & Kyle Miller; David Frost, producer (The Metropolitan Opera Orchestra; The Metropolitan Opera Chorus; George Brant)
Best Choral Performance
Advena – Liturgies For A Broken World
Craig Hella Johnson, conductor (Simon Barrad, Emily Yocum Black & Michael Hawes; Conspirare)
Childs: In The Arms Of The Beloved
Grant Gershon, conductor (Billy Childs, Dan Chmielinski, Christian Euman, Larry Koonse, Lyris Quartet, Anne Akiko Meyers, Carol Robbins & Luciana Souza; Los Angeles Master Chorale)
Lang: Poor Hymnal
Donald Nally, conductor (Steven Bradshaw, Michael Hawes, Lauren Kelly, Rebecca Siler & Elisa Sutherland; The Crossing)
Ortiz: Yanga (WINNER)
Gustavo Dudamel, conductor; Grant Gershon, chorus master (Los Angeles Philharmonic; Los Angeles Master Chorale)
Requiem Of Light
Steven Fox, conductor; Emily Drennan & Patti Drennan, chorus masters (Brian Giebler & Sangeeta Kaur; The Clarion Choir)
Best Chamber Music/Small Ensemble Performance
“Dennehy: Land Of Winter”
Alan Pierson & Alarm Will Sound (WINNER)
“La Mer – French Piano Trios”
Neave Trio
“Lullabies For The Brokenhearted”
Lili Haydn & Paul Cantelon
“Slavic Sessions”
Mak Grgić & Mateusz Kowalski
“Standard Stoppages”
Third Coast Percussion
Best Classical Instrumental Solo
Coleridge-Taylor: 3 Selections From 24 Negro Melodies
Curtis Stewart; Michael Repper, conductor (National Philharmonic)
Hope Orchestrated
Mary Dawood Catlin; Jesús David Medina & Raniero Palm, conductors (Venezuela Strings Recording Ensemble)
Inheritances
Adam Tendler
Price: Piano Concerto In One Movement In D Minor
Han Chen; John Jeter, conductor (Malmö Opera Orchestra)
Shostakovich: The Cello Concertos (WINNER)
Yo-Yo Ma; Andris Nelsons, conductor (Boston Symphony Orchestra)
Shostakovich: The Piano Concertos; Solo Works
Yuja Wang; Andris Nelsons, conductor (Boston Symphony Orchestra)
Best Classical Solo Vocal Album
Alike – My Mother’s Dream
Allison Charney, soloist; Benjamin Loeb, conductor (National Symphonia Orchestra)
Black Pierrot
Sidney Outlaw, soloist; Warren Jones, pianist
In This Short Life
Devony Smith, soloist; Danny Zelibor, pianist; Michael Nicolas, artist
Kurtág: Kafka Fragments
Susan Narucki, soloist; Curtis Macomber, artist
Schubert Beatles
Theo Hoffman, soloist; Steven Blier, pianist (Rupert Boyd, Julia Bullock, Alex Levine, Andrew Owens, Rubén Rengel & Sam Weber)
Telemann: Ino – Opera Arias For Soprano (WINNER)
Amanda Forsythe, soloist; Robert Mealy, Paul O’Dette & Stephen Stubbs, conductors (Boston Early Music Festival Orchestra)
Best Classical Compendium
Cerrone: Don’t Look Down
Sandbox Percussion; Jonathan Allen, Victor Caccese, Christopher Cerrone, Ian Rosenbaum, Terry Sweeney & Mike Tierney, producers
The Dunbar/Moore Sessions, Vol. II
Will Liverman; Jonathan Estabrooks, producer
Ortiz: Yanga (WINNER)
Gustavo Dudamel, conductor; Dmitriy Lipay, producer
Seven Seasons
Janai Brugger, Isolde Fair, MB Gordy & Starr Parodi; Nicholas Dodd, conductor; Jeff Fair, Starr Parodi & Kitt Wakeley, producers
Tombeaux
Christina Sandsengen; Shaun Drew & Christina Sandsengen, producers
Best Contemporary Classical Composition
Cerrone: Don’t Look Down
Christopher Cerrone, composer (Conor Hanick & Sandbox Percussion)
Dennehy: Land Of Winter
Donnacha Dennehy, composer (Alan Pierson & Alarm Will Sound)
León: Raíces — Origins
Tania León, composer (Edward Gardner & London Philharmonic Orchestra)
Okpebholo: Songs In Flight
Shawn E. Okpebholo, composer (Will Liverman, Paul Sánchez & Various Artists)
Ortiz: Dzonot (WINNER)
Gabriela Ortiz, composer (Alisa Weilerstein, Gustavo Dudamel & Los Angeles Philharmonic)
Black History
Learn Black History and Win Your Next Game Night
INDIANAPOLIS RECORDER — Dr. Maxine Bryant, a culture keeper and professor, is combatting book bans and historical inaccuracies through the launch of GriotSpeaks: The Game. The new board game is designed to celebrate the African diaspora by incorporating elements of geography, literature, music, and the Gullah Geechee culture.
Maxine Bryant, Ph.D., creator and founder GriotSpeaks, is sharing the history of the African diaspora through her new board game.
Bryant often quotes the African proverb: “Until the lion tells the story, the hunter will always be the hero.” She said for the hunter has been telling the story of the African diaspora for “far too long.”
The game is based in African culture. The spaces on the board feature the countries of the African diaspora and it uses gold bars and cowrie shells as currency while special game spaces showcase symbols such as the Sankofa bird, a pyramid and an Ankh.
Bryant, a culture keeper and educator, created the game to add a bit of fun to her ongoing mission of dispelling myths and sharing accurate history. She used the history lessons she taught over the years as the foundation for the game’s trivia questions. Bryant said she is even more motivated to correct the inaccurate narratives due to recent book bans and efforts to minimize or omit the contributions of Black people.
“We can’t tell our story if we don’t know our story,” Bryant said.
History buffs may start the game with a slight advantage, but even players with limited knowledge have a chance to win with some strategic play. During one game demonstration, she said, an 11-year-old beat her with the clever use of one of the game’s wild cards.
Bryant’s goal is for people to learn new information while having a good time with one another. She sat down with the Recorder to share her inspiration for the game and how she hopes it will influence the culture.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
What was the inspiration for creating a game?

Maxine Bryant: In all honesty, God gave me the vision for the game.
I put that board game together the way God showed me in in this vision, if you will, it was to be educational, informative, and entertaining. And so, I knew I wanted it to encompass all of the diaspora and with the educational part of it. Since I am a professor, it needed to encompass the critical areas of our history.
So, it’s geography; it’s the resistance, the protest — all of that. It’s … literature, music, the Gullah Geechee culture, storytelling, the whole gamut, and then Black people.
What are some of the things people are surprised to finally learn while playing the game?
Bryant: The genius of Black people.
Many people know Madam C.J. Walker, although I’m finding out that not everybody does. But one of the questions (asks about) who invented the hot comb? Everybody thinks Madam C.J. Walker, but no, that was not her thing. Her thing was hair care and strengthening hair. It was a man (Walter H. Sammons) who created the hot comb. So, people are amazed at what they’re learning.
How do you hope that this new knowledge helps people see the world?
Bryant: So, what I hope people learn is our true history, the history of our struggle, and our resistance, the history of our greatness, and information about our culture. That positions us then to be able to stand tall in knowledge of self.

One of the things I wholeheartedly believe in is that little Black boys and little Black girls who grow up with the message that you are nothing because you are Black … it’s easy for me to take you out. But if I look at you and I know that you’re great and I’m great, I may just have a different kind of level of respect for you.
I think that having a sense of self can impact how I look at myself and how I look at people who look like me.
Is there anything else you want to share?
Bryant: In my mind, this game is a must-have. It is so unique. Now, within the culture, we have trivia games and usually they’re trivia about sports or about entertainment and some about history, right? And usually, it pertains to people in the United States or events in the United States, culture in the United States.
This game contains movement around a physical board like Monopoly, but it also encompasses the entire African diaspora so it’s not just the United States. People who played this game tell me … they’ve never seen anything like it.
GriotSpeaks: The Game is best suited for players 17 and older. The game is available for purchase through Amazon or at the GriotSpeaks website.
Contact Editor-in-Chief Camike Jones at 317-762-7850.
The post Learn Black history and win your next game night appeared first on Indianapolis Recorder.
Based on reporting by Indianapolis Recorder.
Black Press
21st Annual Taste of Soul: California’s Largest Black Street Festival Comes Alive With Culture, Music and Connections
The 21st annual Taste of Soul Family Festival drew over 300,000 attendees to South Los Angeles for a massive celebration of Black culture, food, and music. Spanning the Crenshaw Boulevard corridor, the free event featured roughly 350 vendors, offering everything from Southern cuisine to professional health services and job recruitment opportunities. While headlining musical acts performed across three stages, the festival also served as a vital platform for small business entrepreneurs to reach a vast audience. Organizers are now addressing reports regarding several incidents that occurred during the festivities. Read more.
The 21st annual Taste of Soul Family Festival brought hundreds of thousands to Crenshaw Boulevard in South Los Angeles on Oct. 17 for food, music and a celebration of Black culture. Visitors could shop with small businesses, enjoy live music performances, speak with health professionals and learn about job opportunities.
Presented by Bakewell Media and the Los Angeles Sentinel, the free festival stretched along the corridor from Stocker Street to Obama Boulevard. The Sentinel estimated attendance at more than 300,000. The day also marked founder Danny J. Bakewell Sr.’s 80th birthday.
“We call it a party with a purpose,” Pam Bakewell, the founder’s sister and a longtime festival organizer, told California Black Media (CBM).
The enticing aromas of barbecue, fried chicken and catfish filled the air as food vendors served up a tempting array of Southern favorites, including cobbler and other desserts. Vendors also offered clothing, jewelry, books and beauty products. About 350 vendors and sponsors participated, including approximately 80 food vendors, Bakewell said. Businesses came from across Southern California and as far away as Chicago and Atlanta.
“In one day, an entrepreneur has the opportunity to showcase their business to hundreds of thousands of people,” Danny J. Bakewell Jr., president of the Sentinel.
Chase offered vendors training in marketing and financial management, followed by a reception.
Experienced vendors also helped newcomers. Pam Bakewell cited Cobbler King, a longtime participant who shares lessons from his early festivals about preparing for crowds and building a business.
“We want everybody to be successful,” she said. “We can’t guarantee that, but we give you the crowd.”
Kaiser Permanente served as the festival’s main medical provider. St. John’s Community Health sponsored Children’s World, where children played games while families received preventive care and information about follow-up services.
St. John’s provided flu shots, fluoride treatments for children and clinic sign-ups for physical examinations. It also reported distributing more than 10,400 bags of diapers.
CBM hosted a booth as part of its California Black Health Journalism Project, a yearlong, solutions-oriented reporting initiative to advance health equity for Black Californians.
Dr. Deidra Beckles, who practices family and internal medicine, and Adriana Westby-Trent, Ph.D., a licensed clinical psychologist, held “Ask the Doc” conversations. Both are with Divinely Restored Health & Wellness. The booth drew steady traffic as they answered attendees’ health questions. Visitors received a “Your Wellness Matters” T-shirt.
The Sentinel promoted a developing jobs platform, inviting attendees to post resumes and connect with employers. Bakewell said about 350 people signed up along the boulevard.
Three stages offered music for different generations. The Bakewell Media Sounds of the Soul Stage featured Thelma Houston, Switch and headliner Midnight Star. Tony Cornelius, son of “Soul Train” creator Don Cornelius, introduced Midnight Star and appeared with eight veteran dancers from the television show.
The Radio Free KJLH Music Stage featured Lucky Daye, Alex Isley, Allen Stone and Terisa Griffin. On the Brenda Marsh-Mitchell Gospel Stage, MAJOR. served as host and performer. The lineup included Deitrick Haddon, local choirs and a youth performing arts ensemble.
During the festivities, ABC7 reported two stabbings and an hours long Los Angeles Police Department citywide tactical alert.
Pam Bakewell said police told organizers the incidents occurred outside the festival boundaries. She said organizers are reviewing safety measures with security personnel and police.
Black History
Retirement Triggers Doctor to Pen Book for Young Audience
THE CHAMPION NEWSPAPER — After more than 35 years as a pediatric surgeon, Dr. Deborah Burton has transitioned from the operating room to the world of young adult literature. Writing under the pen name MD Burton, the retired Marietta physician recently released her debut sci-fi fantasy mystery novel, Invisible Cages: The Alynthia Quest.
After more than 35 years as a pediatric surgeon, Deborah Burton retired but didn’t give up one of the most rewarding aspects of her career—connecting with young people.
Burton used writing and her imagination to create a young adult sci-fi fantasy mystery novel, Invisible Cages: The Alynthia Quest, under the pen name MD Burton. Her debut novel launched in early October, and Burton said she’s been delighted with the responses so far.
The novel follows Jade Babington who leads a team of resourceful friends as they join an elite organization to crack a spy network and embark on a high-tech adventure to find answers. Her quest is complicated by powers that surge through her body, and to be successful, she needs to understand her family roots, embrace her emerging talents, and step into her legacy, according to a press release.
Through the book, readers are introduced to a range of characters who work in STEM and healthcare careers which Burton hopes will inspire readers to consider pursuing careers in some of those areas.
Burton moved to Dunwoody in 1995 and ran a successful pediatric ear, nose, and throat practice in Marietta. She retired in 2021 but missed the educational moments she shared with her young patients.
“I talk to kids all the time,” said Burton, adding that she likes to share insight into the many career paths in healthcare. “I love to educate and empower.”
She said she worked on the book for five years, researching coding, microchips, and satellites.
“It was a learning journey,” she remarked.
The book explores themes of self-acceptance, girl empowerment through strong female characters, the importance of family, and STEM exposure, states the press release. Set on a fictional health complex, the novel introduces readers to healthcare careers, as well as engineering and computer science.
The author also had to delve into unique aspects of her main character.
“Jade has powers and sees auras,” she explained. “So I spent a good amount of time learning about auras, telepathy and magical realism.”
In addition, to providing insight to STEM and healthcare careers, Burton hopes the books help her teen female readers dealing with insecurities to better understand and appreciate what makes them unique and the power they possess. She also hopes it will build self-confidence.
“You have to accept who you are,” she said. “Whatever your differences are, everybody’s got them, embrace them.”
Burton said she originally planned the book to be a seven-part series but on the advice of her edit changed it to four parts.
“I know what my end goal is,” said Burton noting that she’s included Easter eggs in the first book to entice readers throughout the reading process and has a completed outline for the other books in the series. After completing an audiobook of Invisible Cages: The Alynthia Quest by the end of the year, Burton plans to start writing the next book in 2027.
On Nov. 15, a book signing is scheduled at the Politan Row food hall in Dunwoody.
The self-published book is available in eBook, paperback, and hardback formats, on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other online retailers.
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Based on reporting by The Champion Newspaper.
Black Press
Dallas Mavericks Unite Players, Legends and the Oak Cliff Community at 2026 Community Tip-Off
THE DALLAS WEEKLY — The Dallas Mavericks launched their 2026-27 season by bringing the annual Community Tip-Off directly to the residents of Southern Dallas. Held at Halperin Park in Oak Cliff, the free event attracted approximately 3,000 children and featured current stars alongside franchise legends.
Dirk Nowitzki played 21 seasons for the Dallas Mavericks, becoming one of the most recognizable players in franchise history. However, some of the younger fans attending the team’s 2026 Community Tip-Off had a question for the Mavericks legend.
“I’m sure some of these kids didn’t know who I was because they asked,” Nowitzki said. “Some of them asked me, ‘Did you play for the Mavs?’ I think so, when your parents were around.”
It was one of many interactions that took place Monday afternoon as the Mavericks brought their 2026 Community Tip-Off directly to the people of Southern Dallas at Halperin Park in Oak Cliff.
Thousands of children had the opportunity to play basketball, enjoy festivities and spend time with their favorite Mavericks players and legends at the free community event, presented by Ticketmaster.

Mavericks president of business operations Ethan Casson spoke about the planning that went into bringing the celebration to Oak Cliff and the organization’s desire to create something different for the community.
“I think what we wanted to do for this season was really establish something that was about creating something more substantial, being very intentional with our efforts,” Casson said. “What if we showed up in a very grand way?”
That vision helped bring the Mavericks to Halperin Park, a bridge park constructed over Interstate 35E to reconnect Oak Cliff neighborhoods that had been separated by the highway for decades.
“We recognize what this park physically represents, which is connecting communities,” Casson said. “And when you’re able to visit, which we did with April and her team, the vision started to come to life.”
The park officially opened in May after years of planning, fundraising and community involvement. The Mavericks saw an opportunity to bring basketball and entertainment to a space created to strengthen relationships between neighborhoods.
April Allen, president and CEO of the Southern Gateway Public Green Foundation, appreciated the organization choosing Oak Cliff for its season-opening celebration.
“For the Mavs to come here to Oak Cliff, to spend the time, energy and resources that you see here is really a testament to their commitment to community,” Allen said. “We’re so grateful and honored that they chose us for this experience.”
The Mavs Foundation also presented a $50,000 grant to Halperin Park during the celebration, providing additional financial support for the community space.
Dallas City Manager Kimberly Bizor Tolbert attended the event and emphasized the importance of bringing celebrations and resources to Southern Dallas rather than leaving communities behind.
“We’ve got to continue to make sure that our community members are not left behind, and we’ve got to take things and be bold about going and being a part of community assets like Halperin Park,” Tolbert said.

(Roberto Hernandez/Dallas Mavericks)
The park represents an opportunity for neighborhoods to reconnect while creating a space where residents can gather and build relationships.
“I see that park as now a bridge that’s going to help us do that, even at a higher level,” Tolbert said.
Nowitzki also recognized the significance of the park and the investment that went into bringing the project to life.
“We all know what this park means to Dallas,” Nowitzki said. “Obviously, it’s been a project that’s been in the works for a long, long time.”
The Mavericks transformed Halperin Park into a gathering place filled with children playing basketball, visiting food vendors and interacting with players they had watched throughout the season.
Casson estimated approximately 3,000 children participated in the Community Tip-Off, including students from kindergarten through sixth-grade after-school programs.
Parents, teachers, local businesses and nonprofit organizations also attended, helping bring different parts of the Southern Dallas community together for the afternoon.
Approximately 200 Mavericks staff members helped organize the celebration, along with basketball operations personnel and corporate partners. Casson emphasized that bringing the entire organization together was an important part of making the event possible.
“When I say it was all hands on deck, it was all hands on deck,” Casson said. “It was really just one goal. How do we make it grand?”
Once the celebration began, the players had opportunities to interact with young fans and share messages about pursuing their dreams.
Mavericks forward Morez Johnson Jr. was among those who took the opportunity to encourage children to believe in themselves and work toward their goals.
“I think it means a lot, you know, to give these kids a lot to look up to,” Johnson said.
Johnson also reflected on messages shared with the children by his teammates, including P.J. Washington, Kyrie Irving and Cooper Flagg, about working hard and remaining focused on their dreams.
As one of the newer members of the Mavericks organization, Johnson appreciated the welcome he received and the chance to begin building relationships with the Dallas community.
“They welcomed me with open arms,” Johnson said. “I’m excited to get a chance to spend some time with these kids when I’m done with the interviews. I’m grateful to be here.”
For Casson, having players interact with children was one of the most meaningful parts of the celebration. He believes many athletes can relate to the experiences of young fans because of the coaches, teachers and mentors who helped shape their lives.
“To see your superheroes in person and know that those superheroes raised their hand and said they want to be here and be a part of it for this group is pretty special,” Casson said.
Nowitzki has experienced that relationship with Mavericks fans for more than two decades. Although some of the children were too young to remember his playing career, he appreciated the opportunity to connect with another generation.
“It’s cool to still get embraced by the city that I’ve played for for so long and now is my home,” Nowitzki said. “So definitely special. It means a lot.”
While the Community Tip-Off helped introduce the Mavericks to another generation of fans, the organization hopes to continue bringing similar celebrations to neighborhoods throughout Dallas.
Casson said the team plans to make the event an annual tradition, with future celebrations taking place in different communities.
“This is just the beginning,” Casson said. “This celebration we plan to bring to different communities, special communities throughout Dallas, year after year after year.”
The organization’s plans to visit other neighborhoods will not end its involvement in Southern Dallas. Casson emphasized that the Mavericks intend to continue supporting the community through additional programs, resources and investments.
Halperin Park was built to reconnect neighborhoods that had been separated for decades. On Monday, it also brought together generations of Mavericks fans, from those who watched Nowitzki throughout his career to children meeting him and the current team for the first time.
The Mavericks came to Oak Cliff to celebrate the beginning of the 2026-27 NBA season, but their goal extends beyond one afternoon of basketball and entertainment.
For Casson, the lasting impact of the celebration will depend on the organization’s willingness to continue showing up for the communities it serves.
“I think it’s important when you do any event, big or small, that it’s not a one-off,” Casson said. “This is about showing up again and again and again in different ways.”
The post Dallas Mavericks Unite Players, Legends and the Oak Cliff Community at 2026 Community Tip-Off appeared first on Dallas Weekly.
Based on reporting by The Dallas Weekly.
Art
Brooklyn Roots and Artistic Genius
THE POSITIVE COMMUNITY — Jean-Michel Basquiat emerged from Brooklyn to become one of the most influential artists of the late twentieth century. Born in 1960 to a Haitian father and a mother of Puerto Rican descent, his upbringing was defined by a rich blend of Caribbean cultural traditions and the linguistic diversity of New York City.
Jean-Michel Basquiat was one of the most influential artists to emerge from New York City during the late twentieth century. Born on December 22, 1960, in Brooklyn, New York, he transformed his experiences growing up in the city into a distinctive artistic language that combined painting, poetry, history, music, and social commentary. His work explored Black identity, racism, power, and the experiences of people whose stories had often been overlooked by mainstream institutions. Although his career lasted only a few years, Basquiat left a lasting mark on contemporary art.
Basquiat grew up in a family that exposed him to several cultural influences. His father, Gérard Basquiat, was born in Haiti, while his mother, Matilde Andrades, was born in New York to Puerto Rican parents. Through his parents, Jean-Michel was connected to Haitian, Puerto Rican, and broader Caribbean cultural traditions. Growing up in Brooklyn, he experienced the diversity of New York City, where different languages, communities, musical styles, and artistic expressions existed side by side. These influences would later become visible in his paintings, which frequently incorporated historical references, handwritten words, and symbols.
His mother played an important role in encouraging his early interest in art. Matilde recognized her son’s artistic ability and introduced him to museums, books, and cultural experiences. One important childhood event occurred when Basquiat was seven years old and was struck by a car while playing in the street. During his recovery, his mother gave him a copy of Gray’s Anatomy, a medical reference book that illustrated the human body in considerable detail. Its anatomical drawings influenced his lifelong interest in skeletons, skulls, and the internal structures of the human body. These images later became recurring features in his artwork.
Basquiat was one of four children born to Gérard and Matilde, although the family had experienced the loss of an older son before his birth. He had two younger sisters, Lisane and Jeanine, with whom he shared his early family life. His parents eventually separated, and his mother experienced periods of serious personal difficulties that affected the family. These circumstances formed part of a complicated childhood that included both encouragement and hardship. Although his family relationships were not always easy, his mother’s early support for his artistic interests remained an important influence on his development.
Basquiat’s upbringing was also shaped by language and cultural diversity. He grew up speaking English, French, and Spanish, reflecting the backgrounds of his parents and the environment in which he was raised. In 1974, his family moved to Puerto Rico for a period before returning to Brooklyn in 1976. These experiences exposed him to different cultural perspectives and helped establish the broad historical and cultural interests that later appeared in his work. His paintings often included words and references drawn from different languages, histories, and communities, creating a visual expression of his multicultural identity.
As a teenager, Basquiat became increasingly connected to Manhattan’s downtown art and music scenes. He eventually left home and supported himself through various activities, including selling handmade postcards and painted T-shirts. Along with his friend Al Diaz, he began creating cryptic graffiti under the name SAMO, short for “Same Old.” Their messages appeared on walls around Lower Manhattan and attracted attention for their wit, unusual phrasing, and criticism of established social and cultural conventions. This early work helped Basquiat develop a reputation as an original voice in New York’s underground creative community.
By the early 1980s, Basquiat had moved from street-based expression into the world of professional painting. His work attracted attention through exhibitions that introduced his distinctive style to collectors, critics, and fellow artists. His paintings combined bold colors, rough lines, repeated symbols, handwritten phrases, and images of human figures. Rather than following traditional expectations of polished painting, he created works that appeared energetic, fragmented, and emotionally direct. His artistic approach reflected the rhythms of New York City, where street culture, hip-hop’s emerging influence, punk music, and experimental art intersected.
A central theme in Basquiat’s work was the experience of Black people in a society shaped by racial inequality. He frequently portrayed historical figures, athletes, musicians, and other individuals whose achievements deserved recognition. Crowns appeared throughout his paintings as symbols that could suggest dignity, authority, and the importance of people who had been marginalized. His work also challenged colonialism, racism, and the unequal distribution of power. Rather than presenting history as a distant collection of events, Basquiat brought it into the present, encouraging viewers to consider whose stories were celebrated and whose were neglected.
Music was another important element of Basquiat’s creative life. He played in a band that eventually became known as Gray, exploring experimental sounds alongside his visual art. He was influenced by jazz and the broader musical culture of New York, and his paintings often possess a rhythm that resembles improvisation. Words, marks, and images seem to compete for attention while creating an overall composition. His artistic process shared something with jazz musicians who build a performance through experimentation, repetition, and unexpected changes. This connection between music and painting helped distinguish Basquiat from many of his contemporaries.
Basquiat also developed a significant relationship with Andy Warhol, one of the most recognizable artists of the twentieth century. The two artists collaborated on paintings during the 1980s, combining different approaches to imagery, color, and popular culture. Their relationship brought Basquiat into contact with an influential figure in the established art world, although it also highlighted the tensions between artistic creativity, celebrity, and commercial success. As his reputation grew, Basquiat had to navigate an industry that increasingly treated his identity and personal story as part of the appeal of his work. Nevertheless, he continued to produce paintings that expressed his individual perspective and challenged conventional ideas about art.
Despite his extraordinary success, Basquiat’s life was tragically short. He died in New York City on August 12, 1988, at just 27 years old, from an accidental drug overdose. His death ended a remarkably productive period in which he had moved from an underground artist in Brooklyn and Manhattan to an internationally recognized painter. His final years have also encouraged broader discussions about the pressures faced by young artists, the demands of celebrity, and the difficulties of maintaining personal well-being while working in a highly competitive industry. His death remains a painful reminder of the distance between public recognition and the private struggles a person may experience.
Today, Jean-Michel Basquiat’s legacy extends far beyond the galleries in which his paintings are displayed. His work is held by major museums, studied by scholars, and admired by artists across generations. His Brooklyn upbringing, Haitian and Puerto Rican heritage, family experiences, and encounters with New York’s streets all contributed to the development of an artistic vision that was unmistakably his own. Basquiat demonstrated that an artist did not need to follow traditional academic pathways to create work of lasting significance. His paintings continue to speak about identity, inequality, history, and the power of creative expression. From the streets of New York to the world’s leading museums, Basquiat remains a symbol of artistic independence and the enduring influence of Black creativity.
Based on reporting by The Positive Community.
Black Press
Roland Martin Brings Black Votes Matter to Tallahassee
FLORIDA SUN — Roland Martin brought his “Black Votes Matter 2026” live show to The Edison in Tallahassee as part of his “Roland on the Road” series, coinciding with Florida A&M University’s homecoming celebrations. The event drew a large crowd of Rattlers to the restaurant for a broadcast focused on the upcoming November general election.
TALLAHASSEE — Roland Martin hosted his “Black Votes Matter 2026” live show at The Edison on Friday, Oct. 23, bringing an election-focused conversation to Florida A&M University’s homecoming celebrations.
Rattlers filled the restaurant to celebrate homecoming and watch the broadcast, according to event organizers. Democratic candidates, elected officials and entertainment figures joined the program as campaigns entered the final stretch before the Nov. 3 general election.
The Tallahassee stop was part of Martin’s “Roland on the Road” series. It focused on the role of Black voters in the 2026 election and issues affecting communities across Florida.
Candidates and elected officials on the program
The show’s published billing featured state Rep. Angie Nixon, Florida’s Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate; David Jolly, the Democratic nominee for governor; and film producer Will Packer.
Organizers’ confirmed guest list also included Joey Mendoza Atkins, the Democratic nominee for Florida agriculture commissioner, and state Reps. Gallop Franklin, Jervonte Edmonds and Rashon Young.
The event coincided with FAMU’s Oct. 18–25 homecoming week. The university’s schedule included Friday’s Homecoming Convocation and FAMFest marketplace, followed by Saturday’s parade and football game.
Affordability and voter participation
Briefing materials prepared for guests emphasized housing costs, property insurance, health care and voter participation. The planned interview format called for short conversations about lawmakers’ work and the issues facing Floridians.
The Florida Democratic Party framed its message around lowering household costs and supporting its candidates in November. Its briefing encouraged guests to discuss affordability and the importance of voting.
For Florida Black voters following the election, the program placed statewide campaigns alongside familiar figures from politics and entertainment. Holding the broadcast during homecoming also brought the election conversation into a gathering centered on Rattler traditions and reunions.
Florida’s general election is Tuesday, Nov. 3. Readers can find official election dates and contact information for their county elections office through the Florida Division of Elections.



TagsAngie NixonBlack Votes Matter 2026David JollyFAMU homecomingFlorida electionsFlorida legislatureJoey Mendoza Atkinsroland martinTallahasseeWill Packer
Based on reporting by Florida Sun.
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