INGLEWOOD, CA – OCTOBER 04: DMX performs onstage during the Bad Boy Family Reunion Tour at The … [+]
There is a lot to look out for at the 2022 Grammy Awards, but rap fans will likely be keeping a very close watch on one genre-specific category, as one of the most beloved artists in the field who passed away recently is up for what may be his final chance to win a piece of gold.
DMX is nominated for Best Rap Song at the upcoming Grammys, with that award going to those who actually wrote the selected tune. The hip-hop titan’s track “Bath Salts” is up for the prize, but sadly, if it’s named the champion, DMX will be honored posthumously, as he passed away in April 2021 at the age of just 50.
The late rapper is one of five songwriters credited on “Bath Salts,” and they will all claim a prize should the Recording Academy choose the cut as the best-written rap song of the year. Joining him in this achievement are Jay-Z and Nas, who are also credited as featured vocalists, as well as songwriters Kasseem Dean (more commonly known as Swizz Beatz) and Michael Forno.
“Bath Salts” is one of five tracks competing for the Best Rap Song Grammy, and it faces tough competition from some of the biggest superstars in the business. Tunes by Saweetie and Doja Cat (“Best Friend”), Kendrick Lamar and Baby Keem (“Family Ties”), Kanye West and Jay-Z, who is competing against himself (“Jail”) and the powerful team of J. Cole, 21 Savage and Morray (“My Life”) are also in the running, and any one of them has a real shot at claiming the trophy.
DMX was nominated for three Grammys during his lifetime, but he never ended up winning. In 2001, he was up for both Best Rap Album for … And Then There Was X and Best Rap Solo Performance for his single “Party Up (Up in Here),” though neither was selected as the top choice. That year, both trophies went to Eminem. The following ceremony, he was nominated once more for the song “Who We Be” in the Best Rap Solo Performance field, but the Grammy went to Missy Elliott for her smash “Get Ur Freak On.”
“Bath Salts” is certainly in the running for Best Rap Song category, as it is a well-written tune and Grammy voters often jump at an opportunity to recognize musicians who have passed away, especially those who were beloved and who left us far too early. It’s tough to say if DMX’s single is a frontrunner, as it wasn’t a big hit, and other tracks nominated are also included in other categories, which seems to suggest those who pick the winners really love them.
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/hughmcintyre/2022/04/02/grammys-2022-is-dmx-going-to-win-his-first-award-posthumously/