Jay Z smashes all with Grammy Nods, Kanye not mentioned ? (Article)

#AMPtv got the word Rap mega-star Jay Z can make a bit more room on his mantle after being nominated and leading next month's annual Grammy Awards ceremony in nine categories.

 The Roc Nation CEO's nods were announced during the yearly Grammy Awards nominations concert last night (December 6).

Jay Z easily led Grammy Award nominations announced Friday with nine, but left-of-center rappers Macklemore & Ryan Lewis and Kendrick Lamar were among a group of new stars who took many of the major nominations. Macklemore and Lewis' gay marriage anthem ''Same Love'' was among song of the year nominees and the Seattle rap crew joined Los Angeles rapper Lamar with seven nominations apiece, including best album and best new artist of the year. Pharrell Williams had four major nominations among his seven and Justin Timberlake also had seven.

(Boston)

After winning his first Grammy last year, Young Money's Drake will have a shot to bring home more gold next month.

Drake and legendary mastering engineer Bob Ludwig stand to pick up five prizes. Taylor Swift has four bids, including Album of the Year "Red." West has just two shots this time, both confined to genre categories: Best Rap Song and Best Rap Album.

(New York Daily News)

 Jay Z and Drake will both face some serious contenders for "Rap Album of the Year."

Competition is stiff in the rap categories, with the biggest names in the game -- Jay Z, Kanye West, Macklemore and Ryan Lewis, Kendrick Lamar and Drake -- battling for best rap album. Also worth noting: that two of the album of the year nominees are also rap albums, Lamar's Good Kid, M.A.A.D. City and Macklemore's The Heist.

(The Hollywood Reporter)

 Despite its promotion and slew of hard-hitting records, Kanye West's Yeezus did not receive much attention from the Grammy Awards nomination panel.

The biggest shocker from Friday night's Grammy nomination special: The almost-complete lack of "Yeezus." Kanye West's much-acclaimed LP was largely ignored by Grammy voters, earning just two nominations: "New Slaves" for best rap song and "Yeezus" for best rap album. In the album of the year category, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis' "The Heist" will battle it out against Daft Punk's "Random Access Memories," Kendrick Lamar's "Good Kid, M.A.A.D. City," Taylor Swift's "Red," and Sara Bareilles' "The Blessed Unrest." (You better believe Kanye will be misspelling "Bareilles" during a Twitter rant.)

(NBC News)

 The Grammys will be broadcast live from the Staples Center in Los Angeles on Jan. 26.