Anderson .Paak, featuring André 3000, has won Best R&B Performance for "Come Home" at the 62nd GRAMMY Awards. 

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"Honestly, I was sweating bullets," .Paak said after accepting his golden gramophone. "This could've went anywhere."

Anderson .Paak beat out fellow category nominees Daniel Caesar & Brandy ("Love Again"), H.E.R. featuring Bryson Tiller ("Could've Been"), Lizzo featuring Gucci Mane ("Exactly How I Feel") and Lucky Daye ("Roll Some Mo").

The "Make It Better" singer gave a shout-out to them all. "This is a win for R&B, we are just going to keep it at my house if you don't mind," he said. 

.Paak earned his first two career GRAMMY nominations for Best New Artist and Best Urban Contemporary Album for Malibu at the 59th GRAMMY Awards. That year he made his GRAMMY stage debut, performing a medley alongside A Tribe Called Quest, Consequence and Busta Rhymes.

Check out the complete 62nd GRAMMY Awards nominees and winners list here.

Hip-hop has lost another legend. Rico Wade, an integral part of the bedrock of Southern hip-hop, the godfather of modern Atlanta rap, and one-third of the production crew Organized Noize with Patrick "Sleepy" Brown and Ray Murray, has died. He was 52. 

Wade was a force that helped launch the careers of OutKast, Goodie Mob, Ludacris, and Future, and produced and co-wrote hits for artists including TLC's "Waterfalls," as part of a mid-'90s Southern hip-hop renaissance. The epicenter of this revolution was the Dungeon, his mother's basement in East Point, Georgia. The location built a reputation as a haven for Dungeon Family artists like André "André 3000" Benjamin and Antwan "Big Boi" Patton among a generation of ATL creatives formulating their own flavor of Southern rap. 

"We're deeply saddened by the passing of Rico Wade, one of Atlanta’s most prolific music producers," said Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason jr. "Rico's influential contributions to the Atlanta music scene beginning in the 1990s helped foster the rise of some of hip-hop’s most prominent artists and played a pivotal role in shaping the genre as we know it today. Our hearts go out to his family, friends, and all those whose lives he influenced.” 

Wade was nominated for two GRAMMYs during his lifetime including Record Of The Year for TLC's "Waterfalls" and Album Of The Year for OutKast's Stankonia. 

“Rico left an indelible mark on music and culture around the world and for that, the South will always have something to say,” said Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens in an issued statement echoing the famous battle cry of André 3000's 1995 Source Awards Best New Artist acceptance speech. 

It's been more than 30 years since OutKast dropped their first-ever single "Player's Ball" in 1993 and on that track Wade's voice is the first. He sets the tone for the legendary duo's entire career and Southern hip-hop at the same time with the introduction: "Man, the scene was so thick/ Lowriders, '77 Sevilles, El Dogs/ Nothin' but them 'Lacs/ All the players, all the hustlers/ I'm talkin' 'bout a Black man heaven here/ You know what I'm sayin'?"

"Rico Wade brought us to his house studio, where I heard the most interesting music production I'd ever heard from Atlanta," André 3000 told the Recording Academy in a 2019 interview reflecting on his experience working on OutKast's debut album Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik. "It was Rico, Ray, and Sleepy's vision to make sure [OutKast would put] Southern lifestyle first. I was just playing my part the best I could."

Outkast's Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik would go on to sell 500,000 records and became certified platinum within a year. "When we were working on the OutKast vibe, even though there were two members in the group, we all considered ourselves OutKast at the time — including all of Organized Noize and the Goodie Mob members who appeared on the album," Murray told the Recording Academy in 2019. 

Read more: OutKast Examine Their Southern Experience On 'Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik'

Organized Noize signed a publishing deal with L.A. Reid and Babyface's label LaFace Records in 1993, setting the foundation for their work on OutKast's seminal "Player's Ball" single. It was a lasting connection that would serve the rest of Wade's career.  

Wade would continue to work with Reid during Reid's tenure as chairman and CEO of Epic Records from 2013 to 2017, building a hub for hip-hop artists at the label including Wade's cousin, Atlanta rapper Future. Future would become the first artist ever on the Billboard charts to debut back-to-back albums at No. 1 with his 2017 release HNDRXX. In March, Future and Metro Boomin jointly released another No.1 album, We Don’t Trust You. 

Wade nurtured Future's talents through his Dungeon connects. The two didn't meet until Future was well into his teens, but once they did Wade quickly put his cousin's clear drive and talent to use, introducing him to the Dungeon Family and bringing him into the studio to work on in-house production projects including Ludacris' "Blueberry Yum Yum" (Red Light District), which earned Future a songwriting credit in 2004.

“That's how he ended up writing the record for Ludacris, becoming part of a group that could make music, and getting a record deal,” Wade told Complex in 2013. “It showed him that the music industry money is real."

Inspired by his cousin, Future studied the industry through the in-roads made by Wade. “I took everything I learned from him and applied it to my everyday craft from being in the studio,” Future told Complex. "Just knowing how to feel records so I know how to make songs and write for people to keep around and go to the next level.” His devotion to Wade's tutelage and legacy is apparent in the Olde English script tattooed across his arms that matches Wade's own markings — "DUNGEON" appears on the right and "FAMILY" on the left. 

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Killer Mike, a constant collaborator who worked with Wade on his latest album Michael which swept the 2024 GRAMMYs rap categories with three wins for Best Rap Album, Best Rap Song, and Best Rap Performance, announced Wade's passing in an Instagram post on Sunday. "I don't have the words to express my deep and profound sense of loss. I am Praying for your wife and Children. I am praying for the Wade family. I am praying for us all," Killer Mike wrote. "I deeply appreciate your acceptance into The Dungeon Family, mentorship, Friendship and Brotherhood. Idk where I would be without ya'll." 

How 1994 Changed The Game For Hip-Hop

On "Dear Life," R&B singer Genia pens a farewell letter to her lover — while simultaneously reflecting on how the intense saga crumbled her.

"I can't take anymore/ Put my pride aside, thought you could save me," she cries in the first verse. "These days, I don't know what I need/ You destroy me from the inside out/ If I go off the deep end/ You'll be sure not to bring me back."

In this episode of Press Play, watch Genia deliver a stripped-down performance of the vulnerable track alongside her guitarist.

The California native released "Dear Life" on Nov. 10, via Def Jam Recordings. She has also dropped three more singles — "Like That," "Know!," and "Let Me Wander" — leading up to her sophomore mixtape, 4 AM In The Ville, on April 19. 4 AM is a sequel to her debut, 4 PM In The Ville; both projects are inspired by Genia's experience of growing up in Victorville, California.

""[The songs] explore the different stages of grief in a relationship," she revealed in an interview with Urban Magazine. "The second tape is really me touching on falling in love, betrayal, anger, and rape."

Watch the video above to hear Genia's acoustic performance of "Dear Life," and check back to GRAMMY.com for more new episodes of Press Play.

10 Ways TLC Shaped The Future Of R&B

As momentous as the 2024 GRAMMYs telecast will be, it will only cover a fraction of the actual GRAMMY nominations.

The realities of TV broadcasting mean the wider world only gets to see, not the whole iceberg, but merely the tip. This by way of its head-turning, world-shifting General Field Categories including Album Of The Year, Record Of The Year, and Best New Artist.

Yes, the General Field Categories boast the most visibility. But while they may be listed at the top of the nominations list, they are never meant to overshadow those beneath — not by a long shot.

That’s why the Recording Academy puts so much time, intention and care into the Premiere Ceremony, which annually precedes the main GRAMMYs telecast. And by all accounts, the 2024 iteration will be one for the ages.

The 66th Annual GRAMMY Awards Ceremony & Livestream will air at 12:30 p.m. PT/3:30 p.m. ET on live.GRAMMY.com and the Recording Academy's YouTube channel. City National Bank, the Official Bank of the GRAMMY Awards, is returning for its second year as the presenting sponsor of the Premiere Ceremony.

The Premiere Ceremony is the most incredible lead-up to Music's Biggest Night," Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason jr. said in a statement. "With an amazing line-up of presenters and performers, we'll reveal and celebrate the winners of more than 80 Categories, spanning the diverse genres and crafts that have contributed to such a spectacular year in music."

Read on for a list of four reasons to be thrilled for the Premiere Ceremony — and we’ll see you on the stream!

A Star-Studded Opening Number

The opening performance at the Premiere Ceremony is always a highlight, and this year promises to be no exception: J. Ivy, Larkin Poe, Pentatonix, Sheila E., and Jordin Sparks.

At the 2024 GRAMMYs, J. Ivy is nominated for Best Spoken Word Poetry Album, for The Light Inside. Poe is up for Best Contemporary Blues Album, for Blood Harmony. For Holidays Around the World, Pentatonix earned a nomination for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album.

Finally, for her feature on for KING & COUNTRY’s “Love Me Like I Am,” Sparks is up for Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song. (E., though being a four-time GRAMMY nominee, is not nominated at the 2024 GRAMMYs.)

Stellar Performers All Around

The rest of the 2024 GRAMMYs Premiere Ceremony will feature brilliant performers. These musicians will showcase the wide range of genres the Academy celebrates on GRAMMY night, as well as the diverse creators in the Academy and the music industry at large.

These include current nominees Adam Blackstone, Brandy Clark, Kirk Franklin, Robert Glasper, Bob James, Laufey, Terrace Martin, and Gaby Moreno and David Aguilar, as well as GRAMMY-nominated recording artist/drummer Harvey Mason Sr.

The Music’s In Great Hands

The music producer and music director of the 2024 GRAMMYs Premiere Ceremony will be Cheche Alara, a GRAMMY-and Latin GRAMMY-winning music master who has worked on titanic albums by Lady Gaga, Christina Aguilera, Natalia Lafourcade, and many more.

With Alara at the helm, the Premiere Ceremony won’t just celebrate music — it’ll be a bastion of outstanding music itself.

You Get The Complete GRAMMYs Experience

Don’t think of the Premiere Ceremony as the mere ramp-up to the 2024 GRAMMYs; think of them as two pieces of one GRAMMYs experience.

By carefully watching the Premiere Ceremony as well as the main telecast, you get the entire sense of where music is headed, through the lens of the world’s leading society of music people.

So tune into both the 2024 GRAMMYs Premiere Ceremony and the 2024 GRAMMYs themselves — if you love this universal artform, and wish to elevate it, join us on Feb. 4 for Music’s Biggest Night!

How To Watch The 2024 GRAMMYs Live: GRAMMY Nominations, Performers, Air Date, Red Carpet, Streaming Channel & More

GRAMMY night just got bigger! The Recording Academy has announced performers and presenters, as well as the host, for the 2024 GRAMMYs Premiere Ceremony. The Premiere Ceremony kicks off with an opening number featuring a performance by J. Ivy, Larkin Poe, Pentatonix, Sheila E., and Jordin Sparks. Other artists scheduled to perform include current nominees Adam Blackstone, Brandy Clark, Kirk Franklin, Robert Glasper, Bob James, Laufey, Terrace Martin, and Gaby Moreno and El David Aguilar, as well as GRAMMY-nominated recording artist/drummer Harvey Mason Sr. Acclaimed songwriter/producer and activist Justin Tranter, who is currently nominated for Songwriter of the Year, Non-Classical, will host the 2024 GRAMMYs Premiere Ceremony.

Presenters at the 2024 GRAMMYs Premiere Ceremony include Patti Austin, Natalia Lafourcade, Carly Pearce, Molly Tuttle, Rufus Wainwright, and five-time GRAMMY winner and former Recording Academy Board of Trustees Chair Jimmy Jam. Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason jr. and Chair of the Board of Trustees Tammy Hurt will provide opening remarks.

Taking place at Peacock Theater in Los Angeles hours before the 2024 GRAMMYs, the 2024 GRAMMYs Premiere Ceremony, officially known as the 66th GRAMMY Awards Premiere Ceremony, is a special presentation in which the majority of the night’s GRAMMY Awards are awarded. The 2024 GRAMMYs Premiere Ceremony will stream live on Sunday, Feb. 4, at 12:30 p.m. PT/3:30 p.m. ET on the Recording Academy's YouTube channel and on live.GRAMMY.com. City National Bank, the Official Bank of the GRAMMY Awards, is returning for its second year as the presenting sponsor of the Premiere Ceremony.

"The Premiere Ceremony is the most incredible lead-up to Music's Biggest Night," Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason jr. said. "With an amazing line-up of presenters and performers, we'll reveal and celebrate the winners of more than 80 Categories, spanning the diverse genres and crafts that have contributed to such a spectacular year in music."

Learn more about the 2024 GRAMMYs Premiere Ceremony performers, presenters and host, who are all mostly current nominees at the 2024 GRAMMYs, below.

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Austin is nominated for Best Jazz Vocal Album (For Ella 2 Featuring Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band); Blackstone is nominated for Best Jazz Performance ("Vulnerable (Live)" Featuring The Baylor Project & Russell Ferranté) and Best Jazz Instrumental Album (Legacy: The Instrumental Jawn).

Meanwhile, Clark is nominated for Best Musical Theater Album (Shucked), Best Country Solo Performance ("Buried"), Best Country Song ("Buried"), Best Americana Performance ("Dear Insecurity" Featuring Brandi Carlile), Best American Roots Song ("Dear Insecurity" Featuring Brandi Carlile), and Best Americana Album (Brandy Clark).

Franklin is nominated for Best Gospel Performance/Song ("All Things"); Glasper is nominated for Best R&B Performance ("Back To Love" Featuring SiR & Alex Isley) and Best R&B Song ("Back To Love" Featuring SiR & Alex Isley).

James is nominated for Best Contemporary Instrumental Album (Jazz Hands); J. Ivy is nominated for Best Spoken Word Poetry Album (The Light Inside); Lafourcade is nominated for Best Latin Rock Or Alternative Album (De Todas Las Flores).

Larkin Poe is nominated for Best Contemporary Blues Album (Blood Harmony); Laufey is nominated for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album (Bewitched); Martin is nominated for Best Progressive R&B Album (Nova with James Fauntleroy).

Moreno is nominated for Best Latin Pop Album (X Mí (Vol.1)); Pearce is nominated for Best Country Duo/Group Performance ("We Don't Fight Anymore" Featuring Chris Stapleton); Pentatonix is nominated for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album (Holidays Around The World).

Sparks is nominated for Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song ("Love Me Like I Am" with for KING & COUNTRY); Tranter is nominated for Songwriter Of The Year, Non-Classical; Tuttle is nominated for Best Bluegrass Album (City Of Gold with Golden Highway); Wainwright is nominated for Best Folk Album (Folkocracy).

The 2024 GRAMMYs will broadcast live following the Premiere Ceremony on CBS Television Network and stream live and on-demand on Paramount+ at 8-11:30 p.m. ET/5-8:30 p.m. PT. See here for the full list of nominees at the 2024 GRAMMYs. Learn more about how to watch the 2024 GRAMMYs. See the full list of performers and host at the 2024 GRAMMYs to date.

The 66th GRAMMY Awards Premiere Ceremony is produced by Branden Chapman, Ruby Marchand, Chantel Sausedo, and Rex Supa on behalf of the Recording Academy. Greg V. Fera is executive producer and Cheche Alara is music producer and music director.

2024 GRAMMY Nominations: See The Full Nominees List