Jay-Z, John Legend early Grammy leaders

LOS ANGELES (AP) - Other notable winners included Bruno Mars, Rihanna, Cee Lo Green and Danger Mouse, who won producer of the year...

TheGrio Staff

Feb 13, 2011

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Jay-Z and John Legend were the early leaders at the Grammys on Sunday, as both were awarded three trophies each during the show’s pretelecast ceremony.

Other multiple winners included Lady Gaga, Usher, Lady Antebellum, Jeff Beck and the Black Keys, who all won two apiece.

Eminem was the leading nominee with 10, but his chance of a huge Grammy sweep was diminished as he lost five of the awards in the pre-telecast ceremony. He still picked up one — best rap solo performance, for “Not Afraid.”

Gospel legend Mavis Staples was a tearful winner as she picked up the first Grammy of her career, for best Americana album, for “You Are Not Alone.”

“That was the shock of my life. My goodness. It’s been a long time, a long time coming,” she said, breaking into tears.

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Neil Young also won his first musical Grammy (he had won for best boxed box set in 2009). “I’m not Mavis, but I’m close,” he joked, as he held his trophy for best rock song for “Angry World.”

Other notable winners included Bruno Mars, Rihanna, Cee Lo Green and Danger Mouse, who won producer of the year.

Eminem still had a chance to win the top awards of the evening, including the elusive (for him) album of the year category. But the gifted and twisted rapper might get tripped up by some fierce competition, including a song that rivals him for coarseness — Green’s ”(Expletive) You,” which is in competition with Eminem’s “Love The Way You Lie,” featuring Rihanna, in the record and song of the year categories.

Eminem’s “Recovery” was 2010’s best-selling album and a favorite to win in the album category. It marked a major comeback for the rapper, considered one of the greatest but who had been addled by a prescription drug addiction and critical malaise in recent years. It is the third time he’s been nominated for album of the year; he’s lost twice before.

But he also faces tough competition in the category, from the likes of Arcade Fire’s “The Suburbs” and Lady Gaga’s “The Fame Monster.” Katy Perry’s “Teenage Dream” and Lady Antebellum’s “Need You Now” are also nominated.

The live telecast will feature the top nominees, like record of the year. “Need You Now” is nominated in both song and the record of the year categories. Other nominees for record of the year include Jay-Z’s “Empire State of Mind,” the New York native’s anthem for his city featuring Alicia Keys, and rapper B.o.B’s “Nothin’ On You,” with a melodious hook courtesy of Bruno Mars. “Empire State of Mind” won two awards earlier, for best rap song and best rap/sung collaboration.

”(Expletive) You” is an unlikely hit — a retro groove with a vulgar rebuke to a former girlfriend and her new lover. Its popularity was boosted when the clean version of the hit, “Forget You,” was performed by Gwyneth Paltrow on Fox TV’s “Glee.” Paltrow and Green are slated to sing the song on the Grammy telecast on Sunday, along with Jim Henson’s puppets, completing an ironic family-friendly transformation of a wash-your-mouth-out-with-soap song.

The collaboration is among the many buzz-worthy moments the Recording Academy has planned for the Grammy telecast.

Mick Jagger — along with Raphael Saadiq — is set to perform a tribute to the late soul great Solomon Burke, marking the first time Jagger has sung on the Grammy stage. He’ll join two other icons at the Grammys this year, Bob Dylan and Barbra Streisand. Ailing icon Aretha Franklin will be honored in absentia by Jennifer Hudson, Christina Aguilera and Martina McBride, Yolonda Adams, and Florence Welch of the best new artist nominee Florence and the Machine.

Another best new artist hopeful, Justin Bieber, is set to sing with his friend Jaden Smith (son of Will and Jada Pinkett Smith) and Bieber’s mentor, Usher. Eminem is also slated to perform with his mentor, Dr. Dre.