From the Better Late Than Never Department, here’s a quick run-through of the Canadian acts that scored at the Grammy Awards on Sunday night.
Crooner Michael Bublé took home the trophy for Traditional Pop Vocal Album for “Michael Buble Meets Madison Square Garden,” and Neil Young won his first-ever Grammy for Boxed or Special Limited Edition Package, for “Neil Young Archives Vol. I (1963-1972).”
Also, actor Michael J. Fox won the Best Spoken Word Album Grammy for “Always Looking Up,” which is based on his book “Always Looking Up: The Adventures of an Incurable Optimist.”
Other Canadian acts were nominated, but did not come home with any hardware. They included: rapper and Canadian of the Week honoree Drake, Montreal duo Beast, Nickelback, producer David Foster, R&B singer Melanie Fiona and aboriginal singers Northern Cree.
Toronto rapper Drake won’t have Kanye West by his side at Sunday night’s Grammy Awards, but he will have him mom with him.
She’s the lucky lady who will be on the arm of the 23-year-old sensation, who is nominated for two awards (Best Rap Solo Performance and Best Rap song — both for his quick hit, “Best I Ever Had”).
The night will be one of the biggest events of his life, and, win or lose, the former “Degrassi: The Next Generation” star is our Canadian of the Week.
In addition to being nominated for two awards (without even having a full-length album out), Drake will be performing his song “Forever” with Lil Wayne and Eminem. Kanye was on the original recording but, well, award shows haven’t really been his thing, of late.
Drake, whose role on “Degrassi” ended last year when his character graduated, said his Canadian roots are strong and that his hometown of Toronto is “the biggest inspiration behind my music.”
“I do everything I do for Toronto,” he told The Canadian Press after Grammy rehearsal on Friday. “It’s a city I really believe in.
“It’s got a bunch of great people. We got a lot of undiscovered things in Toronto, man: women, nightlife, restaurants, clubs, and talent. Women, first,” he adds with a smile.
“I just wanna bring the city to the forefront. I feel like every place needs an ambassador. They need somebody to show the rest of the world how magical that place can be. I think Jay (Jay-Z) does it for New York, a lot of people do it for Atlanta, Kanye did it for Chicago. A lot of rappers take it upon themselves.
“So I just really wanna be that guy for Toronto.”
Check out the official video for Drake’s “Best I Ever Had.” It’s kind of an odd tale of a women’s basketball coach (played by Drake) whose team is severely lacking in hoops talent and sports bras.
From the Better Late Than Never Department, here’s a quick run-through of the Canadian acts that scored at the Grammy Awards on Sunday night.
Toronto rapper Drake won’t have Kanye West by his side at Sunday night’s Grammy Awards, but he will have him mom with him.
