It was a night of huge snub at the Grammys for hip-hop music as the big act Jay-Z who had led with eight nominations went back home empty-handed.
The night belonged instead to Bruno Mars, who has revived retro funk and R&B for a new generation. He won the top prize, Album of the Year, for “24K Magic” as well as Record of the Year, which recognizes top tune, for the title track — a tale of good times with beautiful women set to 1980s-style synths and rhythms.
The 32-year-old singer, sporting a bright smile and sunglasses, recalled how he first performed as a child for tourists in his native Hawaii.
“I remember seeing it firsthand — people dancing that had never met each other from two sides of the globe, dancing with each other, toasting with each other, celebrating together,” he said. “All I wanted to do with this album was that,” he told thousands of industry players at Madison Square Garden in New York, where the Grammys temporarily shifted after 15 years in Los Angeles.
Mars won all of the awards for which he was in the running on what was expected to be a major night for hip-hop, which for the first time dominated nominations for the major categories.
Kendrick Lamar, however saved the night for hip-hop and rap.
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