It felt like a twist of fate when I learned our February Album Club fell the day after the Grammys. My wife proposed the idea of doing a Grammys-themed discussion. I don’t think I’ve said yes to something that fast since standing at the altar on our wedding day. The only problem with the timing of this Album Club is that I couldn’t be there. Without a second thought, I invited my dear friends and previous discussion leads, Koku Asamoah & Selah, to guide our Grammys conversation. They were kind enough to share their respective recaps below.
Koku
I haven’t watched the Grammys in years, so when Alex presented Selah and I the opportunity to facilitate this month’s Album Club meeting, I was skeptical about how I would add to this conversation. Award shows have been iffy to me, considering the number of times I’ve seen Black people and other people of color get snubbed across the major award show spectrum. I remember seeing Kendrick Lamar’s good kid m.A.A.d city lose to Macklemore and Ryan Lewis’ The Heist. That was the final straw when I realized that, even in categories predominantly populated by Black people, we still can’t win. But watching the 2026 Grammys and discussing it with the crowd at Album Club, I gained a new appreciation for how much these award shows can highlight artists and bring people together.
Watching the Grammys in a group was the best way for me to get back into it. I was able to attend a Grammys watch party thrown by Alex and Elizabeth. Having them there, as well as our group of friends, helped me see the different artists I had missed out on throughout the last year. I got hip to Lola Young, and after seeing her fantastic performance, I absolutely understand why her song, “Messy,” won Best Pop Solo Performance. Seeing acts like Sombr and Katseye opened me up to genres I tend to overlook in my listening. Olivia Dean’s Best New Artist win warmed my heart. The Art of Loving was a fantastic project to help catapult her into a new world.
In addition to Young, performances from artists like Tyler, the Creator, Bruno Mars, Katseye, Sabrina Carpenter, and the excellent Mrs. Lauryn Hill also showed remarkable depth in artistry and showmanship. Tyler did an alternative verse to “Thought I Was Dead” where he addressed the anti-Black moments he’s had in the past, which resurfaced after Tyler responded to his fans’ anti-Black comments on his social media tribute to D’Angelo. On the same stage, Hill performed a tribute to D’Angelo alongside Raphael Saadiq, Bilal, Leon Thomas, and many more. A beautiful tribute during a very positive show. Many of the award winners seemed well-deserving, and there were no upsets. This culminated in Bad Bunny winning Album of the Year for DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS, which brought tears to his eyes. A wonderful moment to end the night.
During our Album Club conversation, Selah urged people to let their hot takes fly toward the Grammys, as well as nominees and unrecognized artists. We discussed what the Grammys actually mean to artists and whether they exemplify music as much as we think they do. Also, we noted the political statements made throughout the ceremony. For example, Kehlani won Best R&B Song for “Folded” while being staunchly anti-ICE, anti-Israel, pro-Palestine, and an overall advocate for marginalized people. She showed you can still be successful while holding onto your morals. Additionally, Billie Eilish spoke out against ICE, many guests and award presenters wore anti-ICE stickers and pins, and during her acceptance speech, Olivia Dean declared, “Immigrants deserve to be celebrated.”
One of my Album Club highlights was the number of people who came engaged and ready to talk. People’s guards seem to fall as the gatherings grow and we see more familiar faces. Folks are willing to share thoughts they would only share with close friends. Selah posed the question: “What album would you give the Grammy for Worst Album of the Year?” Daniel responded with Chance the Rapper’s Star Line, which many guests strongly disagreed with. The Beliebers in the crowd also caught strays with both Selah and Michaela saying, “The last time Bieber made an R&B album was Journals.” This shocked many in the crowd.
Most importantly, we talked about artists who either deserved a Grammy or that we’d love to see get more attention. Some of these included Theo Crocker, Daniel Caesar, I Am Rose, Andre 3000, Nali, Mavi, Duncan Lawrence, and Navy Blue.
At the end of the discussion, we named a wide range of albums, artists, songs, music videos, and performances we loved. Even if we didn’t get to see our favorite artist win, we had an excellent discussion and shared music we might not have listened to otherwise.
Yes, the Grammys are a prestigious award that many would love to win—myself included. And even though they might not always get it right, what’s most important is that we will. We have our fingers on the pulse of music, and as long as we keep moments like Album Club alive, we will always get it right.
Selah
My relationship to award shows has changed drastically over the years. As a child and adolescent, I spent hours obsessing over the Grammys, placing my bets and taking the time to document every big moment to talk about it the next day. After my final year of high school, I spent less time engaging with award shows after noticing the artistry and creativity declining in nominations. It became a pattern of people with racist pasts, repetitive work and tokenism as winners. The time I spent live-tweeting the Grammys got shorter, the conversations became recaps, and I couldn’t get over the hypocrisy in how the winners were selected.
The difference with this watch was the hurdles to access I had never experienced and the emphasis on whether your favorite artist has a spine to mention their politics. Unlike the days where the value of celebrity meant so much more to me, I am reminded that there are no gods and no masters. We see art and artists as political, but we must also recognize that they have the ability to show us they mean it. Although there were phenomenal performances, the best part of the Grammys didn’t happen in my bedroom watching on my iPad. With the right company, I can say that my love for award shows might have returned because of Album Club.
When Alex asked Koku and I to cohost in his absence, there was no way I could turn this down. Though Koku and I haven’t really watched the Grammys in some time, the warmth of last night reminded us that music will always remain the center of our communities. There was love and laughter along with some takes that caused necks to turn. It was full of moments where Koku’s eyes lit up at the mention of Common’s Be as a classic album or when Jaden & Daniel’s hands shot up to share their hot takes that left many questioning if they collaborated beforehand. From fashion conversations to the sweetness of the D’Angelo tribute, it’s clear to me that a space for celebration is what Columbus craves.
After we finished, there were so many new faces that expressed how they found us. One person, who had spoken to Koku, mentioned he had walked past our previous meeting and knew he had to return. It felt like a testament to the importance of just being in the moment. In this chilly season, our hearts are warm with the help of a sweet treat by Koku, heartfelt questions created by Alex, and a cozy drink from Taylor.
For updates on future Album Club meetings, follow us on Instagram!
Even if you’re unable to join The Album Club in person, let’s continue the conversation in the comments. Feel free to answer any or all of the questions I outlined for last night’s Grammys discussion:
What are your thoughts on this year’s Grammys? Do you agree with the Album Of The Year winner?
What’s your personal Album Of The Year? Even if it didn’t win or get nominated, is there an album from last year that you think should be part of the conversation?
At this time, what function do you believe award shows like the Grammys play — particularly for artists? Are they useful? What does a meaningful celebration of art look like?
Is there anyone whose name you heard at this year’s Grammys that you’re curious to check out? Or even a project you saw getting love that you haven’t listened to yet?
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Love this article! To answer some of the questions, I am so happy about Bad Bunny's win - it's my #1 obsession right now. DtMF is one of the most brilliant albums I've ever listened to (and I only know three words in Spanish). But the meaning of the album, the nostalgia, and his devotion to Puerto Rico/his community is very clear. I think this win is a great build up for his upcoming Superbowl Halftime show (go Seahawks!).
My personal Album Of The Year was Let God Sort Em Out by Clipse, who won Best Rap Performance! I actually started listening to Clipse for the first time after reading your article (from Feels Like Home) about the brothers and their comeback.
I am so curious about The Marias. I loved their performance, and I started listening to the song they performed (No One Noticed).
I’m so glad I was able to attend this one! It was a great time and I look forward to many more meetings