Why don't we just flip a coin and get this whole Grammy thing over with? Heads Kanye West wins for album of the year. Tails he loses. The record industry's most prestigious awards competition seems at times just as arbitrary as that, often bypassing great, cutting-edge artists, such as West, in favor of tame, mainstream bestsellers or sentimental favorites. West, who picked up eight nominations Thursday in the 48th annual Grammy Awards race, is the most compelling arrival in hip-hop since Eminem - a thoughtful, crusading rapper and producer who has liberated hip-hop from its "gangsta rap" shackles. His music about life and community reflects values that are reminiscent of the idealistic, socially aware work of Curtis Mayfield and Stevie Wonder.
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