STL in the mix of 2025 Grammy nods, Metro Boomin nominated in every rap category

While the big news surrounding today’s announcement of the nominations for the 67^th Annual Grammy Awards was the record-breaking 11 nods earned by Beyoncé and her foray into the country music space with “Cowboy Carter.”

However, St. Louis was represented amongst the names of music’s best and brightest. Thanks to “Walk With Me, Lord (Sound | Spirit)” The Baylor Project garnered their eighth Grammy nomination with a “Best Jazz Performance” nod. The group is composed of St. Louis native Marcus Baylor and his wife Jean Baylor – formerly of the pioneering neo soul duo Zhane.

And while he may not get direct contributor credit for all seven nods, Kendrick Lamar owes a debt to Metro (and Future) for his tied status as the second most nominated artist of 2025. He was a featured artist on “Like That,” which ignited the Drake beef that culminated with Lamar’s “Not Like Us.”  The latter song earned Lamar five Grammy nominations, including “Record of the Year” and “Song of the Year” – which is unprecedented for a hip hop diss track.

St. Louis-born SZA earned two nods for “Best R&B Performance” and “Best R&B Song” thanks to “Saturn.”  Thanks to “Walk With Me, Lord (Sound | Spirit)” The Baylor Project garnered their sixth Grammy nomination in seven years with a “Best Jazz Performance” nod. The group is composed of St. Louis native Marcus Baylor and his wife Jean Baylor – formerly of the pioneering neo soul duo Zhane. Ferguson’s own Keyon Harrold secured a “Best Alternative Jazz Album” with “Foreverland.” Harrold won a Grammy for his work on the Miles Davis biopic “Miles Ahead,” soundtrack. The album won a 2017 Grammy Award for “Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media.”

The region also has a presence in the classical music space thanks to opera star and St. Louis native Julia Bullock. The brilliant soprano’s voice is among those featured on “Adams: Girls of the Golden West.” The work – which also includes John Adams, Daniela Mack, Ryan McKinny, Paul Appleby, Hye Jung Lee, Elliot Madore, Davóne Tines, Los Angeles Philharmonic and Los Angeles Master Chorale is up for a “Best Engineered Album, Classical” and “Best Opera Recording Award.”

Two decades after his banger “Tipsy” was a club anthem around the world, St. Louis hip hop veteran J-Kwon scored his first Grammy nomination as part of the Black country music wave that dominates this year’s nominations.

Rapper-turned-country star Shaboozey scored what was perhaps the biggest hit of 2024 with “A Bar Song (Tipsy),” which is an interpolation of J-Kwon’s classic track.

“His song peaked at No. 2 on the Hot 100 and it’s crazy because it’s such a big song, a big part of my childhood,” Shaboozey told The New York Times in a story about his six nominations. “To be able to get this opportunity to come together and get that No. 1 for him and myself — it’s just remarkable.”

J-Kwon, born Jerrell Jones, was listed as one of the songwriters for the record, therefore sharing in the “Song of the Year” nomination.

“He was always just open and supportive of this random person who happened to interpolate one of his songs,” Shaboozey said about J-Kwon, according to The New York Times. “He deserves this just as much as anybody, just as much as I do.”

Shaboozey is tied for third place among the most nominated artists for the upcoming awards.

With today’s nominations, Beyoncé – who already holds the record for the most Grammys wins with 32 – surpassed her husband Jay-Z’s 88 nominations to become the most nominated artist in Grammy history. She is one shy of 100 nominations. Before today, the couple was tied with 88 nods each.

The 67^th Annual Grammy Awards is scheduled for Feb. 2, 2025 at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. For more information and a full list of the nominees, visit www.grammy.com.