LOS ANGELES, Feb 13 (AFP) - The pounding beat of urban music is set to overpower Sunday`s 47th annual Grammy Awards, with red-hot rapper Kanye West, diva Alicia Keys and R and B sensation Usher leading the nominations.
But even as Grammy tastes shift towards more populist genres this year, the young Turks face a major challenge from an old-timer who is a force to be reckoned with, even in death: the late soul legend Ray Charles.
The eyes of America`s youth will be on West, Keys and Usher when music`s top honours get underway in Los Angeles` Staples Center, where West will arrive armed with 10 nominations, more than any artist.
The 27-year-old rapper, producer and songwriter could even break the record for the most Grammy wins in a single year, currently held by Michael Jackson and Carlos Santana, who won eight each, if he sweeps up his nods.
He is up for album of the year for his double-platinum debut "The College Dropout," song of the year for "Jesus Walks" and best new artist, for which is he seen as the favourite, and for a quiver of rap awards.
Multiple Grammy winner Keys and Usher each go into the glittering awards show -- to be hosted by singer and actress Queen Latifah -- with eight nods, including album of the year, while Charles comes in next with seven.
"The very interesting thing this year is that we are seeing so many rap and urban artists and groups nominated," Melinda Newman, West Coast bureau chief for Billboard magazine, told AFP.
"For the first time we are seeing a marriage between popular taste and the traditional Grammy voters," she said.
While rap, R and B and hip-hop were highly visible at last year`s Grammys, "that was nothing compared to this year when three out of the five nominees for album of the year are R and B and urban music," Newman said.
In the coveted album of the year category, West`s "The College Dropout" is up against Keys` "The Diary Of Alicia Keys," Usher`s "Confessions," "American Idiot" by rock-punk outfit Green Day, which has six nominations, and "Genius Loves Company" by Ray Charles and some of his famous friends.
But pundits said that while he is outnumbered by the younger generation, "genius of soul" Charles has a good shot at winning the category.
His last studio album is up for 10 Grammys, including seven personal nominations for the artist who died in June of liver disease at the age of 73 and who is the subject of an Oscar-nominated biopic, "Ray."
He is nominated in the record of the year category for "Here We Go Again," sung with Norah Jones -- who has five nominations this year, tying her with country legend Loretta Lynn, Prince, and engineer Al Schmitt.
The song is up against "Let`s Get It Started" by The Black Eyed Peas, "American Idiot" by Green Day, "Heaven" by Los Lonely Boys and "Yeah!" by Usher, also featuring Lil Jon and Ludacris.
Among the other "Genius Loves Company" nods are those for best pop vocal album and best traditional R and B vocal performance for "Sinner`s Prayer" with BB King.
In addition, blues and rock giant Billy Preston will pay musical homage to Charles in a special Grammys tribute.
"Ray Charles has a momentum," Newman said. "Not only did he die, but a movie came out, an album came out and both are huge successes."
But Kanye West, who survived an horrific car crash in 2001 to rise to Grammys prominence, is seen as favourite to snatch the best new artist award.
He faces off Los Lonely Boys, pop-rockers Maroon5, British soul singer Joss Stone and country artist and self-proclaimed "Redneck Woman" Gretchen Wilson in the category.
Vying for song of the year, awarded to the composer rather than the singer, are Keys` "If I Ain`t Got You," "Jesus Walks" by Kanye West and C. Smith, John Mayer`s "Daughters," Tim Nichols and Craig Wiseman`s "Live Like You Were Dying" and "The Reason" by Daniel Estrin and Douglas Robb.
Also among the nominees are two veterans making stunning comebacks: Beach Boys mastermind Brian Wilson, who has three nods including best pop vocal album for "Brian Wilson Presents Smile," and pop sensation Prince, who has four nods for his album "Musicology."
But young fans are anxious to see if the 10,000-odd Grammy voters, long criticised for rewarding well-established artists, will ultimately hand the statuettes to young artists with huge popular followings.
"I think the academy suffers sometimes from the familiar-name syndrome," says Billboard chart director Geoff Mayfield, a Grammy voter, explaining that voters often reward the names they know best.
The Grammys show will also include an all-star performance of John Lennon`s "Across the Universe" to raise money for victims of the December 26 tsunami in South Asia.
The list of performers includes Bono, Norah Jones, Alicia Keys and Steven Tyler, among other music stars.
02/13/2005 17:52 GMT - AFP