R&B;/RAP

Well, they almost got it right. In the R&B; vocal categories, the Grammy voters actually picked the class of their field. Both Erykah Badu’s sensual “On & On” and Blackstreet’s uber-funky “No Diggity” are worthy winners in female vocal and group vocal, respectively. Either one of those songs would have been a more logical choice for best R&B; song than R. Kelly’s hokey up-with-life anthem “I Believe I Can Fly,” which won both the male vocal and best song awards.

Thankfully, the voters steered clear of the four mediocre nominees in the best R&B; album category and bestowed the award on Erykah Badu’s “Baduizm,” a remarkably self-assured debut.

Although ’97 was an unusually strong year for hip-hop, the academy chose bland winners in the rap categories. Puff Daddy’s tribute to the Notorious B.I.G., “I’ll Be Missing You,” has little to distinguish it, yet it took home the best duo or group rap performance award.

Puff Daddy’s victorious “No Way Out” was the least venturesome nominee in a rap album category that included such terrific works as Missy Elliott’s “Supa Dupa Fly” and Wyclef Jean’s “The Carnival.” And when did Will Smith become a hip-hop standard-bearer? His theme song to “Men in Black” was more commercial jingle than rap song. Either Elliott’s “The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)” or Busta Rhymes’ “Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Could See” would have been a more appropriate choice for rap solo performance.