Destiny’s Child and Sisqo Won on Sales, So . . .

The Grammys may be slouching toward respectability, but to the sales winners still go the spoils. This year’s R&B; Grammy champs should do little to challenge that axiom.

In the best R&B; vocal by a duo or group, the Destiny’s Child hit “Say My Name” is surrounded by four records that most R&B; fans probably know little about. Among these, Lucy Pearl’s “Dance Tonight,” a sultry funk-athon punctuated by Raphael Saadiq’s lithe vocal, is the diamond among zirconium, though “Say My Name” will probably nab the award.

In the R&B; song category, there are three great compositions to choose from: Erykah Badu’s “Bag Lady”; Mark Andrews, Tim Kelley and Bob Robinson’s “Thong Song”; and D’Angelo and Saadiq’s “Untitled (How Does It Feel).” “Thong” looks like the winner by virtue of Sisqo’s huge sales in addition to being the best song of the bunch.

The R&B; album category could be one of the evening’s tightest races. Sisqo’s massive “Unleash the Dragon” is up against D’Angelo’s potent “Voodoo” and Jill Scott’s “Who Is Jill Scott? Words & Sounds Vol. 1.”

Although Sisqo sold more records than any other R&B; artist in 2000, making him the likely winner, Scott’s sales have picked up considerably as of late. Consider her a strong dark horse as well as the most deserving candidate.