(AllHipHop News) Rapper Kanye West leads all artists for the 2012 Grammy Awards, with a total of seven nominations.
The nominees for the 54th Annual Grammy Awards were announced during the “Grammy Nominations Concert Live!” live televised concert, which was hosted by LL Cool J at the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles.
Two albums by Kanye West are in the running for Rap Album of the Year, including his releases My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy and his collaborative effort with Jay-Z, Watch the Throne.
Adele tied with the Foo Fighters and Bruno Mars for six nods, while Lil Wayne and Skrillex each garnered five nominations.
Newcomer J. Cole will go against Nicki Minaj for Best New Artist, while Betty Wright and The Roots were nominated for Traditional R&B Performance.
Other nominees include Rihanna, Chris Brown, Rick Ross, Eminem, Lupe Fiasco, Katy Perry, Cold Play, Christina Aguilera, Tony Bennett and the late Amy Winehouse.
Many critics will question the Recording Academy’s choice of nominations for Album of the Year.
While Adele, Rihanna, and Katy Perry are among the nominees, Kanye West’s album My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy and Taylor Swift’s album Speak Now, were noticeably absent from the field.
The Grammys are slated to air on February 12, on CBS.
