The Triangle will be well represented during this year’s Grammy Awards and Oscar ceremony with local artists vying for honors in several categories at both shows.
By Sarah Krueger, WRAL reporter
Durham County, N. C. — The audience tuning in to watch the Grammy awards Sunday will be well aware of Kendrick Lamar and Jay Z, both of whom are nominees in the Best Rap Album category.
Most watching this year’s Grammy show, however, may not be familiar with some nominated artists and their ties to Durham. The Triangle will also be represented during this year’s Academy Awards with a nominee who attended high school in Durham.
The common denominator for two of the nominees is Durham’s Hillside High School, which has launched many entertainment careers.
« We have a very intense theater program here at Hillside High School, » said Wendell Tabb, the school’s theater director. « Historically, Hillside has had great artists, from even the 1920s, ’30s, ’40s in Durham. »
One of Hillside’s most notable success stories is filmmaker Kevin Wilson Jr., who has been nominated for an Oscar in this year’s Best Live Action Short Film category.
Tabb remembers Wilson when he was just a student, with dreams of hitting it big in Hollywood.
« He always had a great idea about writing, for directing and staging work, » Tabb said. « He was the first student to actually do a musical production as part of his training in class. »
Hillside is also the alma mater of another successful artist, rapper Rapsody, who is nominated this year for two Grammy awards.
She’s competing against big names, like Kendrick Lamar and Jay-Z, as she vies in two categories: Best Rap Song and Best Rap Album. Before Rapsody adopted her stage name and when she attended Hillside, she went by her given name of Marlanna Evans.
Rapsody’s album was produced in part by 9th Wonder, a North Carolina Central University alum who has already won a Grammy.
His face still fills the halls of the university, and he currently teaches hip hop history there as an Artist in Residence at the school.
Professor Jim Harper met « 9th » in the 1990s, when they were both students at NCCU. He thinks his former classmate’s success is good for their alma mater and the Triangle.
« I believe it brings a great deal of notoriety to our institution and to the City of Durham, » Haper said, adding that 9th Wonder was passionate about music even when they were in college.
« He was always beating on the desk and making a beat with his hand on a desk, » Harper said. « He was always like that. »
Two other nominees hail from Durham: Sylvan Esso, nominated for a Grammy for Best Dance/Electronic Album, and Sam Beam, known as Iron & Wine and nominated for Best Americana Album. That means Durham has five locals poised to snag award show gold this year.
« I think that is speaks to a level of creativity that our community brings to the national and international realm, » Harper said. « I think that this is going to put Durham on the map. »
