Chicago artists win big at the 66th annual Grammy Awards

Sunday night marked the 66th annual Grammy Awards and several Chicago musicians scored big at the star-studded celebration. The Recording Academy recognized Chicago artists Lil Durk and J. Ivy for their contributions to music and poetry.

Rapper Lil Durk, a native of Chicago’s South Side, took home the Grammy for Best Melodic Rap Performance, for his collaborative track “All My Life” with hip-hop artist J Cole.

The Grammy was a first for the rapper, who has amassed a dedicated following as a prominent figure in the Chicago hip-hop sphere for more than a decade.

When asked how it felt to receive a nod from the academy after years of hard work, the rapper told Billboard, “It feels good. It was a task, a lot of bumps in the road… but as long as you stay focused and get it together, you[‘re] good.”

Chicago-born poet J. Ivy received his third Grammy award, according to Block Club Chicago. Ivy won the award for Best Spoken Word Poetry Album for his album “The Light Inside", continuing a back-to-back winning streak since  becoming the first-ever winner of the award in 2023.

“I want to thank God for this gift and this moment”, Ivy said during his acceptance speech, “...to my fellow nominees, my fellow poets, we have made history.”

Other highlights of the 2024 Grammys included a record-breaking win from Taylor Swift who won her fourth Album of the Year award for her hit record “Midnights”. Pop superstar Miley Cyrus took home Record of the Year and female rock trio Boygenius won Best Alternative Album.