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Every Grammys Best Urban/Alternative Performance winner

9 ceremonies, 2003–2011. 9 different winners.

Best Urban/Alternative Performance was first awarded in 2003, so it does not run the full 2000–2025 window.

It was awarded for the last time in 2011.

From 2012 the Grammys awarded Best R&B Performance instead.

One band per year, because no winner has gone back-to-back in the years on record. Colored by label; scroll sideways for the full run.
India.Arie'03
OutKast'04
Jill Scott'05
Damian Marley'06
Gnarls Barkley'07
Lupe Fiasco and Jill Scott'08
Chrisette Michele and will.i.am'09
India.Arie and Dobet Gnahoré'10
CeeLo Green'11
Wins by label
  1. Universal222%
  2. 1st & 15th111%
  3. Downtown111%
  4. Hear Music111%
  5. Hidden Beach111%
  6. Sony111%
  7. Other222%

Who kept losing

Counting nominations in this category only, 2003–2011.

Most nominated, never won

  • Floetry2 noms
  • Mos Def2 noms
  • Musiq Soulchild2 noms

Most losses

  • Floetry2L · 0W
  • Mos Def2L · 0W
  • Musiq Soulchild2L · 0W
  • CeeLo Green1L · 1W
  • OutKast1L · 1W

The full list

YearWinnerLabel
2011CeeLo Green (Fuck You)
beat 4 others
  • Bilal (Little One)
  • Carolyn Malachi (Orion)
  • Janelle Monáe and Big Boi (Tightrope)
  • Eric Roberson (Still)
Elektra
2010India.Arie and Dobet Gnahoré (Pearls)
beat 4 others
  • The Foreign Exchange and Muhsinah (Daykeeper)
  • Robert Glasper and Bilal (All Matter)
  • Eric Roberson, Ben O'Neill and Michelle Thompson (A Tale of Two)
  • Tonéx (Blend)
Hear Music
2009Chrisette Michele and will.i.am (Be OK)
beat 4 others
  • Kenna (Say Goodbye to Love)
  • Maiysha (Wanna Be)
  • Janelle Monáe (Many Moons)
  • Wayna and Kokayi (Lovin' You (Music))
Def Jam
2008Lupe Fiasco and Jill Scott (Daydreamin')
beat 4 others
  • Dwele (That's the Way of the World)
  • Vikter Duplaix (Make a Baby)
  • Alice Smith (Dream)
  • Meshell Ndegeocello (Fantasy)
1st & 15th/Atlantic
2007Gnarls Barkley (Crazy)
beat 4 others
  • Sérgio Mendes, Erykah Badu and will.i.am (That Heat)
  • Sérgio Mendes and The Black Eyed Peas (Mas Que Nada)
  • OutKast (Idlewild Blue (Don'tchu Worry 'Bout Me))
  • Prince (3121)
Downtown/Warner
2006Damian Marley (Welcome to Jamrock)
beat 4 others
  • Floetry (SupaStar)
  • Gorillaz (Dirty Harry)
  • Mos Def (Ghetto Rock)
  • Van Hunt (Dust)
Tuff Gong/Universal/Ghetto Youths
2005Jill Scott (Cross My Mind)
beat 4 others
  • Mos Def (Sex, Love & Money)
  • Musiq Soulchild (Are You Experienced?)
  • N.E.R.D (She Wants to Move)
  • The Roots (Star)
Hidden Beach
2004OutKast (Hey Ya!)
beat 4 others
  • Erykah Badu (Danger)
  • Kelis (Milkshake)
  • Les Nubians (J'veux D'la Musique)
  • Musiq Soulchild (Forthenight)
Arista/BMG
2003India.Arie (Little Things)
beat 4 others
  • Erykah Badu and Common (Love of My Life (Ode to Hip-Hop))
  • Floetry (Floetic)
  • CeeLo Green (Getting Grown)
  • Raphael Saadiq and D'Angelo (Be Here)
Motown

More Grammys categories

New ArtistPop AlbumRap AlbumRock AlbumChamber MusicSoloist with OrchestraSoloist without OrchestraClassical CrossoverGospel AlbumCCM AlbumGospel Perf/SongCCM Perf/SongRoots Gospel AlbumTrad. Gospel AlbumR&B Gospel AlbumPop Gospel AlbumAll 152 categories

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You’ve seen the whole history. This award is retired, but the Grammys are not. Put your picks on the record and run a live pool when the show comes back around.

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