FEBRUARY 3, 2026 — Black History Museum & Cultural Center: Virginia showed up in a POWERFUL way on music’s biggest stage, with Black artists from across the Commonwealth being recognized for shaping sound, storytelling, and culture.
We’re celebrating Nate Smith, the Hampton Roads drummer and composer who won his first Grammy for Best Alternative Jazz Album, and Shaboozey, the Woodbridge native who earned his first Grammy for Best Country Duo/Group Performance.
A major salute to Clipse, the legendary duo from Virginia Beach, who won their first Grammy for Best Rap Performance, continuing their impact on hip hop culture and sound. And a huge congratulations to Mad Skillz, Richmond’s own founding figure of Virginia hip hop, who won his first Grammy for Best Spoken Word Poetry Album, alongside a powerful collective of Virginia-based musicians, poets, engineers, singers, and songwriters who helped bring that project to life: Alexander Mack, Bee Boy Soul, Bassman, Ty Bizzy, Matthew Steele, Ant The Symbol, Radio B, Nyesha Fox, B Lovee, Poetry Lives, Steph The Poet, Michael Millions (Richmond), Alex De Jong, Kia Bennett, Luv Jonez, Jae Writez, Luv Jonez, AJ Young.
This year also included a major moment for Virginia as Pharrell Williams received the Dr. Dre Global Impact Award, honoring his decades long influence on music, culture, and creative innovation as a global artist, producer, and visionary from Virginia Beach.
The night also featured a special tribute honoring D’Angelo, with a moving celebration of his influence and legacy as one of Virginia’s most important musical voices.
From GIANTS to new generations, these wins remind us that Virginia continues to shape the culture, the sound, and the story.
