Why the Grammy's wanted Macklemore to compete for Pop Awards instead of Hip Hop

Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, the mainstream rap duo that swept the rap Grammys in 2014 and received backlash after besting Kendrick Lamar, didn’t submit their latest album for contention at the 2017 Grammy Awards.

A person close to the nomination process, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the person was not allowed to publicly talk about the topic, said Macklemore & Lewis didn’t submit “This Unruly Mess I Made” when submissions were due last September.

The album, the group’s second, was released last February. Like Macklemore & Lewis, Frank Ocean also didn’t submit his two latest albums for Grammys.

Representatives for the rap group and the Grammys, which was presented Sunday at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, didn’t immediately reply to emails seeking comment.

In 2014, Macklemore & Lewis won best rap album for their multiplatinum debut, “The Heist”; best rap song and rap performance for the crossover pop hit, “Thrift Shop”; and best new artist.

The group almost didn’t compete for those rap honors after the Recording Academy’s rap committee felt the duo should compete for pop awards instead because of their mainstream breakthrough, which included No. 1 successes with “Thrift Shop” and “Can’t Hold Us.” Another single, the same sex anthem “Same Love,” peaked at No.11 on the Billboard Hot 100.

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