Later this evening, Kendrick Lamar – who leads the ceremony with 11 nominations on behalf of his sophomore album, To Pimp a Butterfly (already winning four), nearly an all-time record if not for Michael Jackson‘s 12 nods for Thriller in 1984 – is set to give what five-time consecutive host LL Cool J has already been describing as a “very controversial” performance at the 58th Annual Grammy Awards, which will air live on CBS from The Staples Center in Los Angeles.
Based on what we’ve witnessed in the past – particularly the West Coast rapper’s polarizing rendition of “Alright” to open up the 2015 BET Awards – one can only imagine what we’re in store for. However, the expectation process is becoming a bit clearer, as photos of Kendrick’s stage rehearsal have surfaced depicting what appear to be jail cells and African American men in chains, handcuffs and prison uniforms.
Brace yourselves, because one thing is for certain: K.Dot is out to make a statement.
