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N.W.A is one of several iconic acts who will be honored at the upcoming GRAMMY Awards.
On Friday, January 5, the Recording Academy announced the honorees for the annual Special Merit Awards Ceremony, which occurs a day before the 66th GRAMMY Awards. The California-based rap group, which ushered in a new era of Hip-Hop in the late '80s/early 90s, will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award alongside others like Donna Summer, The Clark Sisters, Gladys Knight and more. In addition to N.W.A., Hip-Hop pioneer DJ Kool Herc will be honored with the Trustees Award, which is presented to people who have made significant contributions to the field of recording during their career in music.
"The Academy is honored to pay tribute to this year's Special Merit Award recipients — a remarkable group of creators and industry professionals whose impact resonates with generations worldwide," CEO of the Recording Academy Harvey Mason Jr. aid. "Their contributions to music span genres, backgrounds and crafts, reflecting the rich diversity that fuels our creative community. We look forward to honoring these music industry trailblazers next month as part of our week-long celebration leading up to Music's Biggest Night®."
The Special Merit Awards Ceremony will also honor Tom Kobayashi and Tom Scott with the Technical GRAMMY Award. In addition, K'naan, Steve McEwan, and Gerald Eaton (a.k.a. Jarvis Church) will receive the Best Song For Social Change Award for their song "Refugee." The ceremony is set to begin on Saturday, February 3, at the Wilshire Ebell Theatre in Los Angeles.