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Forecast for Grammy Awards: Fireworks and Fond Remembrances

Look for a little politics, a little controversy, and a lot of sentimentality.
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There will likely be fireworks — along with fond remembrances for fallen rockers — Monday at the 58th annual Grammy Awards.

Rapper Kendrick Lamar, whose single "Alright" has become an anthem of the Black Lives Matter movement, is among the biggest acts set to perform at the gala awards ceremony.

Image: Kendrick Lamar, The Weeknd, Taylor Swift
Kendrick Lamar | The Weeknd | Taylor SwiftAP Photos

And just as Beyoncé injected politics into her Super Bowl halftime performance, look for Lamar to possibly push buttons during a TV extravaganza that has a history of addressing divisive social issues ranging from civil rights to same-sex marriage.

Lamar leads the musical pack with 11 nominations followed by pop powerhouse Taylor Swift and The Weeknd, who have seven each.

Without explicitly mentioning the Academy Awards, Neil Portnow, the president of The Recording Academy, made a point of noting the diversity of their nominees.

"It's gratifying to see the vibrancy of today's artistic landscape reflected in this year's nominations," Portnow said in the run-up to the ceremony. "Artists are pushing boundaries in exciting ways, making it an exceptionally strong year for music."

Hosted again by rapper-turned-actor LL Cool J, the show opens with Swift and will also feature performances by Justin Bieber, Nicki Minaj, Adele, Ariana Grande, Carrie Underwood and others.

And singer Lady Gaga will pay tribute to the late David Bowie, while the "In Memoriam" segment will mark the deaths of performers ranging from Stone Temple Pilots' Scott Weiland and Motörhead's Lemmy Kilmister to Natalie Cole and Earth, Wind & Fire's Maurice White.

Image: Lemmy Kilmister dies at age 70
A file picture dated July 4, 2010 shows Lemmy Kilmister of British rock band Motörhead perform on stage at the Roskilde Festival some 30 km west of Copenhagen, Denmark.Anders Birch / EPA file