The Japan Times - Kendrick Lamar, Bad Bunny, Lady Gaga win early at Grammys

Lamar took four trophies including best rap album, while Lady Gaga won for best dance pop recording and Bad Bunny snapped up a gramophone for best global music performance.

All three are angling to take home the gala's most coveted award, Album of the Year, for the first time.

K-pop singer Rose and Bruno Mars kicked off the proceedings with a high-octane performance of "APT.," before comedian Trevor Noah took to the stage.

Noah -- in his sixth and final outing as Grammys host -- wasted no time getting topical after a quick walk around the room to point out the constellation of A-listers.

"Nicki Minaj is not here... She is still at the White House with Donald Trump, discussing very important issues," he said, in reference to Minaj's recent backing of the Republican president.

"'Actually, Nicki, I have the biggest ass. I have it,'" Noah said, doing a dead-on Trump impression.

"'Everybody's saying it, Nicki, I know they say it's you, but it's me.'"

The prize for Best New Artist went to Britain's Olivia Dean, who topped charts at home and abroad with her monster hit "Man I Need."

Lady Gaga and Justin Bieber were also set to perform, along with Lauryn Hill and Post Malone, who will lead a tribute to late rocker Ozzy Osbourne.

- Album of the Year fight -

Lamar, the Pulitzer Prize-winning rapper, had nine nominations going into Sunday, the most of any artist, on the strength of his album "GNX."

The 38-year-old California native, who won five Grammys last year thanks to his smash diss track "Not Like Us," is also up for Record and Song of the Year for "Luther" featuring R&B artist SZA.

"I'm not good at talking about myself, but I express it through the music. It's an honor to be here," Lamar said as he accepted the best rap album prize.

Standing in Lamar's way for Album of the Year is Bad Bunny, who is on a world tour in support of his album "Debi Tirar Mas Fotos" (I Should Have Taken More Photos) after a hugely successful residency in San Juan.

The 31-year-old Latin megastar, born Benito Antonio Martinez Ocasio, will headline the Super Bowl halftime show a week after the Grammys, where he is up for six awards.

His "Un verano sin ti" (2022) was the first Spanish-language album nominated for Album of the Year honors. A win on Sunday would give Bad Bunny another mention in the history books.

Lady Gaga, 39, made a splashy comeback to touring with "Mayhem," her collection of pop bangers with a dark edge that embraces her dramatic side. She has seven nominations.

A win for Album of the Year would complete her hat trick of top awards.

She took Record and Song of the Year honors seven years ago for the soundtrack hit "Shallow," from "A Star is Born" -- which also earned her an Oscar.

Also nominated for Album of the Year are: pop princess Sabrina Carpenter; R&B singer-songwriter Leon Thomas; Tyler, the Creator; hip-hop duo Clipse (Pusha T and Malice); and Bieber -- with his first studio effort in four years.

- 'Golden' moment? -

This time around, Song of the Year -- which honors songwriting -- is a crowded category that includes "Golden," from the Netflix animated smash hit "KPop Demon Hunters," which would be the first bilingual tune to win the prize.

Earlier, "Golden" won the prize for best song written for visual media, and top Oscar nominee "Sinners" won two soundtrack awards.

The majority of the 95 awards are handed out at a pre-gala ceremony before the televised broadcast.

Joni Mitchell -- one of several attendees wearing an "ICE OUT" pin in protest at US President Donald Trump's sweeping immigration crackdown -- took a prize for best historical album.

K.Tanaka--JT