Firstly, these are strictly my opinions/predictions, and not those of DWND in general.
Secondly, the Grammy's have lost a lot of respect in my eye, seemingly becoming more of a popularity contest (See: Soulja Boy's Best Rap Song nomination in 2008 for 'Crank Dat'), rather than a testament to the year's most musically sound productions (See: The Dream's zero nominations for his critically acclaimed 2nd album Love vs Money & 808's & Heartbreaks' mysterious no-show on the 2010 nomination list). But, it is still a major marker, one that most artists aim for when entering the music industry, of just how good music is. I'll stick to what I know ((c) Ne-Yo) & make my predictions for the rap categories, and take a stab at the big boys.

Best Rap Solo Performance:
Who I want to win: Kanye West - Power
Who I think will win: Eminem - Not Afraid
Kanye turned the rap world on its side when this dropped. But c'mon. Em's return to the public spotlight, in addition to the fact that Not Afraid ended up a #1 single. They won't even consider Yeezy.

Best Rap Performance By A Duo Or Group:
Who I want to win: Drake, Swizz Beatz & T.I. - Fancy
Who I think will win: Jay-Z & Swizz Beatz - On To The Next One
The intricate production of Swizz Beatz & 40 plus near-perfect verses from Drake & T.I. make 'Fancy' one helluva track, but with lines like "MJ at Summer Jam, Obama on the text. Y'all should be afraid of what I'm gon' do next", Hov makes this collab. hard to snub.

Best Rap/Sung Collaboration:
Who I want to win: Jay-Z & Alicia Keys - Empire State Of Mind
Who I think will win: Jay-Z & Alicia Keys - Empire State Of Mind
No argument here.

Best Rap Song:
Who I want to win: Eminem - Not Afraid
Who I think will win: Jay-Z - On To The Next One
This one is hard. Strictly speaking rap-wise, I think Not Afraid deserves this one. But Hov did everything so perfectly on OTTNO that they might give it to him.

Best Rap Album:
Who I want to win: Eminem - Recovery
Who I think will win: Eminem - Recovery
This one is a really difficult pick. Both marked minor comebacks by both artists, Eminem produced 2 #1 singles from Recovery, Hov ended up with 1 #1, & 1#2 (Empire State Of Mind & Run This Town). But there are the intangibles. Since Kingdom Come (which most considered a misstep for the Roc Nation exec., me not included) Jay's been pretty consistent. Em however, claimed a comeback, and failed miserably. The very next year he returns with, arguably, the best album of his career. Arguably. So, big ups to BP3, but I think Slim Shady goes home with this one.

Record Of The Year:
Who I want to win: Jay-Z & Alicia Keys - Empire State Of Mind
Who I think will win: Love The Way You Lie - Eminem & Rihanna
Record of the year is a tricky category. I actually believe its more the intangibles that go into making this decision than any kind of musical appreciation. Someone once said its "that song that defines the year, the one that serves as the soundtrack for the events of those 365 days." Considering the roads Em & Rihanna took to get here, I'd say that kind of fits that mold. Outside chance B.o.B & Bruno snag this one. Don't say I ain't tell you.

Album Of The Year:
Who I want to win: Eminem - Recovery
Who I think will win: Fame Monster - Lady Gaga.
I actually don't think she'll win. But I believe having a rapper taking home both Record Of The Year & Album Of The Year would be too good to be true. I've also learned from almost every substantial award show, that the unspoken rule is "When in doubt, Gag(a)."

K.