Latin Grammy Award for Best Urban Music Album | |
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Latin Grammy Awards of 2015 | |
Awarded for | vocal or instrumental urban music albums containing at least 51% playing time of newly recorded material |
Country | United States |
Presented by | Latin Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences |
First awarded | 2001 |
Official website | latingrammy.com |
The Latin Grammy Award for Best Urban Music Album is an honor presented annually at the Latin Grammy Awards, a ceremony that recognizes excellence and promotes a wider awareness of cultural diversity and contributions of Latin recording artists in the United States and internationally. According to the category description guide for the 13th Latin Grammy Awards, the award is for vocal or instrumental merengue house, R&B, reggaeton, rap and/or hip hop music albums containing at least 51 percent playing time of newly recorded material. The award was first presented as the Best Rap/Hip-Hop Album until it received its current name, Best Urban Music Album, at the 5th Latin Grammy Awards ceremony in 2004.
The accolade for Best Urban Music Album was first presented to the Argentine band Sindicato Argentino del Hip Hop at the second Latin Grammy Awards in 2001 for their album Un Paso a la Eternidad. In 2009, the Puerto Rican duo Calle 13 became the first urban act to be presented with Best Urban Music Album and Album of the Year for their album Los de Atrás Vienen Conmigo (2008). Calle 13 also hold the record for the most wins, with five. Puerto Rico is the only country with more than one winner, though award-winning albums have also been recorded by musicians originating from Argentina, Cuba and Venezuela. In 2013, Mala Rodríguez became the first female artist and the first Spanish artist to win the award. Puerto Rican singers Tito "El Bambino" and Ivy Queen are tied with the most nominations without a win, with three each.