OAKLAND, Calif. - A young rising Oakland rap artist is up for possible GRAMMY nominations set to be announced on Friday for the 2026 awards.

Justin Walton, known as Jwalt , is being considered in two GRAMMY categories: best new artist and best rap album.

Over the summer, the 23-year-old rapper-songwriter released his latest album, " Every Version of Me ," with executive producer and prominent voice in the hip hop world, Oakland native Sway Calloway.

The album has been well received as a raw and vulnerable display of Walton’s many facets and his journey shaped by his time in New York City, where he attended college, performing overseas, and his Oakland roots.

"I'm really excited about this album," the artist told KTVU in an interview on Thursday. "There's so many different element

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