The late Florida rapper XXXTentacion released his debut album 17 August 2017, and debut No 2 on the Billboard 200 charts in September 2017.
The rules for the Grammy’s Best New Artist nominations are that the artist must have achieved a breakthrough into the public’s consciousness and impact musical landscape during the eligibility period. Unfortunately, the nomination eligibility for the Grammy’s started October 1st, 2017, so that makes XXXTentacion ineligible.
The rapper would’ve been the first artist ever to land a posthumous Grammy nomination. Cardi B and Post Malone were also not eligible for the “Best New Artist” category.
XXXTentacion was shot and killed in Florida June of 2018, he was 20 years old. After his death, his music broke numerous streaming records. He was the first artist to reach No 1. on Billboards Hot 100 since Notorious B.I. G’s “Mo Money More Problems” in 1997.