On Friday, Phoenix nerdcore rapper Mega Ran was nominated for a 2026 Grammy for his album “Buddy’s Magic Tree House” in the Best Children’s Music Album category.
He said he could not believe his album got nominated.
“I cried. I screamed. I was shaking. I thought and still think that there was some kind of mistake. I've been completely overwhelmed by the news and the response after that. It’s been an absolute dream," he said.
The album, inspired by conversations Mega Ran had with his child, features hip-hop songs about various subjects like dinosaurs.
Mega Ran says being nominated for a Grammy joins his list of accomplishments ranging from being a fostering and adopting parent to playing children’s songs.
“These are all things I can't even call dreams come true because this is not anything that I ever dreamed or planned or thought that this was possible. So I'm just along for the ride, man. This has just been — my life has constantly managed to surprise me," he said.
He plans to attend the Grammy Awards, which will be held on Sunday, Feb. 1, 2026.
Mega Ran has been a Show favorite, someone we’ve had on the program a few times over the years.
Here he is at our live event at the Crescent Ballroom back in September.
“I’m ready for anything because I used to teach middle school y’all. And uh, I’ve definitely learned if you can do that ... this is easy," he said.
Here's a few lines from a song on that album, "The Library Jawn":
“OK, I want to talk to you about my favorite place in the world, the library.
Any readers out here? Excellent.
So again I wrote this for my kids. We were trying to learn how to spell it ..."
-
Liz Lerman is a visionary in the dance world. The choreographer, performer, writer, teacher and speaker has spent decades exploring the world — and our own minds — through movement. -
Carmen Lomas Garza’s artwork is a case study in how making art about ordinary life can be a radical act in itself. But you might recognize her paintings of everyday scenes of Latino life from her children’s books. -
With each passing day, it gets harder to figure out what’s real or a fake in our ever-evolving digital world. Take a video posted online that purports to show President Nygren sobbing outside of a Bashas grocery store. -
Shakira and Burna Boy closed things out with the official World Cup anthem of this year’s tournament. And one Phoenix dancer was hand-picked to dance with Shakira in the show. -
Lori Grace Bailey is a professional photographer and storm chaser in southern Arizona who has actually been struck by lightning — but not in the process of chasing a storm.
