Wale performs at the 2008 Virgin Mobile FreeFest. (Photo by Shamigo)

The Grammy Awards operate on a weird calendar, so when you ask why a song released in 2011 nabbed a nomination for an award that won’t be given out until 2013, just go with it.

Wale, last seen on this website cutting the line at Ben’s Chili Bowl to get some half-smokes with Bryce Harper, was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Rap Song for his track “Lotus Flower Bomb.”

The song, which features an introduction and bridges sung by the R&B artist Miguel, was the first single from Ambition, Wale’s sophomore album that, while containing a few good tracks (like “Lotus Flower Bomb”), didn’t quite match up to the rapper’s Twitter insistences that it would be received as a “#classicalbum.”

Still, with this first career Grammy nod, Wale finds himself in good company in this year’s Best Rap Song competition. The other songs nominated are: “Daughters” by Nas; “Mercy” by Kanye West featuring Big Sean, Pusha T and 2 Chainz; “The Motto” by Drake and Lil’ Wayne; “Niggas in Paris” by West and Jay-Z; and “Young, Wild & Free” by Wiz Khalifa and Snoop Dogg featuring Bruno Mars.

The 55th Grammy Awards will be presented February 10, 2013 in Los Angeles.

Here’s the video for “Lotus Flower Bomb”: