As a grandmother of two, Meyera E. Oberndorf doesn't usually pay much attention to rap music. But the four-term mayor of  Virginia plans to soon issue a proclamation honoring four local residents who were up for a total of 14 Grammys last night: hip-hop stars Missy Elliott, Tim "Timbaland" Mosley, Pharrell Williams, and Chad Hugo.

It will be Recording Arts and Sciences Day in honor of these extremely gifted young people," Oberndorf said.

The mayor's kudos will cap the unlikely rise of this southeast Virginia region -- home to colonial Williamsburg and the nation's largest naval base -- as a creative hotbed for music traditionally linked to America's tough urban streets.

Elliott, who grew up in Portsmouth , was up for five Grammys last night , including album of the year for Under Construction and best female rap solo performance for the single "Work It," which was nominated for best rap song.

Hugo and Williams, who attended Princess Anne High School  together and played in the school band, had six nominations between them, three for their work as the hit production duo the Neptunes and three for solo projects.

Timbaland had three nominations, including two in the album of the year c ategory -- one for his work on Elliott's "Under Construction" and one for his contributions to Justin Timberlake's Justified.