In a historic moment for the music industry, Kendrick Lamar has officially become the most-awarded rapper in Grammy Awards history, eclipsing the previous record long held by hip-hop mogul Jay-Z. The groundbreaking achievement was confirmed during the 2025 Grammy Awards ceremony in Los Angeles, where Lamar’s artistic dominance was prominently displayed throughout the evening.
Entering Sunday’s festivities with 26 Grammy wins already to his name, Lamar immediately surpassed Jay-Z’s benchmark of 25 victories by capturing the Best Rap Album honor for ‘GNX’ during the pre-telecast ceremony. His triumph continued unabated as the night progressed, ultimately concluding with an impressive total of 27 Grammy awards.
Lamar’s extraordinary evening was highlighted by multiple major category victories. Beyond the Best Rap Album recognition, the Compton-native artist secured Record of the Year and Best Melodic Rap Performance for his work ‘Luther’, Best Rap Song for ‘TV Off’, and Best Rap Performance for the critically acclaimed ‘Clipse’s Chains & Whips’. His dominance was further emphasized by leading all nominees with nine nominations this year.
The ‘Luther’ victory carried additional historical significance, making Lamar the first rapper ever to claim the Record of the Year honor twice. Furthermore, he became both the first male artist and first rapper to win this prestigious category in consecutive years, solidifying his unprecedented creative streak.
This Grammy milestone caps a remarkable period for Lamar, who began 2025 by headlining the Super Bowl LVIII halftime show—making history as the first rapper to perform solo on the NFL’s grandest stage. The artist continues to build upon his previous Grammy success, having performed his diss track ‘Not Like Us’ at last year’s ceremony, which ultimately earned five awards including both Record and Song of the Year.