Kendrick Lamar is poised for a historic night at the 2025 Grammy Awards with seven nominations across five categories. His potential success could further cement his legacy in the music industry.
Known for his impressive career, including winning a Pulitzer Prize, Kendrick Lamar is no stranger to making history. At the upcoming Grammy Awards, taking place at Los Angeles’ Crypto.com Arena, he is up against major artists like Charli XCX and Post Malone. However, he trails only behind Beyoncé, who leads the nominations with eleven.
Kendrick’s song “Not Like Us” is a frontrunner this year, nominated for both Record of the Year and Song of the Year. The track is a fierce diss aimed at Drake, making waves for its bold lyrics and outstanding production by Mustard. If it wins, it will be the first diss track to claim a Grammy, a feat no other artist has achieved yet. Coincidentally, Drake’s diss track “Back to Back” was nominated for Best Rap Performance in 2016 but lost to Kendrick’s “Alright.”
The song has already made significant impacts on the charts, hitting number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and breaking several records, many previously held by Drake. “Not Like Us” was also a contender for song of the summer and emerged as a best-seller in 2024. Its popularity helped Kendrick land the Super Bowl halftime show, a first for a hip hop artist performing solo. Meanwhile, Drake has filed a lawsuit against Universal Music Group over the song’s promotion. These events add to the drama surrounding the track’s nominations.
Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. has praised “Not Like Us,” calling it a “hot record” with incredible artistry and talent. Despite its controversial content, Mason believes the Academy voters recognize the song’s creative and cultural relevance. His confidence suggests Kendrick could walk away with several awards, especially in the rap categories.
Aside from “Not Like Us,” Kendrick’s collaboration with Future and Metro Boomin on “Like That” is also competing for Best Rap Song and Best Rap Performance. Both tracks are strong contenders, but the competition stiffens in broader categories like Song of the Year and Record of the Year, where tracks from pop sensations like Beyoncé and Billie Eilish are in the mix.
If Kendrick manages to sweep all five categories he is nominated in, he will edge closer to becoming the most decorated rapper in Grammy history. This would place him just two awards shy of JAY-Z and Kanye West, who each have 24 Grammys. Interestingly, Kendrick’s career began later than both JAY-Z and Kanye, with his first Grammy nod in 2014.
Winning at the 2025 Grammys would cap an incredible year for Kendrick, who has been acknowledged as the Best Rapper Alive. His achievements in the past year and the upcoming Super Bowl performance define a career filled with groundbreaking moments.
As we approach the 2025 Grammys, all eyes are on Kendrick Lamar. Whether he makes history or not, his impact on music and culture is undeniable, leaving fans and critics alike eagerly anticipating the outcome.