Kendrick Lamar’s Award-Laden Year: A 2025 Retrospective

By [Your Name] — Culture & Music Correspondent

Kendrick Lamar’s 2025 was nothing short of historic. From sweeping the most prestigious music honors to reshaping hip-hop’s cultural narrative, he proved once again why he stands as one of the most influential artists of our time.
The rest of Kendrick Lamar's career has already begun

1. Grammy Triumph: A Legendary Sweep

At the 67th Annual Grammy Awards held on February 2 at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, Kendrick secured an extraordinary five wins—tying a record for the most awards taken by a single song. His diss track “Not Like Us” dominated multiple major categories:

Record of the Year

Song of the Year

Best Rap Performance

Best Rap Song

Best Music Video

Immediately after his win for Record of the Year, he returned to the stage to claim Song of the Year—introducing the moment with awe and paying tribute to legends like Diana Ross and his West Coast roots. “Nothing is more powerful than rap music,” he declared.

He dedicated the Record of the Year award to his hometown, Los Angeles—calling it the motivating terrain that shaped his artistry.

Kendrick Lamar dọn sạch sẽ lễ trao giải GRAMMY 2025 - VanHoaDuongPho

2. BET Awards Domination

Kendrick’s streak continued at the 2025 BET Awards, where he turned ten nominations into multiple victories:

Album of the Year for GNX

Best Male Hip-Hop Artist

Video of the Year for “Not Like Us”

Video Director of the Year (shared with Dave Free)

Best Collaboration with SZA for “Luther”

BET hailed GNX as a culturally seismic project that pushed boundaries and addressed generational trauma, reinforcing why Kendrick is not chasing fame—he’s shaping culture.

Kendrick Lamar Took Yet Another Victory Lap on Grammy Night in a Canadian  Tuxedo | GQ

3. The Art Behind the Wins: GNX & Message

GNX, surprise-released in November 2024 via pgLang and Interscope, stormed charts and hearts across the globe. Featuring heavy-hitters like SZA and Roddy Ricch, the album topped the Billboard 200, earning praise for reinventing West Coast hip-hop and interrogating rap’s cultural legacy.

That creative boldness carried through disaster to awards: critics and fans alike responded to its urgency, vulnerability, and expansive sonic vision.

4. From Albums to Stages: Cultural Remix

Beyond his awards, Kendrick continued to define global culture in 2025:

He topped both the winning roster at the Grammys and the nominations at the VMAs—garnering 10 VMA nods for his videos and impact.

His Grand National Tour with SZA—supporting GNX and her SOS Deluxe: Lana—became a global phenomenon with sold-out stadiums and near-$300 million gross.


5. Why This Moment Matters

Kendrick’s 2025 represents more than industry accolades. It’s a reaffirmation of rap’s power and growth, a moment where authenticity, artistry, and activism converged. He didn’t just win awards—he set them on fire.