Kendrick Lamar Becomes Most-Awarded Rapper Ever with Five Wins at 2026 GRAMMYs

Kendrick Lamar cemented his legacy at the 2026 GRAMMYs, walking away with five awards from nine nominations and officially becoming the most-decorated rapper in the award’s history. The Compton lyricist started the night strong, picking up three wins during the premiere ceremony before adding two more on the main broadcast. His dominance pushed his career total to 27 trophies, edging past Jay-Z’s 25 to claim the top spot among rap artists.

The haul included Best Rap Album for his sharp 2025 effort GNX, a record that reaffirmed his technical command and narrative depth. He doubled up on the SZA collaboration ‘Luther’, taking both Record of the Year and Best Melodic Rap Performance. ‘TV Off’ earned Best Rap Song, while his feature on Clipse’s ‘Chains & Whips’ helped the Virginia duo secure Best Rap Performance, showing Kendrick’s influence extends beyond solo work.

Amid a telecast marked by pointed anti-ICE messages from multiple winners, Kendrick kept his acceptance remarks centered on the music itself. The night underlined his sustained excellence in a genre often undervalued by the Academy, and the record-breaking total feels like the payoff for years of boundary-pushing albums and verses.

Watch the acceptance speech here: