Kendrick Lamar etched his name into music history at the 2026 Grammy Awards after becoming the most-awarded rapper in the ceremony’s history.
The Compton-born rap star was one of the biggest winners of the night, entering the ceremony with nine nominations. His run began early, as he picked up three awards during the premiere ceremony held before the main broadcast. By the end of the night, Kendrick walked away with a total of five Grammy trophies.
His critically acclaimed 2025 album GNX earned him the Best Rap Album award, while his collaboration with SZA, ‘Luther’, secured the highly coveted Record of the Year prize. The song proved to be one of the night’s standouts, also winning Melodic Rap Performance.
Kendrick’s dominance continued as ‘TV Off’ clinched Best Rap Song, while he also shared in the success of rap duo Clipse. Their track ‘Chains & Whips’ won Best Rap Performance, adding yet another Grammy to Kendrick’s growing collection.
Kendrick Lamar has officially won in all rap categories at this year’s #GRAMMYs:
🏆 Best Rap Album
🏆 Best Melodic Rap Performance
🏆 Best Rap Song
🏆 Best Rap Performance pic.twitter.com/afX3gKtQRj— Kurrco (@Kurrco) February 2, 2026
With the latest wins, Kendrick Lamar has now amassed 27 Grammy Awards across his career, officially surpassing Jay-Z’s previous record of 25 wins to become the most decorated rapper in Grammy history.
Speaking during one of his acceptance speeches, Kendrick paid tribute to hip-hop culture and its enduring influence. “It is hip-hop as usual, man. I’m not good at talking about myself, but I express it through the music.”
The ceremony was marked by several socially conscious moments, with many winners addressing political and humanitarian issues. In one of the night’s emotional highlights, SZA focused on music’s power to unite people during her speech.
“Please don’t fall into despair,” SZA said. “We can go on, we need each other … we’re not governed by the government, we’re governed by God.”
The 2026 Grammys will be remembered not only for record-breaking achievements, but also for how artists used the global stage to reflect on culture, connection and the enduring voice of music.