Kendrick Lamar Breaks Grammys Record For Most Wins By A Rapper

Kendrick Lamar is now the most awarded rapper in Grammys history.

On Sunday, the rap star, also the most-nominated artist at this year’s ceremony, won Best Rap Album for “GNX.”

After Queen Latifah and last year’s Best Rap Album winner, Doechii, presented the award, Lamar took the stage to give an acceptance speech dedicated to hip-hop.

“Every time I tell you this, hip-hop is gonna always be right here,” he said. “We gonna be in these suits. We gonna be looking good. We gonna be having our folks with us. We’re gonna be having the culture with us.”

Lamar now surpasses Jay-Z’s Grammy record to become the most decorated rapper ever. The latter set a new record last year after breaking his tie with Kanye West, notching his 25th win as a credited songwriter on Beyoncé’s “Cowboy Carter,” which took home Album of the Year.

Lamar was up for nine Grammys this year, bringing his total career nominations to 66. Ahead of the main ceremony, the rapper collected awards for Best Rap Song (“TV Off” feat. Lefty Gunplay), Best Melodic Rap Performance (“Luther” feat. SZA) and Best Rap Performance (Clipse’s “Chains & Whips”). He’s still nominated in several other categories, including Record, Song and Album of the Year.

Going into this year’s Grammys, Lamar already had 22 awards — the third-most ever for a rapper — after sweeping five categories last year with his “Not Like Us” diss track. He now joins the elite club of the top Grammy winners of all-time behind legends like Beyoncé, Quincy Jones and Stevie Wonder.