The Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance rewards individual songs or singles. It was the first rap Grammy category, created back in 1989.
In 1991, the category was discontinued, as it was split into two new categories: Best Rap Solo Performance, and Best Rap Duo/Group Performance. In 2012, Best Rap Performance was reinstated as a category, and solo and group performances are once again combined into this category.
Through 2026, Kendrick Lamar has won this category a whopping 8 times. That’s part of the reason why he is among the biggest Grammy winners in history.
Other Rap categories at the Grammys currently include Best Rap Album, Best Rap Song (which goes to the songwriters), and Best Melodic Rap Performance.
Most career Best Rap Performance nominations
Kendrick Lamar 12
Drake 11
Jay-Z 7
Kanye West 6
Cardi B 6
Future 5
Lil Wayne 5
Most career Best Rap Performance wins
Kendrick Lamar 8
Jay-Z 2
Kanye West 2
Future 2
Grammy Awards: Best Rap Performance Winners and Nominees By Year
Winners in bold; other nominees listed beneath.
2026: Chains & Whips, Clipse & Kendrick Lamar
Outside, Cardi B
Anxiety, Doechii
TV Off, Kendrick Lamar Featuring Lefty Gunplay
Darling, I, Tyler, the Creator Featuring Teezo Touchdown
2025: Not Like Us, Kendrick Lamar
Enough (Miami), Cardi B
When the Sun Shines Again, Common & Pete Rock featuring Posdnuos
Nissan Altima, Doechii
Houdini, Eminem
Like That, Future, Metro Boomin & Kendrick Lamar
Yeah Glo!, Glorilla
2024: Scientists & Engineers, Killer Mike featuring Andre 3000, Future & Eryn Allen Kane
The Hillbillies, Baby Keem featuring Kendrick Lamar
Love Letter, Black Thought
Rich Flex, Drake & 21 Savage
Players, Coi Leray
2023: The Heart Part 5, Kendrick Lamar
God Did, DJ Khaled featuring Rick Ross, Lil Wayne, Jay-Z, John Legend & Fridayy
Vegas, Doja Cat
Pushin P, Gunna & Future featuring Young Thug
F.N.F. (Let’s Go), Hitkidd & Glorilla
2022: Family Ties, Baby Keem & Kendrick Lamar
Up, Cardi B
My Life, J. Cole featuring 21 Savage & Morray
Way 2 Sexy, Drake featuring Future & Young Thug
Thot Shit, Megan Thee Stallion
2021: Savage, Megan Thee Stallion featuring Beyonce
Deep Reverence, Big Sean featuring Nipsey Hussle
BOP, DaBaby
Whats Poppin, Jack Harlow
The Bigger Picture, Lil Baby
Dior, Pop Smoke
2020: Racks in the Middle, Nipsey Hussle featuring Roddy Ricch & Hit-Boy
Middle Child, J. Cole
Suge, DaBaby
Down Bad, Dreamville featuring JID, Bas, J. Cole, EarthGang & Young Nudy
Clout, Offset featuring Cardi B
2019: Bubblin’, Anderson .Paak (tie)
King’s Dead, Kendrick Lamar, Jay Rock, Future & James Blake (tie)
Be Careful, Cardi B
Nice for What, Drake
Sicko Mode, Travis Scott, Drake, Swae Lee & Big Hawk
2018: Humble, Kendrick Lamar
Bounce Back, Big Sean
Bodak Yellow, Cardi B
4:44, Jay-Z
Bad and Boujee, Migos featuring Lil Uzi Vert
2017: No Problem, Chance the Rapper featuring Lil Wayne & 2 Chainz
Panda, Desiigner
Pop Style, Drake featuring The Throne
All the Way Up, Fat Joe & Remy Ma featuring French Montana & Infared
That Part, Schoolboy Q featuring Kanye West
2016: Alright, Kendrick Lamar
Apparently, J. Cole
Back to Back, Drake
Trap Queen, Fetty Wap
Truffle Butter, Nicki Minaj featuring Drake & Lil Wayne
All Day, Kanye West featuring Theophilus London, Allan Kingdom & Paul McCartney
2015: i, Kendrick Lamar
3005, Childish Gambino
0 to 100 / The Catch Up, Drake
Rap God, Eminem
All I Need is You, Lecrae
2014: Thrift Shop, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis featuring Wanz
Started from the Bottom, Drake
Berzerk, Eminem
Tom Ford, Jay-Z
Swimming Pools, Kendrick Lamar
2013: N—-s in Paris, Jay-Z & Kanye West
HYFR, Drake featuring Lil Wayne
Daughters, Nas
Mercy, Kanye West, Big Sean, Pusha T & 2 Chainz
I Do, Young Jeezy featuring Kay-Z & Andre 3000
2012: Otis, Jay-Z & Kanye West
Look at Me Now, Chris Brown featuring Lil Wayne & Busta Rhymes
The Show Goes On, Lupe Fiasco
Moment 4 Life, Nicki Minaj featuring Drake
Black and Yellow, Wiz Khalifa
-No award from 1991 to 2011-
1990: Bust a Move, Young MC
Me Myself and I, De La Soul
I Think I Can Beat Mike Tyson, DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince
Fight the Power, Public Enemy
Funky Cold Medina, Tone Loc
1989: Parents Just Don’t Understand, DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince
Supersonic, JJ Fad
Wild Wild West, Kool Moe Dee
Going Back to Cali, LL Cool J
Push It, Salt N Pepa
Find the Grammy Awards at grammy.com.
Last Updated on February 17, 2026