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A visual history · Grammys

The winners who defined Melodic Rap.

9 ceremonies, 2017–2025. 9 different winners.

Who won most recently?
Rapsody featuring Erykah Badu in 2025 for 3:AM.
  1. 3:AMRapsody featuring Erykah Badu
  2. All My LifeLil Durk featuring J. Cole
  3. Wait for UFuture featuring Drake and Tems
  4. HurricaneKanye West featuring The Weeknd and Lil Baby
  5. LockdownAnderson .Paak
  6. HigherDJ Khaled featuring Nipsey Hussle and John Legend
Years explored
2017–2025
Different winners
9
Category leader
No leader
About this record

Best Melodic Rap Performance was first awarded in 2017, so it does not run the full 1959–2025 window.

It was previously known as Best Rap/Sung Performance.

It widened beyond collaborations to take in solo recordings, and gained the current name in 2021.

It took over from Best Rap/Sung Collaboration.

2017–2025

9 ceremonies

20172025

01 / The reigns

9 winners shaped this category.

The timeline turns the 2017–2025 record into a sequence of reigns. Longer bands reveal sustained runs; color shows the credited label.

One band per year, because no winner has gone back-to-back in the years on record. Colored by label; scroll sideways for the full run.
Drake'17
Kendrick Lamar featuring Rihanna'18
Childish Gambino'19
DJ Khaled featuring Nipsey Hussle and John Legend'20
Anderson .Paak'21
Kanye West featuring The Weeknd and Lil Baby'22
Future featuring Drake and Tems'23
Lil Durk featuring J. Cole'24
Rapsody featuring Erykah Badu'25

02 / The power map

Who stood behind the winners?

Universal leads the recorded label credits with 2 wins, 2017–2025. The full distribution shows whether power was concentrated or shared.

Universal2 wins
G.O.O.D.1 win
Independent1 win
Jamla1 win
mcDJ1 win
Only the Family1 win
Wins by label
  1. Universal222%
  2. G.O.O.D.111%
  3. Independent111%
  4. Jamla111%
  5. mcDJ111%
  6. Only the Family111%
  7. Other222%

03 / The near misses

The names that kept coming back without the ending they wanted.

Counting nominations in this category only, 2017–2025.

Most nominated, never won this award

  1. 01
    Doja Cat
    2 noms
  2. 02
    Latto
    2 noms

Most losses in this category

  1. 01
    Doja Cat
    2L · 0W
  2. 02
    Latto
    2L · 0W

04 / The archive

Every year.
Every winner.

The complete reference behind the story, showing 2017–2025. Open any year to see the rest of the field when nominee records are available.

YearWinnerLabel
2025Rapsody featuring Erykah Badu (3:AM)
beat 4 others
  • Jordan Adetunji featuring Kehlani (Kehlani)
  • Beyoncé, Linda Martell and Shaboozey (Spaghettii)
  • Future, Metro Boomin and The Weeknd (We Still Don't Trust You)
  • Latto (Big Mama)
Jamla/Roc Nation
2024Lil Durk featuring J. Cole (All My Life)
beat 4 others
  • Burna Boy featuring 21 Savage (Sittin' on Top of the World)
  • Doja Cat (Attention)
  • Drake and 21 Savage (Spin Bout U)
  • SZA (Low)
Only the Family/Alamo
2023Future featuring Drake and Tems (Wait for U)
beat 4 others
  • DJ Khaled featuring Future and SZA (Beautiful)
  • Jack Harlow (First Class)
  • Kendrick Lamar featuring Blxst and Amanda Reifer (Die Hard)
  • Latto (Big Energy (Live))
Epic/Freebandz
2022Kanye West featuring The Weeknd and Lil Baby (Hurricane)
beat 4 others
  • J. Cole featuring Lil Baby (Pride Is the Devil)
  • Doja Cat (Need to Know)
  • Lil Nas X featuring Jack Harlow (Industry Baby)
  • Tyler, the Creator featuring Youngboy Never Broke Again and Ty Dolla $ign (WusYaName)
G.O.O.D./Def Jam
2021Anderson .Paak (Lockdown)
beat 4 others
  • DaBaby featuring Roddy Ricch (Rockstar)
  • Drake featuring Lil Durk (Laugh Now Cry Later)
  • Roddy Ricch (The Box)
  • Travis Scott (Highest in the Room)
Aftermath/12 Tone
2020DJ Khaled featuring Nipsey Hussle and John Legend (Higher)
beat 4 others
  • Lil Baby and Gunna (Drip Too Hard)
  • Lil Nas X (Panini)
  • Mustard featuring Roddy Ricch (Ballin')
  • Young Thug featuring J. Cole and Travis Scott (The London)
We the Best/Epic
2019Childish Gambino (This Is America)
beat 4 others
  • Christina Aguilera featuring GoldLink (Like I Do)
  • 6LACK featuring J. Cole (Pretty Little Fears)
  • Kendrick Lamar and SZA (All the Stars)
  • Post Malone featuring 21 Savage (Rockstar)
mcDJ/RCA
2018Kendrick Lamar featuring Rihanna (Loyalty)
beat 4 others
  • 6lack (Prblms)
  • GoldLink featuring Brent Faiyaz and Shy Glizzy (Crew)
  • Jay-Z featuring Beyoncé (Family Feud)
  • SZA featuring Travis Scott (Love Galore)
Top Dawg/Aftermath
2017Drake (Hotline Bling)
beat 4 others
  • Beyoncé featuring Kendrick Lamar (Freedom)
  • DRAM featuring Lil Yachty (Broccoli)
  • Kanye West featuring Chance the Rapper, Kelly Price, Kirk Franklin and The-Dream (Ultralight Beam)
  • Kanye West featuring Rihanna (Famous)
Cash Money/Young Money