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A visual history · Grammys

The winners who defined Rap Solo.

19 ceremonies, 1991–2011. 13 different winners. The longest run belongs to Will Smith, with 2 straight wins.

Who won most recently?
Eminem in 2011 for Not Afraid.
Who has won the most?
Eminem, 3 wins (2000, 2001, 2011).
  1. Not AfraidEminem
  2. D.O.A. (Death of Auto-Tune)Jay-Z
  3. A MilliLil Wayne
  4. StrongerKanye West
  5. What You KnowT.I.
  6. Gold DiggerKanye West
Years explored
1991–2011
Different winners
13
Category leader
Eminem · 3
About this record

Best Rap Solo Performance was first awarded in 1991, so it does not run the full 1959–2025 window.

It was awarded for the last time in 2011.

It was split into separate male and female solo awards for the 2003 and 2004 ceremonies, then put back together.

From 2012 the Grammys awarded Best Rap Performance instead.

It took over from Best Female Rap Solo Performance and Best Male Rap Solo Performance.

2000–2011

10 ceremonies

19912011

01 / The reigns

Eminem set the longest run.

The timeline turns the 2000–2011 record into a sequence of reigns. Longer bands reveal sustained runs; color shows the credited label.

  1. 01
    Eminem3 wins
  2. 02
    Jay-Z2 wins
  3. 03
    Kanye West2 wins
Each band is one winner’s reign. Wider means a longer run. Colored by label; hover for details. Outlined blocks are years the award was not presented.
Eminem'00–'01×2
Missy Elliott'02
'03–'04not awarded
Jay-Z'05
Kanye West'06
T.I.'07
Kanye West'08
Lil Wayne'09
Jay-Z'10
Eminem'11

02 / The power map

Who stood behind the winners?

Roc-A-Fella leads the recorded label credits with 3 wins, 2000–2011. The full distribution shows whether power was concentrated or shared.

Roc-A-Fella3 wins
Universal3 wins
Grand Hustle1 win
Roc Nation1 win
Warner1 win
Young Money1 win
Wins by label
  1. Roc-A-Fella330%
  2. Universal330%
  3. Grand Hustle110%
  4. Roc Nation110%
  5. Warner110%
  6. Young Money110%

03 / The near misses

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

Counting nominations in this category only, 2000–2011.

Most nominated, never won this award

  1. 01
    Common
    3 noms
  2. 02
    50 Cent
    2 noms
  3. 03
    Busta Rhymes
    2 noms
  4. 04
    DMX
    2 noms
  5. 05
    Drake
    2 noms
  6. 06
    Ludacris
    2 noms

Most losses in this category

  1. 01
    Common
    3L · 0W
  2. 02
    Eminem
    3L · 3W
  3. 03
    Jay-Z
    3L · 2W
  4. 04
    T.I.
    3L · 1W
  5. 05
    50 Cent
    2L · 0W
  6. 06
    Busta Rhymes
    2L · 0W

04 / The archive

Every year.
Every winner.

The complete reference behind the story, showing 2000–2011. Open any year to see the rest of the field when nominee records are available.

YearWinnerLabel
2011Eminem (Not Afraid)
beat 4 others
  • Drake (Over)
  • Ludacris (How Low)
  • T.I. (I'm Back)
  • Kanye West (Power)
Aftermath/Shady
2010Jay-Z (D.O.A. (Death of Auto-Tune))
beat 4 others
  • Eminem (Beautiful)
  • Drake (Best I Ever Had)
  • Kid Cudi (Day 'n' Nite)
  • Mos Def (Casa Bey)
Roc Nation/Atlantic
2009Lil Wayne (A Milli)
beat 4 others
  • Jay-Z (Roc Boys (And the Winner Is)...)
  • Lupe Fiasco (Paris, Tokyo)
  • Nas (N.I.G.G.E.R. (The Slave and the Master))
  • Snoop Dogg (Sexual Eruption)
Young Money/Cash Money
2008Kanye West (Stronger)
beat 4 others
  • Common (The People)
  • 50 Cent (I Get Money)
  • Jay-Z (Show Me What You Got)
  • T.I. (Big Shit Poppin' (Do It))
Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam
2007T.I. (What You Know)
beat 4 others
  • Busta Rhymes (Touch It)
  • Missy Elliott (We Run This)
  • Lupe Fiasco (Kick, Push)
  • Mos Def (Undeniable)
Grand Hustle/Atlantic
2006Kanye West (Gold Digger)
beat 5 others
  • 50 Cent (Disco Inferno)
  • Common (Testify)
  • Eminem (Mockingbird)
  • T.I. (U Don't Know Me)
  • Ludacris (Number One Spot)
Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam
2005Jay-Z (99 Problems)
beat 4 others
  • Eminem (Just Lose It)
  • Kanye West (Through the Wire)
  • Lloyd Banks (On Fire)
  • Twista (Overnight Celebrity)
Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam
2002Missy Elliott (Get Ur Freak On)
beat 4 others
  • Afroman (Because I Got High)
  • DMX (Who We Be)
  • Jay-Z (Izzo (H.O.V.A.))
  • Nelly (Ride wit Me)
Elektra/Goldmind
2001Eminem (The Real Slim Shady)repeat
beat 4 others
  • Common (The Light)
  • DMX (Party Up (Up in Here))
  • Mystikal (Shake Ya Ass)
  • Nelly (Country Grammar (Hot Shit))
Aftermath/Interscope
2000Eminem (My Name Is)
beat 4 others
  • Busta Rhymes (Gimme Some More)
  • Q-Tip (Vivrant Thing)
  • 2Pac (Changes)
  • Will Smith (Wild Wild West)
Aftermath/Interscope