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Every Grammys Best Rap Song winner

22 ceremonies, 2004–2025. 16 different winners. The longest run was Kanye West, 2 years straight (2005–2006).

Best Rap Song was first awarded in 2004, so it does not run the full 2000–2025 window.

Kendrick Lamar ×5Drake ×2Kanye West ×2
Each band is one winner’s reign. Wider means a longer run. Colored by label; hover for details.
Eminem'04
Kanye West'05–'06×2
Ludacris featuring Pharrell'07
Kanye West featuring T-Pain'08
Lil Wayne featuring Static Major'09
Jay-Z featuring Rihanna and Kanye West'10
Jay-Z featuring Alicia Keys'11
Kanye West featuring Rihanna, Kid Cudi and Fergie'12
Jay-Z and Kanye West'13
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis featuring Wanz'14
Kendrick Lamar'15–'16×2
Drake'17
Kendrick Lamar'18
Drake'19
21 Savage featuring J. Cole'20
Megan Thee Stallion featuring Beyoncé'21
Kanye West featuring Jay-Z'22
Kendrick Lamar'23
Killer Mike featuring André 3000, Future and Eryn Allen Kane'24
Kendrick Lamar'25
Wins by label
  1. Roc-A-Fella523%
  2. Universal523%
  3. Independent314%
  4. Roc Nation29%
  5. Disturbing tha Peace15%
  6. G.O.O.D.15%
  7. Other523%

Who kept losing

Counting nominations in this category only, 2004–2025.

Most nominated, never won

  • Jay-Z3 noms
  • The Black Eyed Peas3 noms
  • Lupe Fiasco2 noms
  • Snoop Dogg and Pharrell Williams2 noms
  • T.I.2 noms
  • Wiz Khalifa2 noms

Most losses

  • Drake4L · 2W
  • Jay-Z3L · 0W
  • The Black Eyed Peas3L · 0W
  • Kanye West2L · 2W
  • Lupe Fiasco2L · 0W
  • Snoop Dogg and Pharrell Williams2L · 0W

The full list

YearWinnerLabel
2025Kendrick Lamar (Not Like Us)
beat 4 others
  • Rapsody featuring Hit-Boy (Asteroids)
  • ¥$ (Kanye West and Ty Dolla Sign) featuring Rich the Kid and Playboi Carti (Carnival)
  • Future and Metro Boomin featuring Kendrick Lamar (Like That)
  • GloRilla (Yeah Glo!)
Interscope
2024Killer Mike featuring André 3000, Future and Eryn Allen Kane (Scientists & Engineers)
beat 4 others
  • Doja Cat (Attention)
  • Nicki Minaj and Ice Spice featuring Aqua (Barbie World)
  • Lil Uzi Vert (Just Wanna Rock)
  • Drake and 21 Savage (Rich Flex)
VLNS/Loma Vista
2023Kendrick Lamar (The Heart Part 5)
beat 4 others
  • Jack Harlow featuring Drake (Churchill Downs)
  • DJ Khaled featuring Rick Ross, Lil Wayne, Shawn Carter, John Legend and Fridayy (God Did)
  • Gunna and Future featuring Young Thug (Pushin P)
  • Future featuring Drake and Temilade Openiyi (Wait for U)
PGLang/TDE
2022Kanye West featuring Jay-Z (Jail)
beat 4 others
  • DMX featuring Jay-Z and Nas (Bath Salts)
  • Saweetie featuring Amala Zandile Dlamini (Best Friend)
  • Baby Keem featuring Kendrick Lamar (Family Ties)
  • J. Cole featuring 21 Savage and Morray (My Life)
G.O.O.D./Def Jam
2021Megan Thee Stallion featuring Beyoncé (Savage)
beat 4 others
  • Lil Baby (The Bigger Picture)
  • Roddy Ricch (The Box)
  • Drake featuring Lil Durk (Laugh Now Cry Later)
  • DaBaby featuring Roddy Ricch (ROCKSTAR)
1501 Certified
202021 Savage featuring J. Cole (A Lot)
beat 4 others
  • YBN Cordae featuring Chance the Rapper (Bad Idea)
  • Rick Ross featuring Drake (Gold Roses)
  • Nipsey Hussle featuring Roddy Ricch and Hit-Boy (Racks in the Middle)
  • DaBaby (Suge)
Slaughter Gang/Red
2019Drake (God's Plan)
beat 4 others
  • Kendrick Lamar, Jay Rock, Future and James Blake (King's Dead)
  • Eminem featuring Joyner Lucas (Lucky You)
  • Travis Scott featuring Drake, Big Hawk and Swae Lee (Sicko Mode)
  • Jay Rock (Win)
Young Money/Cash Money
2018Kendrick Lamar (Humble.)
beat 4 others
  • Cardi B (Bodak Yellow)
  • Danger Mouse featuring Run the Jewels and Big Boi (Chase Me)
  • Rapsody (Sassy)
  • Jay-Z (The Story of O.J.)
Top Dawg Entertainment/Aftermath
2017Drake (Hotline Bling)
beat 4 others
  • Fat Joe and Remy Ma featuring French Montana and Infared (All the Way Up)
  • Kanye West featuring Rihanna (Famous)
  • Chance the Rapper featuring Lil Wayne and 2 Chainz (No Problem)
  • Kanye West featuring Chance the Rapper, Kelly Price, Kirk Franklin and The-Dream (Ultralight Beam)
Cash Money/Young Money
2016Kendrick Lamar (Alright)repeat
beat 4 others
  • Kanye West featuring Theophilus London, Allan Kingdom and Paul McCartney (All Day)
  • Drake (Energy)
  • Common and John Legend (Glory)
  • Fetty Wap (Trap Queen)
Top Dawg/Aftermath
2015Kendrick Lamar (I)
beat 4 others
  • Nicki Minaj (Anaconda)
  • Kanye West featuring Charlie Wilson (Bound 2)
  • Wiz Khalifa (We Dem Boyz)
  • Drake (0 to 100 / The Catch Up)
TDE/Aftermath
2014Macklemore & Ryan Lewis featuring Wanz (Thrift Shop)
beat 4 others
  • ASAP Rocky featuring Drake, 2 Chainz and Kendrick Lamar (Fuckin' Problems)
  • Jay-Z featuring Justin Timberlake (Holy Grail)
  • Kanye West (New Slaves)
  • Drake (Started from the Bottom)
Macklemore LLC
2013Jay-Z and Kanye West (Niggas in Paris)
beat 5 others
  • Nas (Daughters)
  • Wale featuring Miguel (Lotus Flower Bomb)
  • Kanye West featuring Big Sean, Pusha T and 2 Chainz (Mercy)
  • Drake featuring Lil Wayne and Tyga (The Motto)
  • Snoop Dogg and Wiz Khalifa featuring Bruno Mars (Young, Wild & Free)
Roc-A-Fella/Roc Nation
2012Kanye West featuring Rihanna, Kid Cudi and Fergie (All of the Lights)
beat 5 others
  • Wiz Khalifa (Black and Yellow)
  • Dr. Dre, Eminem and Skylar Grey (I Need a Doctor)
  • Chris Brown, Lil Wayne and Busta Rhymes (Look at Me Now)
  • Jay-Z and Kanye West (Otis)
  • Lupe Fiasco (The Show Goes On)
Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam
2011Jay-Z featuring Alicia Keys (Empire State of Mind)
beat 4 others
  • Eminem featuring Rihanna (Love the Way You Lie)
  • Eminem (Not Afraid)
  • B.o.B featuring Bruno Mars (Nothin' on You)
  • Jay-Z and Swizz Beatz (On to the Next One)
Roc Nation/Atlantic
2010Jay-Z featuring Rihanna and Kanye West (Run This Town)
beat 4 others
  • Drake (Best I Ever Had)
  • Kid Cudi (Day 'n' Nite)
  • T.I. featuring Justin Timberlake (Dead and Gone)
  • Jay-Z (D.O.A. (Death of Auto-Tune))
Roc Nation/Atlantic
2009Lil Wayne featuring Static Major (Lollipop)
beat 4 others
  • Flo Rida featuring T-Pain (Low)
  • Snoop Dogg (Sexual Eruption)
  • Lupe Fiasco featuring Matthew Santos (Superstar)
  • T.I. featuring Jay-Z, Lil Wayne, Kanye West and M.I.A. (Swagga Like Us)
Cash Money/Universal Motown
2008Kanye West featuring T-Pain (Good Life)
beat 4 others
  • 50 Cent featuring Justin Timberlake and Timbaland (Ayo Technology)
  • T.I. (Big Things Poppin' (Do It))
  • Kanye West (Can't Tell Me Nothing)
  • Soulja Boy (Crank That)
Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam
2007Ludacris featuring Pharrell (Money Maker)
beat 4 others
  • Yung Joc (It's Goin' Down)
  • Lupe Fiasco (Kick, Push)
  • Chamillionaire featuring Krayzie Bone (Ridin')
  • T.I. (What You Know)
Disturbing tha Peace/Def Jam
2006Kanye West (Diamonds from Sierra Leone)repeat
beat 4 others
  • 50 Cent featuring Olivia (Candy Shop)
  • The Black Eyed Peas (Don't Phunk with My Heart)
  • The Game featuring 50 Cent (Hate It or Love It)
  • Missy Elliott featuring Ciara and Fatman Scoop (Lose Control)
Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam
2005Kanye West (Jesus Walks)
beat 4 others
  • Snoop Dogg and Pharrell Williams (Drop It Like It's Hot)
  • The Black Eyed Peas (Hey Mama)
  • The Black Eyed Peas (Let's Get It Started)
  • Jay-Z (99 Problems)
Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam
2004Eminem (Lose Yourself)
beat 4 others
  • Snoop Dogg and Pharrell Williams (Beautiful)
  • Jay-Z and Pharrell Williams (Excuse Me Miss)
  • 50 Cent (In da Club)
  • Missy Elliott (Work It)
Shady/Aftermath

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