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A visual history · Grammys

The winners who defined Rap Song.

22 ceremonies, 2004–2025. 16 different winners. The longest run belongs to Kanye West, with 2 straight wins.

Who won most recently?
Kendrick Lamar in 2025 for Not Like Us.
Who has won the most?
Kendrick Lamar, 5 wins (2015, 2016, 2018, 2023, 2025).
  1. Not Like UsKendrick Lamar
  2. Scientists & EngineersKiller Mike featuring André 3000, Future and Eryn Allen Kane
  3. The Heart Part 5Kendrick Lamar
  4. JailKanye West featuring Jay-Z
  5. SavageMegan Thee Stallion featuring Beyoncé
  6. A Lot21 Savage featuring J. Cole
Years explored
2004–2025
Different winners
16
Category leader
Kendrick Lamar · 5
About this record

Best Rap Song was first awarded in 2004, so it does not run the full 1959–2025 window.

2004–2025

22 ceremonies

20042025

01 / The reigns

Kanye West set the longest run.

The timeline turns the 2004–2025 record into a sequence of reigns. Longer bands reveal sustained runs; color shows the credited label.

  1. Kendrick Lamar at the 2018 Pulitzer Prize ceremony01
    Kendrick Lamar5 wins
  2. 02
    Drake2 wins
  3. 03
    Kanye West2 wins
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
Scientists & Engineers'24
Kendrick Lamar'25

02 / The power map

Who stood behind the winners?

Roc-A-Fella leads the recorded label credits with 5 wins, 2004–2025. The full distribution shows whether power was concentrated or shared.

Roc-A-Fella5 wins
Universal5 wins
Independent3 wins
Roc Nation2 wins
Disturbing tha Peace1 win
G.O.O.D.1 win
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%

03 / The near misses

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

Counting nominations in this category only, 2004–2025.

Most nominated, never won this award

  1. 01
    Jay-Z
    3 noms
  2. 02
    The Black Eyed Peas
    3 noms
  3. 03
    Lupe Fiasco
    2 noms
  4. 04
    Snoop Dogg and Pharrell Williams
    2 noms
  5. 05
    T.I.
    2 noms
  6. 06
    Wiz Khalifa
    2 noms

Most losses in this category

  1. 01
    Drake
    4L · 2W
  2. 02
    Jay-Z
    3L · 0W
  3. 03
    The Black Eyed Peas
    3L · 0W
  4. 04
    Kanye West
    2L · 2W
  5. 05
    Lupe Fiasco
    2L · 0W
  6. 06
    Snoop Dogg and Pharrell Williams
    2L · 0W

04 / The archive

Every year.
Every winner.

The complete reference behind the story, showing 2004–2025. Open any year to see the rest of the field when nominee records are available.

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