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A visual history · Grammys

The winners who defined Rap/Sung Collab..

15 ceremonies, 2002–2016. 15 different winners.

Who won most recently?
Kendrick Lamar featuring Bilal, Anna Wise and Thundercat in 2016 for These Walls.
  1. These WallsKendrick Lamar featuring Bilal, Anna Wise and Thundercat
  2. The MonsterEminem featuring Rihanna
  3. Holy GrailJay-Z and Justin Timberlake
  4. No Church in the WildJay-Z, Kanye West, Frank Ocean and The-Dream
  5. All of the LightsKanye West, Rihanna, Kid Cudi and Fergie
  6. Empire State of MindJay-Z featuring Alicia Keys
Years explored
2002–2016
Different winners
15
Category leader
No leader
About this record

Best Rap/Sung Collaboration was first awarded in 2002, so it does not run the full 1959–2025 window.

It was awarded for the last time in 2016.

From 2017 the Grammys awarded Best Melodic Rap Performance instead.

2002–2016

15 ceremonies

20022016

01 / The reigns

15 winners shaped this category.

The timeline turns the 2002–2016 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.
Eve featuring Gwen Stefani'02
Nelly featuring Kelly Rowland'03
Beyoncé featuring Jay-Z'04
Usher featuring Ludacris and Lil Jon'05
Linkin Park and Jay-Z'06
Justin Timberlake featuring T.I.'07
Rihanna featuring Jay-Z'08
Estelle featuring Kanye West'09
Jay-Z featuring Rihanna and Kanye West'10
Jay-Z featuring Alicia Keys'11
Kanye West, Rihanna, Kid Cudi and Fergie'12
Jay-Z, Kanye West, Frank Ocean and The-Dream'13
Jay-Z and Justin Timberlake'14
Eminem featuring Rihanna'15
These Walls'16

02 / The power map

Who stood behind the winners?

Roc-A-Fella leads the recorded label credits with 4 wins, 2002–2016. The full distribution shows whether power was concentrated or shared.

Roc-A-Fella4 wins
Sony3 wins
Universal3 wins
Roc Nation2 wins
Ruff Ryders1 win
TDE1 win
Wins by label
  1. Roc-A-Fella427%
  2. Sony320%
  3. Universal320%
  4. Roc Nation213%
  5. Ruff Ryders17%
  6. TDE17%
  7. Other17%

04 / The archive

Every year.
Every winner.

The complete reference behind the story, showing 2002–2016. Open any year to see the rest of the field when nominee records are available.

YearWinnerLabel
2016Kendrick Lamar featuring Bilal, Anna Wise and Thundercat (These Walls)
beat 4 others
  • Big Sean featuring Kanye West and John Legend (One Man Can Change the World)
  • Common and John Legend (Glory)
  • Jidenna featuring Roman GianArthur (Classic Man)
  • Nicki Minaj featuring Drake, Lil Wayne & Chris Brown (Only)
TDE/Aftermath
2015Eminem featuring Rihanna (The Monster)
beat 4 others
  • Common featuring Jhené Aiko (Blak Majik)
  • ILoveMakonnen featuring Drake (Tuesday)
  • Schoolboy Q featuring BJ the Chicago Kid (Studio)
  • Kanye West featuring Charlie Wilson (Bound 2)
Aftermath/Shady
2014Jay-Z and Justin Timberlake (Holy Grail)
beat 4 others
  • J. Cole and Miguel (Power Trip)
  • Jay-Z and Beyoncé (Part II (On the Run))
  • Kendrick Lamar and Mary J. Blige (Now or Never)
  • Wiz Khalifa and The Weeknd (Remember You)
Roc-A-Fella/Roc Nation
2013Jay-Z, Kanye West, Frank Ocean and The-Dream (No Church in the Wild)
beat 4 others
  • Flo Rida and Sia (Wild Ones)
  • John Legend and Ludacris (Tonight (Best You Ever Had))
  • Nas and Amy Winehouse (Cherry Wine)
  • Rihanna and Jay-Z (Talk That Talk)
Roc-A-Fella/Roc Nation
2012Kanye West, Rihanna, Kid Cudi and Fergie (All of the Lights)
beat 5 others
  • Beyoncé and André 3000 (Party)
  • DJ Khaled, Drake, Rick Ross and Lil Wayne (I'm On One)
  • Dr. Dre, Eminem and Skylar Grey (I Need a Doctor)
  • Rihanna and Drake (What's My Name?)
  • Kelly Rowland and Lil Wayne (Motivation)
Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam
2011Jay-Z featuring Alicia Keys (Empire State of Mind)
beat 4 others
  • B.o.B featuring Bruno Mars (Nothin' on You)
  • Chris Brown featuring Tyga and Kevin McCall (Deuces)
  • Eminem featuring Rihanna (Love the Way You Lie)
  • John Legend featuring The Roots, Melanie Fiona and Common (Wake Up Everybody)
Roc Nation/Atlantic
2010Jay-Z featuring Rihanna and Kanye West (Run This Town)
beat 4 others
  • Beyoncé featuring Kanye West (Ego)
  • Keri Hilson featuring Kanye West and Ne-Yo (Knock You Down)
  • The Lonely Island featuring T-Pain (I'm on a Boat)
  • T.I. featuring Justin Timberlake (Dead and Gone)
Roc Nation/Atlantic
2009Estelle featuring Kanye West (American Boy)
beat 4 others
  • Flo Rida featuring T-Pain (Low)
  • John Legend featuring André 3000 (Green Light)
  • Lil Wayne featuring T-Pain (Got Money)
  • Lupe Fiasco featuring Matthew Santos (Superstar)
Atlantic/HomeSchool
2008Rihanna featuring Jay-Z (Umbrella)
beat 4 others
  • Chris Brown featuring T-Pain (Kiss Kiss)
  • Akon featuring Snoop Dogg (I Wanna Love You)
  • Keyshia Cole featuring Lil' Kim and Missy Elliott (Let It Go)
  • Kanye West featuring T-Pain (Good Life)
Def Jam/SRP
2007Justin Timberlake featuring T.I. (My Love)
beat 4 others
  • Akon featuring Eminem (Smack That)
  • Beyoncé featuring Jay-Z (Déjà Vu)
  • Eminem featuring Nate Dogg (Shake That)
  • Jamie Foxx featuring Ludacris (Unpredictable)
Jive
2006Linkin Park and Jay-Z (Numb/Encore)
beat 4 others
  • Gwen Stefani featuring Eve (Rich Girl)
  • Destiny's Child featuring T.I. and Lil Wayne (Soldier)
  • Common featuring John Legend and Kanye West (They Say)
  • Ciara featuring Missy Elliott (1, 2 Step)
Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam
2005Usher featuring Ludacris and Lil Jon (Yeah!)
beat 4 others
  • Kanye West featuring Syleena Johnson (All Falls Down)
  • Christina Milian featuring Fabolous (Dip It Low)
  • Jadakiss featuring Anthony Hamilton (Why)
  • Twista featuring Jamie Foxx and Kanye West (Slow Jamz)
Arista
2004Beyoncé featuring Jay-Z (Crazy in Love)
beat 4 others
  • The Black Eyed Peas featuring Justin Timberlake (Where Is the Love?)
  • LL Cool J featuring Marc Dorsey (Luv U Better)
  • Snoop Dogg featuring Pharrell and Uncle Charlie Wilson (Beautiful)
  • Pharrell featuring Jay-Z (Frontin')
Columbia
2003Nelly featuring Kelly Rowland (Dilemma)
beat 4 others
  • Fat Joe featuring Ashanti (What's Luv?)
  • Ja Rule featuring Ashanti (Always on Time)
  • Nappy Roots featuring Anthony Hamilton (Po' Folks)
  • Justin Timberlake featuring Clipse (Like I Love You)
Universal/Columbia
2002Eve featuring Gwen Stefani (Let Me Blow Ya Mind)
beat 4 others
  • Ja Rule featuring Case (Livin' It Up)
  • Jagged Edge featuring Nelly (Where the Party At)
  • Ludacris featuring Nate Dogg (Area Codes)
  • Mystic featuring Planet Asia (W)
Ruff Ryders/Interscope