Kendrick Lamar has officially tied Jay-Z for the most Grammy wins ever by a rapper, while surpassing Kanye West in the process.
At the 2026 Grammy Awards, Kendrick added three new trophies to his growing collection this year by picking up Best Rap Performance for “Chains & Whips,” alongside Clipse, Pusha T, Malice and Pharrell Williams, Best Melodic Rap Performance for “Luther,” his collaboration with SZA and Best Rap Song for “TV Off,” his collaborative track featuring Lefty Gunplay.
The award officially pushes him past Ye, who previously held the record for most Grammy wins by a rapper with 24, before Jay-Z surpassed him last year with 25, thanks to his songwriting contributions on Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter, which took home Album of the Year. Beyond his wins, Kendrick remains one of the night’s most-nominated artists and may further widen the gap between him and Jay if he scores a few more.
He is still in the running for some of the ceremony’s biggest awards, including Record of the Year and Song of the Year for “Luther” with SZA.
His latest album GNX, is also nominated for both Album of the Year and Best Rap Album, while his collaboration “30 for 30” with SZA is up for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance.
The historic milestone further cements Kendrick’s legacy as one of hip-hop’s most critically acclaimed artists, with consistent recognition across both rap-specific categories and the Grammys’ biggest general fields.
From socially conscious storytelling to chart-topping collaborations, Kendrick’s career has now reached a rare level of awards dominance, and he could potentially become the most awarded rapper in Grammy history outright.
To get your hands on vinyl from this year’s Grammy nominees, head to Complex’s nominees collection.
