Kendrick Lamar has rewritten Grammy history.
At the 2026 Grammy Awards held on Sunday night at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, the American rap icon became the most-decorated rapper of all time, pushing his career total to 27 Grammy wins and overtaking Jay-Z’s long-standing record of 25.
The 38-year-old rapper added five trophies in one night, capping off a dominant showing that underscored his influence on contemporary hip hop.
Lamar picked up Best Rap Album for GNX early in the ceremony before claiming Record of the Year for Luther, his collaboration with SZA. He also earned Best Rap Performance for Chains & Whips alongside Clipse, Pusha T, Malice and Pharrell Williams, Best Melodic Rap Performance for Luther, and Best Rap Song for tv off.
Accepting the award for Best Rap Album, Lamar kept his remarks grounded in the culture that shaped him.
He said hip hop has always been his language, adding that while he may not be comfortable talking about himself, his music speaks clearly for him. He described the moment as an honour and stressed that hip hop remains present, evolving, and unapologetically rooted in its people and identity.
Lamar also acknowledged his fellow nominees, singling out Tyler, the Creator and Clipse, whom he referred to as brothers, while praising the shared journey and legacy of the genre.
He ended his remarks by giving glory to God and expressing gratitude to his supporters.
Beyond breaking the all-time rap record, Lamar also made history by becoming the first rapper to win Record of the Year twice. He is additionally the first male artist and rapper to take home the award in consecutive years.
Entering the ceremony, Lamar led all nominees with nine nods across major categories. Lady Gaga, alongside producers Cirkut and Jack Antonoff, followed with seven nominations each, while Bad Bunny, Leon Thomas and Sabrina Carpenter earned six apiece.
