Hip-Hop Awards Milestones: Kendrick Lamar’s Grammy Sweep, Eminem’s Oscar Win & More 

Kurtis Blow’s “The Breaks” becomes the first rap single to top the annual Pazz & Jop critics poll in the Village Voice.

The other hits in the top five for the year 1980 were Joy Division’s “Love Will Tear Us Apart,” Blondie’s “Call Me,” The Clash’s “Train in Vain”/”London Calling” and The Pretenders’ “Brass in Pocket.”

D.J. Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince’s “Parents Just Don’t Understand” becomes the first hip-hop recording to win a Grammy (best rap performance). But no rap act was invited to perform on the show. A year later, on Feb. 21, 1990, the duo becomes the first hip-hop act to perform on the Grammys. “We’d like to dedicate this performance to all the rappers last year that stood with us and helped us to earn the right to be on this stage tonight,” Smith said before he and D.J. Jazzy Jeff did “I Think I Can Beat Mike Tyson.”

Public Enemy’s sophomore album, It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back, becomes the first rap album to top the Pazz & Jop poll. The other albums in the top five for the year 1988 were Sonic Youth’s Daydream Nation, Tracy Chapman’s Tracy Chapman, Midnight Oil’s Diesel and Dust and Michelle Shocked’s Short Sharp Shocked.

M.C. Hammer becomes the first hip-hop star to host to the American Music Awards. Hammer’s sophomore album, Please Hammer Don’t Hurt ‘Em, topped the Billboard 200 for 21 weeks in 1990, still the record for a hip-hop album. His follow-up, Too Legit to Quit, logged two weeks at No. 2 in November 1991.

Arrested Development becomes the first hip-hop act to win a Grammy for best new artist. In a thoughtful speech, the group’s front-man, Speech, gave thanks “to our ancestors. Without them we would not have our characteristics and the power to fight as we do. Power to the people.”

The Grammy exposure brought the group’s debut album, 3 Years, 5 Months & 2 Days in the Life Of… to its No. 7 peak on the Billboard 200 in March 1993. It took the sleeper smash 49 weeks to reach its peak.

“Gangsta’s Paradise” by Coolio featuring L.V. becomes the first hip-hop hit to win single of the year at the Billboard Music Awards. The song, featured in the film Dangerous Minds, topped the Hot 100 for three consecutive weeks in September 1995.

Will Smith becomes the first hip-hop artist to open a Grammy telecast. He performs “Men in Black” and “Gettin’ Jiggy With It.” This is a major vote of confidence in the genre and the performer. It clearly worked, because Smith was chosen to open the show again two years later (with an assist by DJ Jazzy Jeff) with “Freakin’ It” and “Wild Wild West.”

Will Smith’s solo debut, Big Willie Style, becomes the first hip-hop album to win an American Music Award for favorite pop/rock album. The album peaked at No. 8 on the Billboard 200 in July 1998.

Lauryn Hill’s solo debut, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, becomes the first hip-hop album to win a Grammy for album of the year. Sting and Whitney Houston present the award. “This is crazy because this is hip-hop music,” Hill exclaims. Hill also becomes the first hip-hop artist to win five Grammys in one night.

The album entered the Billboard 200 at No. 1 September 1998 and held the top spot for four weeks.

Eminem’s “The Real Slim Shady” becomes the first video for a rap song to win video of the year at the MTV Video Music Awards. (Note: TLC’s “Waterfalls” and Lauryn Hill’s “Doo Wop (That Thing),” which contain hip-hop elements, had won the award in 1995 and 1999, respectively.)

“The Real Slim Shady” was Eminem’s first top 10 hit on the Hot 100. It peaked at No. 4 in June and July 2000.

Eminem’s fourth studio album, The Eminem Show, becomes the first rap release to win album of the year at the Billboard Music Awards. The album entered the Billboard 200 at No. 1 in June 2002 and remained on top for six nonconsecutive weeks.

Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five’s “The Message” becomes the first recording by a rap act to be inducted into the Library of Congress’s National Recording Registry. Ten years later, it becomes the first rap recording to be inducted into Grammy Hall of Fame.

The single, which gave featured credits to Melle Mel and Duke Bootee, had reached No. 62 on the Hot 100 in November 1982.

Eminem’s “Lose Yourself” from 8 Mile becomes first rap song to win an Oscar for best original song. Eminem co-wrote the anthemic hit with Jeff Bass and Luis Resto. Only Resto was present to accept the award, from Barbra Streisand. “Oh my,” he began. “This all goes to Marshall [Mathers]…It’s a great thing working with Marshall day in, day out. He’s creative. He has symphonies in his head that I’m privileged to put on the tape. He’s a good man, good heart. Here’s to you, Marshall.”

“Lose Yourself” hit No. 1 on the Hot 100 in November 2002 and remained on top for 12 consecutive weeks – the longest run on top by a rap single to that point.

OutKast’s fifth studio album, Speakerboxxx/The Love Below, becomes the first (and so far, only) rap release to win Grammys for both album of the and best rap album. (The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill was slotted in the best R&B album category at the Grammys.) Big Boi calls L.A. Reid to join them on stage. “I want to bring Mr. L.A. Reid up here,” he said. “This is the man that’s responsible for our career; our big brother since Day 1.”

The album entered the Billboard 200 at No. 1 in October 2003 and remained on top for seven nonconsecutive weeks.

Queen Latifah becomes the first entertainer who started out as a rapper to host the Grammys. By that point she was also an Oscar-nominated actress (for Chicago) and a Grammy-nominated jazz singer (for The Dana Owens Album).

One other rap star followed Latifah’s lead by hosting the Grammys. LL Cool J hosted the show five years running from 2012 through 2016. Only Andy Williams and John Denver have hosted more Grammy telecasts.

Public Enemy’s third studio album, Fear of a Black Planet, becomes the first rap album to be inducted into the National Recording Registry. The album had peaked at No. 10 on the Billboard 200 in May and June 1990, becoming the group’s first top 10 album.

Sean “Diddy” Combs becomes the first hip-hop star to host the MTV Video Music Awards. He was the only hip-hop star to front the show until the last two years. Singer-rapper Doja Cat hosted the 2021 show.  Jack Harlow, LL Cool J and Nicki Minaj anchored the 2022 show.

LL Cool J becomes the first hip-hop star to host the Billboard Music Awards. Ludacris and Sean “Diddy” Combs have followed his lead.

“It’s Hard Out Here for a Pimp” from Hustle & Flow becomes the first hip-hop song to be performed on the Oscar telecast. Three 6 Mafia teamed with Taraji P. Henson to perform the song, which wins an Oscar that night.

(Eminem declined to perform “Lose Yourself” on the 2003 Oscar telecast. In his absence, the song was not performed that night. He finally performed it on the 2020 telecast as part of a “music in film” tribute.)

Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five becomes the first rap act to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The other artists to be inducted that year were R.E.M., The Ronettes, Patti Smith and Van Halen.

Run-D.M.C. becomes the first hip-hop act to receive a lifetime achievement award from the Recording Academy. (Note: Gil Scott-Heron, whose spoken word poetry paved the way for rap, was honored in 2012.)

The other lifetime achievement award recipients that year were Ruth Brown, Celia Cruz, Earth, Wind & Fire, Herbie Hancock, Jefferson Airplane and Linda Ronstadt.

N.W.A’s debut studio album, Straight Outta Compton, becomes the first rap album to be inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. The album originally peaked at No. 37 on the Billboard 200 in April 1989, but rose to a new peak of No. 4 in September 2015 following the success of the film biopic of the same name.

Jay-Z becomes the first rapper to be inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.

The other inductees that year were Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds, Berry Gordy, Max Martin and two pairs, “Jimmy Jam” & Terry Lewis and Robert Lamm & James Pankow of the enduring band Chicago.

LL Cool J becomes the first hip-hop artist to receive a Kennedy Center Honor. Queen Latifah begins the tribute by noting, “Tonight we are witnesses to history. LL Cool J, one of the pioneers of hip-hop, is the Kennedy Center’s first hip-hop honoree” (as the camera cut to Chief Justice John Roberts, applauding).

The other honorees that year were Gloria Estefan, Lionel Richie, TV producer Norman Lear and actress, choreographer and dancer Carmen de Lavallade.

Kendrick Lamar’s fourth studio album, DAMN., becomes the first rap album to win the Pulitzer Prize for music. Lamar’s album was, moreover, the first musical work not in the jazz or classical genres to win the prize.

The album entered the Billboard 200 at No. 1 in May 2017 and held the top spot for four nonconsecutive weeks.

Childish Gambino’s “This Is America” becomes the first hip-hop single to win Grammys for record or song of the year. It wins both awards. Childish Gambino (a.k.a. Donald Glover) co-wrote the song with Ludwig Göransson and Jeffrey Lamar Williams.

“This Is America” entered the Hot 100 at No. 1 in May 2018 and held the top spot for two weeks.

Lil Nas X becomes the first hip-hop star to win a CMA Award. He and Billy Ray Cyrus share the award for musical event of the year for their megahit “Old Town Road (Remix).” At a press conference Lil Nas X says, “I’m so happy that this song was accepted because it is the bridging of two completely polar opposite genres put together and I’m just happy it has gotten respect from both communities.”

The song hit No. 1 on the Hot 100 in April 2019 and remained on top for a record-breaking 19 weeks — a record that was equalled in 2024 by Shaboozey’s “A Bar Song (Tipsy).”

Questlove becomes the first hip-hop artist to serve as musical director of the Oscar telecast. (Note: Pharrell Williams, whose sound incorporates hip-hop, served in this role, along with Hans Zimmer, in 2012.) One year later, Questlove wins an Oscar for best documentary (feature) for directing Summer of Soul.

Twenty years after becoming the first entertainer who started out as a rapper to receive an Academy Award nomination for acting (for Ali), Will Smith becomes the first entertainer who started out as a rapper to win an Academy Award for acting. He wins best actor for his performance as Richard Williams, father and coach to future tennis greats Venus and Serena Williams, in King Richard.

The Pepsi Super Bowl LVI Halftime Show Starring Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Mary J. Blige, Eminem, Kendrick Lamar and 50 Cent becomes the first Super Bowl halftime show to win a Primetime Emmy for outstanding variety special (live). The show, which aired Feb. 13, 2022 on NBC, was a seamless celebration of hip-hop music and culture. All six principal performers collected Emmys, as did executive producers Jay-Z, Desiree Perez and Jesse Collins; co-executive producers Dionne Harmon and Dave Meyers; and supervising producer Aaron B. Cooke.

The Grammys celebrate the 50th anniversary of hip-hop with one of the longest and most lavish special segments in the history of the show. LL Cool J introduces the segment, which includes performances by The Roots, Black Thought, Grandmaster Flash with Barshon, Rahiem, Melle Mel and Scorpio, Run-DMC, LL Cool J, DJ Jazzy Jeff, Salt-N-Pepa, Rakim, Public Enemy (Chuck D and Flavor Flav), De La Soul, Scarface, Ice-T, Queen Latifah, Method Man, Big Boi, Busta Rhymes and Spliff Star, Missy Elliott, Nelly and City Spud, Too Short, Swizz Beatz and The Lox, Lil Baby, GloRilla and Lil Uzi Vert.

Questlove serves as producer and musical director. The segment is produced by Questlove, Jesse Collins, Patrick Menton of Fulwell 73, creative producer Fatima Robinson, and Shawn Gee, Questlove’s manager and president of LNU.

Kendrick Lamar becomes the first hip-hop artist to win five Grammys twice. He first won five awards in 2016. He also becomes the first artist – from any genre – to win best music video three times. Lamar wins all five of his 2025 Grammys – record and song of the year, best rap song, best rap performance and best music video – for his smash “Not Like Us.” That smash becomes just the second hip-hop hit to win either record or song of the year, following Childish Gambino’s “This Is America,” which also won both awards.