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Rap

About Rap

Music Facts: Rap

  • The origins of rapping can be traced back centuries to griots — traveling poets, storytellers and musicians from West Africa. 

  • Rap in popular music started in the Bronx in New York City in the 1970s. It has since gone through multiple evolutions throughout the decades including: the emergence of "new school hip-hop" in the mid-'80s; the "golden age" of hip-hop and the rise of gangsta rap and West Coast rap in the late '80s and early '90s; the commercialization of mainstream rap in the late '90s; the alternative rap movement in the 2000s; and the global explosion of trap music and the so-called "SoundCloud rap" era in the 2010s. 

  • In 2017, rap and R&B became the biggest music genre in the U.S., in terms of total consumption, surpassing rock for the first time ever. 

  • Rap legends include JAY-Z, Lauryn Hill, Snoop Dogg, 2Pac, 50 Cent, Nicki Minaj, and the Notorious B.I.G. 

  • The GRAMMY Award for Best Rap Album was first presented in 1996 at the 38th Annual GRAMMY Awards.

  • At the 63rd Annual GRAMMY Awards in 2021, the Recording Academy introduced the Best Melodic Rap Performance category, formerly known as the Best Rap/Sung Performance category, to "represent the inclusivity of the growing hybrid performance trends within the rap genre."

Grammy Awards for Rap

  • Best Rap Performance

    Chains & Whips. Terrence Thornton, Malice

  • Best Melodic Rap Performance

    luther. Kendrick Lamar, SZA

  • Best Rap Song

    tv off. Jack Antonoff, Larry Jayy, Kendrick Lamar, Dijon McFarlane, Sean Momberger, Sounwave, Kamasi Washington

  • Best Rap Album

    GNX. Kendrick Lamar

  • Best Rap Performance

    Not Like Us. Kendrick Lamar

  • Best Melodic Rap Performance

    3:AM. Rapsody, Erykah Badu

  • Best Rap Song

    Not Like Us. Kendrick Lamar

  • Best Rap Album

    Alligator Bites Never Heal. Doechii

  • Best Rap Performance

    SCIENTISTS & ENGINEERS. Killer Mike, André "3000" Benjamin, Future, Eryn Allen Kane

  • Best Melodic Rap Performance

    All My Life. Durk Banks, J. Cole

  • Best Rap Song

    SCIENTISTS & ENGINEERS. André "3000" Benjamin, Paul Beauregard, James Blake, Bryan Jones, Eryn Allen Kane, Killer Mike, Tim Moore, No I.D.

  • Best Rap Album

    MICHAEL. Killer Mike

  • Best Rap Performance

    The Heart Part 5. Kendrick Lamar

  • Best Melodic Rap Performance

    WAIT FOR U. Future, Drake, Tems

  • Best Rap Song

    The Heart Part 5. Jake Kosich, Johnny Kosich, Kendrick Lamar, Matt Schaeffer

  • Best Rap Album

    Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers. Kendrick Lamar

  • Best Rap Performance

    Family Ties. Baby Keem, Kendrick Lamar

  • Best Melodic Rap Performance

    Hurricane. Kanye West, The Weeknd, Dominique Armani Jones

  • Best Rap Song

    Jail. Dwayne Abernathy Jr., Warryn Campbell, Jay Z, Raul Cubina, Mike Dean, Charles Njapa, Sean Solymar, Kanye West, Mark Williams

  • Best Rap Album

    Call Me If You Get Lost. Tyler, The Creator

  • Best Rap Performance

    Savage. Megan Pete, Beyoncé Knowles

  • Best Melodic Rap Performance

    Lockdown. Anderson .Paak

  • Best Rap Song

    Savage. Beyoncé Knowles, Jay Z, Brittany Hazzard, Derrick Milano, Terius "The Dream" Nash, Megan Pete, Bobby Session, Jr., Jordan Thorpe, J White

  • Best Rap Album

    King’s Disease. Nas

  • Best Rap Performance

    Racks In The Middle. Nipsey Hussle, Rodrick Moore, Hit-Boy

  • Best Melodic Rap Performance

    Higher. DJ Khaled, Nipsey Hussle, John Legend

  • Best Rap Song

    A Lot. J. Cole, Dahi, 21 Savage, Anthony H. White

  • Best Rap Album

    Igor. Tyler, The Creator

  • Best Rap Performance

    King's Dead. Kendrick Lamar, Jay Rock, Future, James Blake

  • Best Rap Performance

    Bubblin. Anderson .Paak

  • Best Melodic Rap Performance

    This Is America. Childish Gambino

  • Best Rap Song

    God's Plan. Drake, Daveon Jackson, Brock Korsan, Cardo, Matthew Samuels, Noah "40" Shebib

  • Best Rap Album

    Invasion Of Privacy. Cardi B

  • Best Rap Performance

    HUMBLE.. Kendrick Lamar

  • Best Melodic Rap Performance

    LOYALTY.. Kendrick Lamar, Rihanna

  • Best Rap Song

    HUMBLE.. Kendrick Lamar, Asheton Hogan, Michael L. Williams II, A. Tiffith

  • Best Rap Album

    DAMN.. Kendrick Lamar

  • Best Rap Performance

    No Problem. Chancelor Bennett, Lil Wayne, Tauheed Epps

  • Best Melodic Rap Performance

    Hotline Bling. Drake

  • Best Rap Song

    Hotline Bling. Drake, Paul Jefferies

  • Best Rap Album

    Coloring Book. Chancelor Bennett

  • Best Rap Performance

    Alright. Kendrick Lamar

  • Best Melodic Rap Performance

    These Walls. Kendrick Lamar, Bilal, Anna Wise, Thundercat

  • Best Rap Song

    Alright. Kendrick Lamar, Kawan Prather, Sounwave, Pharrell Williams

  • Best Rap Album

    To Pimp A Butterfly. Kendrick Lamar

  • Best Rap Performance

    I. Kendrick Lamar

  • Best Melodic Rap Performance

    The Monster. Eminem, Rihanna

  • Best Rap Song

    I. Kendrick Lamar, Ronald Isley, Rahki

  • Best Rap Album

    The Marshall Mathers LP2. Eminem

  • Best Rap Performance

    Thrift Shop. Ben Haggerty, Ryan Lewis

  • Best Melodic Rap Performance

    Holy Grail. Jay Z, Justin Timberlake

  • Best Rap Song

    Thrift Shop. Ben Haggerty, Ryan Lewis

  • Best Rap Album

    The Heist. Ben Haggerty, Ryan Lewis

  • Best Rap Performance

    N****s In Paris. Jay Z, Kanye West

  • Best Melodic Rap Performance

    No Church In The Wild. Jay Z, Kanye West, Frank Ocean, Terius "The Dream" Nash

  • Best Rap Song

    N****s In Paris. Jay Z, Mike Dean, Hit-Boy, Kanye West

  • Best Rap Album

    Take Care. Drake

  • Best Rap Performance

    Otis. Jay Z, Kanye West

  • Best Melodic Rap Performance

    All Of The Lights. Kanye West, Rihanna, Kid Cudi, Fergie

  • Best Rap Song

    All Of The Lights. Jeff Bhasker, Fergie, Malik Yusef Jones, Terius "The Dream" Nash, Warren Trotter, Kanye West

  • Best Rap Album

    My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. Kanye West

  • Rap Solo Performance

    Not Afraid. Eminem

  • Rap Duo/Group Performance

    On To The Next One. Jay Z, Swizz Beatz

  • Best Melodic Rap Performance

    Empire State Of Mind. Jay Z, Alicia Keys

  • Best Rap Song

    Empire State Of Mind. Jay Z, Angela Hunte, Alicia Keys, Janet Sewell, Alexander Shuckburgh

  • Best Rap Album

    Recovery. Eminem

  • Rap Solo Performance

    D.O.A. (Death Of Auto-Tune). Jay Z

  • Rap Duo/Group Performance

    Crack A Bottle. Eminem, Dr. Dre, 50 Cent

  • Best Melodic Rap Performance

    Run This Town. Jay Z, Rihanna, Kanye West

  • Best Rap Song

    Run This Town. Jeff Bhasker, Jay Z, Rihanna, Kanye West, No I.D.

  • Best Rap Album

    Relapse. Eminem

  • Rap Solo Performance

    A Milli. Lil Wayne

  • Rap Duo/Group Performance

    Swagga Like Us. Jay Z, T.I., Kanye West, Lil Wayne

  • Best Melodic Rap Performance

    American Boy. Estelle, Kanye West

  • Best Rap Song

    Lollipop. Darius "Deezle" Harrison, Lil Wayne, James Scheffer, Static Major, Rex Zamor

  • Best Rap Album

    Tha Carter III. Lil Wayne

  • Rap Solo Performance

    Stronger. Kanye West

  • Rap Duo/Group Performance

    Southside. Common, Kanye West

  • Best Melodic Rap Performance

    Umbrella. Rihanna, Jay Z

  • Best Rap Song

    Good Life. Aldrin Davis, Mike Dean, T-Pain, Kanye West

  • Best Rap Album

    Graduation. Kanye West

  • Rap Solo Performance

    What You Know. T.I.

  • Rap Duo/Group Performance

    Ridin. Chamillionaire, Anthony "Krazie Bone" Henderson

  • Best Melodic Rap Performance

    My Love. Justin Timberlake, T.I.

  • Best Rap Song

    Money Maker. Ludacris, Pharrell Williams

  • Best Rap Album

    Release Therapy. Ludacris

  • Rap Solo Performance

    Gold Digger. Kanye West

  • Rap Duo/Group Performance

    Don't Phunk With My Heart. Black Eyed Peas

  • Best Melodic Rap Performance

    Numb/Encore. Jay Z, Linkin Park

  • Best Rap Song

    Diamonds From Sierra Leone. DeVon Harris, Kanye West

  • Best Rap Album

    Late Registration. Kanye West

  • Rap Solo Performance

    99 Problems. Jay Z

  • Rap Duo/Group Performance

    Let's Get It Started. Black Eyed Peas

  • Best Melodic Rap Performance

    Yeah!. Usher, Lil Jon, Ludacris

  • Best Rap Song

    Jesus Walks. Miri Ben Ari, Che Smith, Kanye West

  • Best Rap Album

    The College Dropout. Kanye West

  • Best Female Rap Solo Performance

    Work It. Missy "Misdemeanor" Elliott

  • Best Male Rap Solo Performance

    Lose Yourself. Eminem

  • Rap Duo/Group Performance

    Shake Ya Tailfeather. Nelly, Murphy Lee

  • Best Melodic Rap Performance

    Crazy In Love. Jay Z

  • Best Rap Song

    Lose Yourself. Jeff Bass, Eminem, L Resto

  • Best Rap Album

    Speakerboxxx/The Love Below. OutKast

  • Best Female Rap Solo Performance

    Scream a.k.a. Itchin'. Missy "Misdemeanor" Elliott

  • Best Male Rap Solo Performance

    Hot In Herre. Nelly

  • Rap Duo/Group Performance

    The Whole World. OutKast, Killer Mike

  • Best Melodic Rap Performance

    Dilemma. Nelly

  • Best Rap Album

    The Eminem Show. Eminem

  • Rap Solo Performance

    Get Ur Freak On. Missy "Misdemeanor" Elliott

  • Rap Duo/Group Performance

    Ms. Jackson. OutKast

  • Best Melodic Rap Performance

    Let Me Blow Ya Mind. Eve, Gwen Stefani

  • Best Rap Album

    Stankonia. OutKast

  • Rap Solo Performance

    The Real Slim Shady. Eminem

  • Rap Duo/Group Performance

    Forgot About Dre. Dr. Dre, Eminem

  • Best Rap Album

    The Marshall Mathers LP. Eminem

  • Rap Solo Performance

    My Name Is. Eminem

  • Rap Duo/Group Performance

    You Got Me. The Roots, Erykah Badu, Eve

  • Best Rap Album

    The Slim Shady LP. Eminem

  • Rap Solo Performance

    Gettin' Jiggy Wit It. Will Smith

  • Rap Duo/Group Performance

    Intergalactic. Beastie Boys

  • Best Rap Album

    Vol. 2...Hard Knock Life. Jay Z

  • Rap Solo Performance

    Men In Black. Will Smith

  • Rap Duo/Group Performance

    I'll Be Missing You. Faith Evans, 112

  • Best Rap Album

    No Way Out. Puff Daddy & The Family

  • Rap Solo Performance

    Hey Lover. LL Cool J

  • Rap Duo/Group Performance

    Tha Crossroads. Bone Thugs-N-Harmony

  • Best Rap Album

    The Score. Fugees

  • Rap Solo Performance

    Gangsta's Paradise. Coolio

  • Rap Duo/Group Performance

    I'll Be There For You/You're All I Need To Get By. Method Man, Mary J. Blige

  • Best Rap Album

    Poverty's Paradise. Naughty By Nature

  • Rap Solo Performance

    U.N.I.T.Y.. Queen Latifah

  • Rap Duo/Group Performance

    None Of Your Business. Salt-N-Pepa

  • Rap Solo Performance

    Let Me Ride. Dr. Dre

  • Rap Duo/Group Performance

    Rebirth Of Slick (Cool Like Dat). Digable Planets

  • Rap Solo Performance

    Baby Got Back. Sir Mix-A-Lot

  • Rap Duo/Group Performance

    Tennessee. Arrested Development

  • Rap Solo Performance

    Mama Said Knock You Out. LL Cool J

  • Rap Duo/Group Performance

    Summertime. D.J. Jazzy Jeff, Will Smith

  • Rap Solo Performance

    U Can't Touch This. M.C. Hammer

  • Rap Duo/Group Performance

    Back On The Block. Melle Mel, Ice-T, Big Daddy Kane, Kool Moe Dee, Quincy Jones, Quincy D. III

  • Best Rap Performance

    Bust A Move. Young MC

  • Best Rap Performance

    Parents Just Don't Understand. D.J. Jazzy Jeff, Will Smith

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