The Grammys announced the nominees for their 2025 awards presentation earlier this morning (November 8). With 11 nominations, Beyoncé once again demonstrated her strength as the unstoppable force in music. Kendrick Lamar trailed closely after, sharing second place with Post Malone, Billie Eilish, and Charli XCX, each of whom received seven nominations.
When “Not Like Us” peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in June, it became a cultural sensation and Lamar’s savage blow against Drake in their fiercely contested war this past spring. After dominating the rap charts for an unprecedented 21 weeks and displacing Lil Nas X’s 2019 winner “Old Town Road” off the all-time leaderboard, the committee acknowledged the song for its widespread popularity by placing it in the song and record of the year categories. Lamar’s collaboration on Metro Boomin and Future’s “Like That” in April of last year marked the beginning of his successful coup against Drake. Lamar’s calculated jabs at the 6 God on “Like That,” like in “Not Like Us,” were a pivotal moment that not only sparked the heavyweight fight but also secured nominations for best rap song and best rap performance.
Given Kendrick’s dominance in the rap industry, Doechii, his former TDE countryman, is likely the most notable nominee this year, garnering four nominations, including one for best new artist. Doechii became a strong contender in the rap arena after Alligator Bites Never Heal received critical recognition. The fact that Alligator Bites Never Heal made Doechii the first female rapper to place in the best rap album category since Cardi B’s Invasion of Privacy in 2020 is the most remarkable accomplishment of her participation in the ceremonies the following year.
Apart from Doechii’s victory, this year’s nominees included female rappers Latto, GloRilla, Rapsody, and Cardi B. GloRilla’s incredible 2024 was made possible by the speaker-rattling song “Yeah Glo!” which also won the Memphis superstar two Grammy nominations for best rap song and best rap performance, matching Rapsody’s total. Rapsody, a past Grammy nominee for Laila’s Wisdom in 2017 and Eve in 2019, attracted the committee’s attention this year with her masterful lyrical effort, Please Don’t Cry. Rap is a regular presence during Grammy season because of her penchant for storytelling and her unapologetic candor, as demonstrated in the past.
There were still a few noteworthy female rappers that were left out, most notably Sexxy Red. With a string of successful hits, such as “Get It Sexxy” and the Drake-featuring “U My Everything,” the St. Louis beauty had a wild run. Sexxy, who has led the rap scene for the past two years, might have benefited from a best new artist look.
The stars of the female rap industry, Nicki Minaj and Megan Thee Stallion, both put out new albums that reached the top of the charts. In 2023, Minaj’s album debuted at the top of the Billboard 200 with 228,000 album equivalent units in its first week. However, neither of them is included in this year’s nominations. Megan’s June self-titled album, which features her at her most at ease as an MC, is perhaps the apex of her career. Unlike during her Grammy-nominated stint in 2020, Megan didn’t have a hit song like “Savage” to help propel her to the top of the charts, even if she eventually found her footing there.
One of the most talented up-and-coming musicians this year, Tommy Richman, garnered zero nominations for his breakthrough song “Million Dollar Baby,” which peaked at No. 2 on the Hot 100. A few months back, Richman handled controversy on the internet when he mocked the idea of him collaborating on a rap song with “Baby.” Shortly after Richman’s tweets, rumors circulated that his team had submitted “Baby” for nomination in the category of best melodic rap performance, leaving fans perplexed by the choice.
Finally, it’s critical to emphasize the nominations of Eminem and Common, who disproved the notion that rap is a sport best left to young men. Each of the two lyrical wordsmiths will compete in the categories of best rap performance and best rap album. This year, Common reconnected with renowned producer Pete Rock for their collaborative album The Auditorium, Vol. 1, while Eminem had a triumphant comeback with his 12th studio album, The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grâce).
