He beat out Cardi B, Common & Pete Rock, Doechii, Eminem, Future & Metro Boomin, and GloRilla

Kendrick Lamar

Kendrick Lamar has won the 2025 Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance for “Not Like Us.” He beat out his own feature on the Future & Metro Boomin single “Like That,” as well as songs by Cardi B, “Enough (Miami),” Common & Pete Rock (“When the Sun Shines Again feat. Posdnuos”), Doechii (“Nissan Altima”), Eminem (“Houdini”), and GloRilla (“Yeah Glo!”).

Producer Mustard accepted the trophy in Lamar’s place, where he thanked his family, pgLang, and God. “I would like to say Kendrick Lamar is one of the greatest artists of all time, and especially being from the West Coast,” said Mustard. “He performed his ass off on that song, didn’t he?” Watch his full speech below.

Lamar is nominated seven times tonight, with “Not Like Us” also eligible for Song of the Year, Record of the Year, Best Rap Song, and Best Music Video. He’s previously taken home the trophy for Best Rap Performance in 2023 (for “The Heart Pt. 5”), 2022 (for the Baby Keem collab “Family Ties”), 2019 (for “King’s Dead,” from the Black Panther OST), 2018 (for “HUMBLE.”), 2016 (for “Alright”), and 2015 (for “i”), making this his seventh win in the category.

Earlier in the evening, Lamar also picked up Best Rap Song and Best Music Video for “Not Like Us.” The rapper was not present to accept the trophy, so Mustard took the stage on his behalf.

Read about “Not Like Us” at #1 on “The 100 Best Songs of 2024,” and follow along with all of Pitchfork’s coverage of the 2025 Grammys.