The Grammys and hip hop? That relationship’s been rocky since day one. Despite the fact that rap is the biggest genre in the world, the Grammys be playin’ catchup, always late to the party.

Remember when DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince won that first rap Grammy back in ’89? The award show didn’t even bother to televise it, showin’ how much they cared about hip hop culture. But while the Grammys snoozed, the genre only got bigger and better. Now, Jay-Z just made history, passing Quincy Jones to become the most nominated Grammy artist of all time. That’s the power of hip hop.

To celebrate these wins – all earned with struggle – check this list of the ten rappers with the most Grammy statues. We’re talkin’ legends like Andre 3000 and Lauryn Hill, plus modern kings like Kendrick Lamar. These MCs prove that no matter how much the Grammys drag their feet, true talent will always rise. Here’s the top 10 rappers droppin’ bars and snagging Grammys:

1
Jay-Z – 24 Grammy Awards

 

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  • 1999 – Best Rap Album for Vol. 2… Hard Knock Life
  • 2004 – Best R&B Song for “Crazy in Love” (with Beyoncé)
  • 2004 – Best Rap/Sung Collaboration for “Crazy in Love” (with Beyoncé)
  • 2005 – Best Rap Solo Performance for “99 Problems”
  • 2006 – Best Rap/Sung Collaboration for “Numb/Encore” (with Linkin Park)
  • 2008 – Best Rap/Sung Collaboration for “Umbrella” (with Rihanna)
  • 2009 – Best Rap Performance by a Duo or a Group for “Swagga Like Us” (with T.I., Kanye West and Lil Wayne)
  • 2010 – Best Rap Solo Performance for “D.O.A. (Death of Auto-Tune)”
  • 2010 – Best Rap Song for “Run This Town” (featuring Rihanna and Kanye West)
  • 2010 – Best Rap/Sung Collaboration for “Run This Town” (featuring Rihanna and Kanye West)
  • 2011 – Best Rap/Sung Collaboration for “Empire State of Mind” (featuring Alicia Keys)
  • 2011 – Best Rap Song for “Empire State of Mind” (featuring Alicia Keys)
  • 2011 – Best Rap Performance by a Duo or a Group for “On to the Next One” (featuring Swizz Beatz)
  • 2012 – Best Rap Performance for “Otis” (with Kanye West)
  • 2013 – Best Rap Performance for “Ni**as in Paris” (with Kanye West)
  • 2013 – Best Rap Song “Ni**as in Paris” (with Kanye West)
  • 2013 – Best Rap/Sung Collaboration for “No Church in the Wild” (with Kanye West, Frank Ocean & The-Dream)
  • 2014 – Best Rap/Sung Collaboration for “Holy Grail” (featuring Justin Timberlake)
  • 2014 – Best Music Video for “Suit & Tie” (with Justin Timberlake)
  • 2015 – Best R&B Performance for “Drunk in Love” (with Beyoncé)
  • 2015 – Best R&B Song for “Drunk in Love” (with Beyoncé)
  • 2019 – Best Urban Contemporary Album for Everything Is Love (with Beyoncé as The Carters)
  • 2021 – Best Rap Song for “Savage” (as songwriter)
  • 2022 – Best Rap Song for “Jail” (with Kanye West)
  • Jay-Z is undoubtedly one of the most decorated hip hop artists of all time, with a whopping 24 Grammy Awards to his name. He won his first award back in 1999 for Best Rap Album with Vol. 2… Hard Knock Life and has been a constant presence at the ceremony ever since. The iconic Brooklyn rapper has won awards for some of his biggest hits, including “Crazy in Love” and “Empire State of Mind,” and has also collaborated with other artists to create award-winning tracks, like “Umbrella” with Rihanna and “Numb/Encore” with Linkin Park. Hov continues to be a force to be reckoned during award season, with his most recent win in 2022 for Best Rap Song with “Jail,” a collaboration with his little brother Ye.

    2
    Kanye West – 24 Grammy Awards

     

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  • 2005 – Best Rap Song for “Jesus Walks”
  • 2005 – Best Rap Album for The College Dropout
  • 2005 – Best R&B Song for “You Don’t Know My Name” (as songwriter)
  • 2006 – Best Rap Song for “Diamonds from Sierra Leone”
  • 2006 – Best Rap Solo Performance for “Gold Digger” (featuring Jamie Foxx)
  • 2006 – Best Rap Album for Late Registration
  • 2008 – Best Rap Album for Graduation
  • 2008 – Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group for “Southside” (with Common)
  • 2008 – Best Rap Solo Performance for “Stronger”
  • 2008 – Best Rap Song for “Good Life” (featuring T-Pain)
  • 2009 – Best Rap/Sung Collaboration for “American Boy” (with Estelle)
  • 2009 – Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group for “Swagga like Us” (with T.I., Jay-Z & Lil Wayne)
  • 2010 – Best Rap/Sung Collaboration for “Run This Town” (with Jay-Z & Rihanna)
  • 2010 – Best Rap Song for “Run This Town” (with Jay-Z & Rihanna)
  • 2012 – Best Rap Album for My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
  • 2012 – Best Rap/Sung Collaboration for “All of the Lights” (featuring Rihanna, Kid Cudi & Fergie)
  • 2012 – Best Rap Song for “All of the Lights” (featuring Rihanna, Kid Cudi & Fergie)
  • 2012 – Best Rap Performance for “Otis” (with Jay-Z)
  • 2013 – Best Rap Performance for “Ni**as in Paris” (with Jay-Z)
  • 2013 – Best Rap Song for “Ni**as in Paris” (with Jay-Z)
  • 2013 – Best Rap/Sung Collaboration for “No Church in the Wild” (with Jay-Z, Frank Ocean & The-Dream)
  • 2021 – Best Contemporary Christian Music Album for Jesus Is King
  • 2022 – Best Melodic Rap Performance for “Hurricane”
  • 2022 – Best Rap Song for “Jail”
  • It’s hard to overstate the impact that Kanye has had on the world of music, and Kanye’s 24 Grammy Award Wins are a testament to his talent and influence. He’s won in a variety of categories, from Best Rap Song for “Diamonds from Sierra Leone” and Best Rap Album for My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy to Best Contemporary Christian Music Album for Jesus Is King and Best Melodic Rap Performance for “Hurricane.”

    3
    Kendrick Lamar – 17 Grammy Awards

     

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  • 2015 – Best Rap Song for “i”
  • 2015 – Best Rap Performance for “i”
  • 2016 – Best Rap Performance for “Alright”
  • 2016 – Best Rap Song for “Alright”
  • 2016 – Best Rap/Sung Performance for “These Walls” (with Bilal, Anna Wise and Thundercat)
  • 2016 – Best Music Video for “Bad Blood” (with Taylor Swift)
  • 2016 – Best Rap Album for To Pimp a Butterfly
  • 2018 – Best Rap Album for DAMN.
  • 2018 – Best Rap Performance for “Humble
  • 2018 – Best Rap Song for “Humble”
  • 2018 – Best Music Video for “Humble”
  • 2018 – Best Rap/Sung Performance for “Loyalty” (with Rihanna)
  • 2019 – Best Rap Performance for “King’s Dead” (with Jay Rock, Future and James Blake)
  • 2022 – Best Rap Performance for “Family Ties” (with Baby Keem)
  • 2023 – Best Rap Album for Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers
  • 2023 – Best Rap Performance for “The Heart Part 5”
  • 2023 – Best Rap Song for “The Heart Part 5”
  • With a total of 17 Grammy Awards to his name, Kendrick is already one of the most decorated hip hop artists in history. But you could make the argument that he should have at least 20 – he was nominated by didn’t win for Best New Artist, Album of the Year and Best Rap Album for Good Kid, M.A.A.D City . Kendrick’s first two came in 2015, when he won Best Rap Song and Best Rap Performance for “i,” then continued his winning streak at the 2016 Grammys, where he took home four awards, including Best Rap/Sung Performance for “These Walls” and Best Rap Album for To Pimp a Butterfly . In 2023, he took down 3 more awards when the acclaimed Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers and “The Heart Part 5” swept the categories.

    4
    Eminem – 15 Grammy Awards

     

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  • 2000 – Best Rap Solo Performance for “My Name Is”
  • 2000 – Best Rap Album for The Slim Shady LP
  • 2001 – Best Rap Solo Performance for “The Real Slim Shady”
  • 2001 – Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group for “Forgot About Dre” (with Dr. Dre)
  • 2001 – Best Rap Album for The Marshall Mathers LP
  • 2003 – Best Music Video for “Without Me”
  • 2003 – Best Rap Album for The Eminem Show
  • 2004 – Best Male Rap Solo Performance for “Lose Yourself”
  • 2004 – Best Rap Song for “Lose Yourself”
  • 2010 – Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group for “Crack a Bottle” (featuring Dr. Dre and 50 Cent)
  • 2010 – Best Rap Album for Relapse
  • 2011 – Best Rap Album for Recovery
  • 2011 – Best Rap Solo Performance for “Not Afraid”
  • 2015 – Best Rap/Sung Collaboration for “The Monster” (featuring Rihanna)
  • 2015 – Best Rap Album for The Marshall Mathers LP 2
  • Eminem’s Grammy-winning journey began in 2000 with “My Name Is” and The Slim Shady LP , and continued with iconic albums such as The Marshall Mathers LP , The Eminem Show , Relapse , Recovery , and The Marshall Mathers LP 2 . The Detroit rapper has also received awards for memorable collaborations like “Forgot About Dre” with Dr. Dre, “Crack a Bottle” featuring Dre and 50 Cent, and “The Monster” featuring Rihanna.

    5
    Pharrell Williams – 13 Grammy Awards

     

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  • 2004 – Best Pop Vocal Album for Justified
  • 2004 – Producer of the Year, Non-Classical (as The Neptunes)
  • 2007 – Best Rap Song for “Money Maker” (with Ludacris)
  • 2014 – Album of the Year for Random Access Memories
  • 2014 – Record of the Year for “Get Lucky”
  • 2014 – Best Pop Duo/Group Performance for “Get Lucky”
  • 2014 – Producer of the Year, Non-Classical
  • 2015 – Best Pop Solo Performance for “Happy”
  • 2015 – Best Music Video for “Happy”
  • 2015 – Best Urban Contemporary Album for Girl
  • 2016 – Best Rap Song for “Alright”
  • 2019 – Best Pop Vocal Album for Sweetener
  • 2019 – Producer of the Year, Non-Classical
  • No stranger to receiving awards, Pharrell Williams has been a force in the game, earning 13 Grammy Awards through his production prowess and solo ventures. From his early work with The Neptunes to his solo hit “Happy,” Skateboard P has consistently shown his versatility, working with some of the biggest names in the industry. Pharrell’s accolades not only highlight his impact on hip hop but also his lasting influence on various genres.

    6
    André 3000 – 9 Grammy Awards

     

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  • 2002 – Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group for “Ms. Jackson”
  • 2002 – Best Rap Album for Stankonia
  • 2003 – Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group for “The Whole World” (featuring Killer Mike)
  • 2004 – Best Urban/Alternative Performance for “Hey Ya!”
  • 2004 – Album of the Year for Speakerboxxx/The Love Below
  • 2004 – Best Rap Album for Speakerboxxx/The Love Below
  • 2020 – Best R&B Performance for “Come Home” (with Anderson .Paak)
  • 2024 – Best Rap Performance for Killer Mike featuring André 3000, Future and Eryn Allen Kane – Scientists & Engineers
  • 2024 – Best Rap Song for Killer Mike featuring André 3000, Future and Eryn Allen Kane – Scientists & Engineers
  • With genre-defying albums like Stankonia and Speakerboxxx/The Love Below , Andre and Big Boi pushed the boundaries of hip hop, earning them multiple Grammys in the process. Stack’s more recent work with Anderson .Paak on “Come Home” netted him another Grammy that he could add to his ever-growing pile.

    7
    Lauryn Hill – 8 Grammy Awards

     

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  • 1997 – Best Rap Album for The Score
  • 1997 – Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals for “Killing Me Softly”
  • 1999 – Best New Artist
  • 1999 – Album of the Year for The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill
  • 1999 – Best R&B Album for The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill
  • 1999 – Best Female R&B Vocal Performance for “Doo Wop (That Thing)”
  • 1999 – Best R&B Song for “Doo Wop (That Thing)”
  • 2000 – Album of the Year for Supernatural (Santana album; as producer)
  • L-Boogie, the Fugees’ powerhouse vocalist and a supremely gifted solo artist, has managed to secure 8 Grammy Awards in the short time that she was active in the music game. A cultural icon, Lauryn Hill’s classic The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill snatched 5 Grammys in one night, including Album of the Year – the first a hip hop album had ever won the prestigious award . Her soulful blend of hip hop, R&B, and neo-soul has left an enduring impact on the hip hop landscape, and her Grammy wins cement her legendary status in the larger music world.

    8
    Dr. Dre – 7 Grammy Awards

     

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  • 1994 – Best Rap Solo Performance for “Let Me Ride”
  • 2001 – Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group for “Forgot About Dre” (with Eminem)
  • 2001 – Best Rap Album for The Marshall Mathers LP (as engineer)
  • 2002 – Producer of the Year, Non-Classical
  • 2010 – Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group for “Crack a Bottle” (with Eminem & 50 Cent)
  • 2010 – Best Rap Album for Relapse (as engineer)
  • 2020 – Best R&B Album for Ventura (as executive producer)
  • 9
    OutKast – 6 Grammy Awards

     

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  • 2002 – Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group for “Ms. Jackson”
  • 2002 – Best Rap Album for Stankonia
  • 2003 – Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group for “The Whole World” (featuring Killer Mike)
  • 2004 – Best Urban/Alternative Performance for “Hey Ya!”
  • 2004 – Album of the Year for Speakerboxxx/The Love Below
  • 2004 – Best Rap Album for Speakerboxxx/The Love Below
  • 10
    Lil Wayne – 5 Grammy Awards

     

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  • 2009 – Best Rap Album for Tha Carter III
  • 2009 – Best Rap Solo Performance for “A Milli”
  • 2009 – Best Rap Song for “Lollipop” (with Static Major)
  • 2009 – Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group for “Swagga Like Us” (with T.I., Jay-Z & Kanye West)
  • 2017 – Best Rap Performance for “No Problem” (with Chance the Rapper & 2 Chainz)
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