Billboard has officially named Kendrick Lamar the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Artist of the Year, marking the first time he has received the honor in his career. The recognition is based on activity across the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs charts from October 26, 2024 through October 18, 2025. Even without a 2025 album release, Lamar maintained a dominant presence throughout the year due to the continued impact of GNX.
Released in late 2024, GNX debuted at No. 1 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart dated December 7 and held the top spot for seven weeks. For nearly the entire tracking period, it remained within the top 10, slipping out only once on the week of October 11, 2025. The project’s longevity played a major role in Lamar’s year-end positioning.
Lamar also held several of the year’s most successful rap songs. His collaboration with SZA, “Luther,” finished as the top track of the year, followed by “TV Off,” “Not Like Us,” and “Squabble Up” in the top 10. He additionally secured the ninth position with “Peekaboo,” giving him a strong presence across the year-end songs list.
In April, Lamar and SZA launched the Grand National Tour in support of GNX. The run achieved significant commercial success and featured several high-profile guest appearances, including AZ Chike, Baby Keem, Doja Cat, Justin Bieber, Kaytranada, Lizzo, and Playboi Carti. The tour further expanded the project’s reach and contributed to Lamar’s chart activity.
The year also included their joint performance at the Super Bowl LIX Halftime Show, where Lamar delivered a set that included “Not Like Us,” “Luther,” “TV Off,” and other hits. The performance was widely viewed as a major moment in his ongoing feud with Drake, with several pointed references incorporated into the show. Although GNX dominated throughout the year, it ultimately finished at No. 2 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums year-end chart for 2025. SZA’s SOS, boosted by the release of SOS Deluxe: LANA, claimed the top spot. The win marks another strong year for SZA, whose original SOS also finished No. 1 in 2023.
