Several rappers have won 7 GRAMMYs, most notably producer and mogul Dr. Dre, who has 7 wins, and hip-hop legend Jay-Z, who holds the most wins for a rapper with 24, but also had periods with 7 wins. Other notable artists like Lauryn Hill (8 wins) and Kendrick Lamar (over 20) have more, but Dre and potentially Jay-Z (at different points) are key figures with exactly 7.
7 wins, 26 nominations
Throughout his extensive career, Dr. Dre has earned seven GRAMMYs, including the first win for Producer Of The Year, Non-Classical by a hip-hop producer and artist. His acclaimed solo album, The Chronic garnered Dr. Dre his first GRAMMY for his single "Let Me Ride" (Best Rap Solo Performance).
Most Grammys won by a rapper
Jay-Z performing with Kanye West at their Watch the Throne Tour in 2011. Jay-Z, with 25 awards, has won more Grammy Awards than any other rapper. Lauryn Hill is the most awarded female rapper, with eight Grammy Awards.
7-time Grammy award-winning artist Jon Batiste is celebrating the release of his new album 'Big Money', sharing with Dickie the stories and sounds that inspired his new music and his upcoming plans to tour Australia.
Michael Jackson won a record-breaking eight Grammys in one night at the 26th Annual Grammy Awards in 1984 for his iconic album Thriller and its hit singles, a feat later tied by Carlos Santana in 2000, but Jackson remains the solo artist with the most wins in a single night, as noted by the official Grammy website, Billboard, and various news outlets like Reddit.
Big winners included British singer Adele, veteran rockers the Foo Fighters, dubstep producer Skrillex and country superstar Taylor Swift. Adele brought home six GRAMMYs, tying Beyoncé for the most awards won by a female artist in one night.
One of the best-selling music artists with 140 million records sold, Jay-Z has won 25 Grammy Awards, the eighth-most of all time and the most of any hip-hop artist.
(NOV. 7, 2025) — Topping the list of nominees for the upcoming 2026 GRAMMY Awards® are Kendrick Lamar (9), Cirkut (7), Jack Antonoff (7), Lady Gaga (7), Bad Bunny (6), Leon Thomas (6), Sabrina Carpenter (6), Serban Ghenea (6), Andrew Watt (5), Clipse (5), Doechii (5), Sounwave (5), SZA (5), Turnstile (5), and Tyler, ...
Country-pop sensation LeAnn Rimes made history in 1997 when she, at just 14 years old, became the youngest person ever to win a GRAMMY, taking home Best New Artist and Best Female Country Vocal Performance (for her rendition of "Blue," a cover of Bill Mack's 1958 track).
The first Grammy award for Rap was won by DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince (the latter aka Will Smith; both USA) in 1989 when they were named the first ever winners of the Grammy award for Best Rap Performance with 'Parents Just Don't Understand'.
Lamar currently holds 22 career GRAMMY Awards and has received over 55 nominations. Most recently, at the 67th GRAMMY Awards in 2025, Lamar swept all five of his nominations for his song “Not Like Us,” taking home Song Of The Year, Record Of The Year, Best Rap Performance, Best Rap Song, and Best Music Video.
His accolades consist of 5 Grammy Awards, 6 American Music Awards, 41 Billboard Music Awards, 2 Brit Awards, and 3 Juno Awards. Billboard named him the Artist of the Decade (2010s) and the fourth greatest pop star of the 21st century.
Eminem loses 2 categories at the 2025 Grammy Awards to Kendrick Lamar. #eminem #kendricklamar #grammys.
Sinead O'Connor is the only artist to refuse a Grammy. According to O'Connor, her refusal to accept her trophy was her way of boycotting the "false and destructive materialistic values" of the music industry.
Michael Jackson won a record-breaking eight Grammys in one night at the 26th Annual Grammy Awards in 1984 for his iconic album Thriller and its hit singles, a feat later tied by Carlos Santana in 2000, but Jackson remains the solo artist with the most wins in a single night, as noted by the official Grammy website, Billboard, and various news outlets like Reddit.
What about the artists who lose-do they walk away empty-handed? The short answer: There's no direct prize money for Grammy winners. But don't be fooled-winning (or even just being nominated) can mean serious financial rewards in ways that go far beyond a check from the Recording Academy.
Since the GRAMMY Award is the only peer-voted award in music, this means artists are recognized, awarded and celebrated by those in their fields and industries, ultimately making the value of a GRAMMY truly priceless and immeasurable.
34 Famous Musicians Who Have Never Won a Grammy
Garth Brooks is the artist with nine diamond-certified albums, a record for album sales (10 million+ units each), though Drake now leads in total Diamond certifications (albums and singles combined) with over 10, followed by Post Malone for singles. Brooks' nine diamond albums include classics like Double Live, The Ultimate Hits, and In Pieces, making him the sole artist with this many album awards from the RIAA.
Okayplayer Icecartel Prestige Hong Kong Yahoo Jay-Z is significantly richer than P. Diddy, consistently ranking as the wealthiest hip-hop artist with a net worth estimated around $2.5 billion, while Diddy's fortune is generally placed around $1 billion or less, making Jay-Z the clear leader among rap moguls due to diverse ventures in spirits (Armand de Brignac, D'Ussé), tech (TIDAL), and entertainment (Roc Nation).
At the 65th GRAMMY Awards in 2023, Beyoncé made history by becoming the artist with the most GRAMMY wins ever at that time, reaching 32 total GRAMMYs. As of the 2025 GRAMMYs, Beyoncé now holds 35 GRAMMY wins and 99 nominations, making her both the most-awarded and most-nominated artist in GRAMMY history.