Grammys 2025: Kendrick Lamar sweeps the awards with five wins for Drake diss track Not Like Us

Lamar, who earned seven nominations, took the stage at Los Angeles’ Crypto.com Arena to accept his awards, crediting his home city as the driving force behind his music. (Image credits: Reuters)

Kendrick Lamar dominated the 67th Grammy Awards, winning five trophies for his explosive Drake diss track, Not Like Us, including Record of the Year and Song of the Year. The song, which became an instant cultural moment in 2024, was widely regarded as the defining knockout blow in Lamar’s highly publicised feud with Drake.

Lamar, who earned seven nominations, took the stage at Los Angeles’ Crypto.com Arena to accept his awards, crediting his home city as the driving force behind his music. “It was this neck of the woods that held me down since a young buck. I was in the studio scrapping to write the best raps. I can’t give enough thanks to these places,” he said, paying tribute to the West Coast hip-hop legacy.

With just one week until his Super Bowl halftime performance, Lamar also took a moment to acknowledge the devastating wildfires that have recently impacted Los Angeles, Palisades, and Altadena. “This is a true testament that we will continue to restore the city,” he said, highlighting the ongoing relief efforts.

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Released in May 2024, Not Like Us was the climax of Lamar and Drake’s high-profile lyrical battle, which saw both artists trading multiple diss tracks. The song, fueled by scathing bars and a West Coast bounce, instantly shot to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming one of the biggest hits of the year.

While Lamar’s Grammy sweep was a major highlight, the 2025 Grammys largely celebrated female artists. Every major award at the main show went to women, with Doechii, Sabrina Carpenter, Chappell Roan, and Shakira taking home top honours. Beyoncé made history by becoming the first Black woman to win Best Country Album, before also claiming the prestigious Album of the Year award.