Kendrick Lamar and Clipse Lead Grammy Nominations, Signaling Hip-hop’s Continued Dominance
The 2026 Grammy Awards have unveiled a slate of nominations that prominently feature Kendrick Lamar and the reunited Clipse, underscoring a year of important artistic achievement within the hip-hop community. Lamar secured a nomination for Best Rap Album with GNX, alongside recognition for his collaboration with Lefty Gunplay on “tv off” in the Best Rap Song category. Clipse, poised for their first Grammy win as a duo, received nominations for both best Rap Song with “The Birds don’t Sing” and Best Rap Album for Let God sort Em out.
These nominations arrive at a pivotal moment for hip-hop, a genre consistently evolving and influencing the broader musical landscape. The recognition for both established artists like Lamar and a celebrated,returning act like Clipse highlights the genre’s enduring creative vitality and commercial power. The awards ceremony, scheduled for february 1, will not only celebrate individual accomplishments but also serve as a barometer of the industry’s current tastes and trends.
Beyond Lamar and Clipse, Doechii’s “Anxiety” earned a Best Rap Song nomination, while GloRilla is recognized for both “TGIF” and her album Glorious. Tyler, the Creator’s Chromakopia and “Sticky” (featuring GloRilla, Lil Wayne, and Sexyy Red) also received nominations, further demonstrating the breadth of talent currently shaping the genre.
clipse,previously recognized with a Best Rap/Sung Collaboration Grammy in 2003 for justin Timberlake’s “Like I Love you,” expressed their eagerness for a win as a performing unit. “We have already been validated with our art form… so, to be able to walk it into a grammy nomination… You know, you [have to] first have the product, then you connect to the plug,” malice stated in a recent interview with Complex. His brother added, “Bringing home that hardware would mean everything… We’re going for it… we made the album we looked at it, and was like, ‘Oh, this is that strong.’ We need to take something home for this.”
The 2026 Grammy Awards promise to be a significant event for hip-hop, regardless of the final results. With Lamar and Clipse at the forefront,the ceremony is expected to acknowledge a year marked by both innovation and a renewed gratitude for the genre’s rich history.
