Kendrick Lamar Wins ‘Song of the Year’ and ‘Record of the Year’ at 67th Grammy Awards, Sparking Fan Discussion

On February 2, 2025, the 67th Grammy Awards took place in Los Angeles, where several A-listers stepped out in style, eagerly waiting to discover which prestigious award they would take home. Among the evening’s winners was iconic rapper Kendrick Lamar, who walked away with several awards, two of which sparked a heated debate online.

After fellow industry heavy hitter Miley Cyrus called out Lamar as the recipient of the Record of the Year Award for his majorly popular song, “Not Like Us,” the musician made his way onto the stage to accept the trophy and give his speech, as the audience erupted into applause.

“First and foremost, all praise to the most High,” acknowledged the “Crown” rapper after greeting the crowd. He went on to disclose how his aunt sadly passed away the day before the ceremony, emphasizing how “special” it is for him to win the award at such a time.

Lamar also spotlighted music icons, Dr. Dre, and Swizz Beatz, and highlighted, “We goin’ dedicate this one to the city, Compton, Watts, yeah, yeah, Long Beach, Inglewood, Hollywood, out to the Valley, Pacoima […] all that. You know, this is my neck of the woods that’s held me down since a young pup.”

Toward the end of his speech, the artist mentioned the families in the Palisades and Altadena who have been affected by the wildfires, adding, “This is a true testament that we’re goin’ to continue to restore the city.”

During the event, his name was called again as the winner of the Song of the Year Award for the same track. The award was presented by legendary singer Diana Ross, who revealed that Lamar had been picked as the winner by 13,000 voting members.

Walking on stage for the second time, Lamar took a moment to honor Ross with a mini bow out of respect before hugging her and taking his second award.

The “Savior” artist was accompanied by his entourage, who expressed a few words before Lamar took the mic to give additional thanks.

Further confirming Lamar’s victories were the announcements shared on X by the official account for the Grammys and the details listed on their website.

Kendrick Lamar managed to come out on top in these two categories even though he was up against the talented likes of Taylor Swift, Chappell Roan, and Billie Eilish, whom many social media users feel should have won instead.

“Totally undeserved” expressed someone on Instagram. Referring to Eilish’s song, “BIRDS OF A FEATHER,” which was up for Record of the Year, someone else echoed, “BILLIE EILISH IS GETTING ROBBED😭😭,” while another person opined, “this didn’t deserve even 1 grammy ‘Birds of a Feather’ deserved it [sic].”

“billie eilish was snubbed bc wdym ‘birds of a feather’ didn’t win a single grammy [sic],” added another social media user who included a comical gif of Swift looking uncomfortable.

An X user who brought fellow famous artist Sabrina Carpenter into the mix wrote, “Billie’s song ‘Birds of a Feather’ would have to be the biggest song of 2024 along with ‘Espresso’ and neither of them won?!?!?!?!?!?!” “TALENT WAS ROBBED. ‘BIRDS OF A FEATHER’ lost in all the categories it was nominated for at the #GRAMMYs,” stated someone else.

Similar comments ensued, with yet another person asserting, “No way he’s beating Billie.” “Worst song ever,” penned an Instagrammer.

In addition to the categories she was nominated for alongside Lamar, Eilish, known for redefining “pop music with her dark, genre-bending sound and introspective lyrics,” received nominations for Best Dance Pop Recording, Best Pop Solo Performance, Best Pop Vocal Album, Best Pop Duo/Group Performance, and Album Of The Year.

Aside from “BIRDS OF A FEATHER,” the critically acclaimed musician received such nominations for her song “L’AMOUR DE MA VIE [OVER NOW EXTENDED EDIT],” and her album “HIT ME HARD AND SOFT.”

She was also recognized for the song “Guess,” which she serves as a featured artist on. With her recent nominations, Eilish now has a total of 32 nominations, nine of which, she has won.

Aside from Eilish, Swift, and Roan, Lamar was up against the legendary likes of Beyoncé, Charlie xcx, and The Beatles, for Record of the Year. These musicians were nominated for their songs, “TEXAS HOLD ‘EM,” “360,” and “Now And Then,” respectively.

While the Pulitzer Prize-winning rapper who has played an instrumental role in redefining the hip-hop space won two incredible awards, they were not the only ones he managed to snatch up. He won Best Music Video, Best Rap Song, and Best Rap Performance for “Not Like Us.”

Lamar was also nominated for Best Rap Song and Best Rap Performance for the song “Like That”—a track he features on with famous musicians Future and Metro Boomin. With his recent wins, Lamar now has 22 Grammys from the overall 57 times he has been nominated.

Lamar’s triumph at this year’s Grammys comes after the superstar entertainer sparked heated reactions online when netizens found out he will be headlining Super Bowl 2025 on February 9 in New Orleans, Louisiana.

The announcement was followed by a playful teaser trailer, courtesy of official halftime show sponsor Apple Music, which also revealed that Grammy-winning artist SZA would join him for the performance.

In the black-and-white teaser, Lamar was shown pacing across a massive football field while chatting casually on the phone. “This field a lot bigger than what it looks,” he remarked, seemingly taking in the sheer scale of the venue.

The lighthearted moment quickly escalated when SZA, who had been lurking nearby, surprised Lamar by dousing him with a water cooler filled with sparkling blue liquid. Her mischievous grin added a dose of humor to the scene, leaving fans eager to see the pair’s chemistry play out on one of the world’s biggest stages.

SZA later shared her excitement on Instagram, posting, “Taking the stage with @Kendricklamar!” The announcement marked a significant milestone for Lamar, who will headline the Super Bowl halftime show for the first time in his career.

However, it isn’t his first time gracing the Super Bowl stage—he previously performed as a guest during the star-studded 2022 halftime show featuring Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre.

“Kendrick deserves it,” one social media user shared. Another wrote, “Back in like 2016 I said Kendrick is the GOAT, I’m happy he has proven me right every step of the way.”

A third typed, “It’s cool. I love Kendrick but never found him to be the most fun live performer. Seems like he can’t rap all his verses with that same passion live.”

A fourth person added, “I mean it’s fine I suppose but I don’t watch football so I probably have no stake /: he has no scandals, generally well-liked, better than TS or something like that lol.”

However, while many fans have expressed excitement over the announcement, not everyone looks forward to the rap icon’s performance.

“As a Gen Z member, I’m not a fan of him. I would appreciate it if it were Ice Cube, Chris Brown, Ludacris, Ne-Yo, Ciara, or Janet Jackson (she deserves a 2nd chance imo),” one person commented.

“Why does he get to be there twice? I pay no attention to that kind of music,” another shared. Someone else added, “Sick of rap at Super Bowl. It is the lowest denominator of music IMHO.”

A fourth social media user wrote, “Huge disappointment. Not a fan of Kendrick Lamar at all and this will be the first halftime show I won’t care if I miss.” Another typed, “It’ll be the only Super Bowl halftime I have skipped can’t stand his voice.”

Lamar and SZA are not the only performers set to take the stage during Super Bowl LIX. The NFL has also enlisted four Louisiana-born artists to contribute to the night’s entertainment. Jon Batiste, a jazz singer and multi-instrumentalist, is set to perform the national anthem.

Sharing his enthusiasm about the opportunity, Batiste stated, “I’m excited to figure out an arrangement that lasts the test of time, and I look forward to sharing it.”

Meanwhile, Christian singer Lauren Daigle and jazz musician Trombone Shorty will team up to deliver a rendition of “America the Beautiful.” Additionally, R&B legend Ledisi is scheduled to perform “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” rounding out a lineup that celebrates Louisiana’s rich musical heritage.

However, the announcement of Lamar as the halftime headliner sparked disappointment from one of Louisiana’s most prominent rappers. Lil Wayne, widely regarded as a favorite to headline the 2025 Super Bowl, shared his thoughts in an emotional Instagram video.

“First of all, I wanna say forgive me for the delay,” he began, visibly struggling to compose himself. “I had to get strength enough to do this without breaking. I’mma say thank you to every voice, every opinion, all the care, all the love, and the support out there,” divulged the rapper.

Wayne candidly expressed his feelings regarding learning of Lamar’s selection for the coveted slot. “I blame myself for not being mentally prepared for a letdown and for automatically mentally putting myself in that position like [sic] somebody told me that was my position,” he explained.

Reflecting on the magnitude of the event, the rapper added, “But I thought there was nothing better than that spot and that stage and that platform in my city, so it hurt.”

Lamar, who became aware of Wayne’s sentiments, seemingly addressed them in his own way—through his music. On November 22, he surprise-released his sixth album, “GNX.” In the opening track, “Wacced Out Murals,” Lamar acknowledged Wayne’s disappointment.

“Used to bump Tha Carter III, I held my Rollie chain proud / Irony, I think my hard work let Lil Wayne down / Whatever though, call me crazy, everybody questionable,” he rapped in the second verse, offering a rare glimpse into his perspective on the situation.

For those eager to witness the action on February 9, Super Bowl LIX can be live-streamed through a variety of platforms, including the Fox Sports app for iOS and Android, Tubi, FoxSports.com, NFL+, Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV, FuboTV, and Sling TV.

With an impressive lineup of performers and the drama surrounding the halftime show already making headlines, this year’s Super Bowl promises to deliver both on and off the field.