Hip-hop in 2025 both had considered one of its biggest years in current reminiscence or one of many worst on document; it actually simply will depend on what angle you take a look at it from. Tricking from the after-effects of a rap feud that actually divided a style and its followers down the center, there was a stark distinction between how the 12 months went based mostly on which aspect your fave fell on.
On the aspect of Kendrick Lamar, there was actually nothing however success from month to month. “Not Like Us,” the diss observe heard throughout the globe, surpassed anybody’s expectations when the playing cards lastly fell throughout awards season. GRAMMYs for “Document of the 12 months,” “Track of the 12 months,” “Greatest Music Video,” “Greatest Rap Track” and “Greatest Rap Efficiency” have been all bestowed upon the tune, and it solely received higher days later when Okay. Dot carried out it on the most important of levels as headliner of the Tremendous Bowl LIX Halftime Present. Prime honors resonated additional on the NAACP Picture Awards, American Music Awards, MTV Video Music Awards and BET Awards.
On the aspect of Drake, his 12 months was spent primarily in litigation pursuing a federal defamation lawsuit in opposition to Common Music Group for serving to to advertise “Not Like Us” into changing into the tune of 2024 and, if we’re being sincere, a lot of 2025. From Drizzy’s view, UMG took sides in a disagreement that alluded to him being a pedophile. From UMG’s view, Drake is being a sore loser that rapidly forgot he used comparable techniques in his “Charged Up” beef with Meek Mill only a decade prior. Nonetheless, he did have some success on Billboard this 12 months with the chart-topping launch of his collaborative album alongside OVO labelmate PartyNextDoor titled $ome $exy $ongs 4 U. Whereas all 4 singles did pretty nicely on the Sizzling 100 — “Nokia” and “Someone Loves Me” landed at 24 and 85, respectively, on the year-end tally — lackluster evaluations for the challenge and a sole AMA nomination for “Favourite R&B Album” didn’t mirror expectations from a duo who achieved quadruple platinum standing only a decade in the past with “Acknowledge.”
Time’s certain do change, don’t they.
RELATED: YEAR IN REVIEW – Prime 20 R&B Albums Of 2025
The remainder of sport made for a collection of hits and misses, sadly extra of the latter if we’re being sincere. Regardless of an enormous authorized win to start out the 12 months off with and co-starring roles in not one however two A24 characteristic movies (If I Had Legs I’d Kick You, Highest 2 Lowest), A$AP Rocky nonetheless managed to delay the discharge of his highly-anticipated fourth studio album, Don’t Be Dumb, for a whole calendar 12 months. Nonetheless, changing into a dad for the third time alongside his billion-dollar pop star wifey Rihanna does make for an enormous understanding on the delay.
You get a move for now, pops.
Doechii has been following up her victory lap of a 12 months that was 2024 by amassing on the fruits of her labor all through 2025 awards season. She took residence the “Greatest Rap Album” GRAMMY for Alligator Bites By no means Heal, “Excellent New Artist” on the NAACP Picture Awards, “Social Track of the 12 months” on the AMAs for her viral hit “Nervousness,” a BET Award for “Greatest Feminine Hip Hop Artist” and a two-shot win on the VMAs with “Greatest Hip Hop” and “Greatest Choreography” for the visible part to “Nervousness.”
The women noticed an excellent 12 months total, like Megan Thee Stallion profitable “Favourite Feminine Hip-Hop Artist” on the AMAs and her short-lived run as considered one of solely two rap songs with “Lover Lady” to crack Prime 40 on the Billboard Sizzling 100 throughout Hip-Hop Historical past Month. Rapsody and Erykah Badu shared the GRAMMY for “Greatest Melodic Rap Efficiency” because of the magic they cooked up on “3:AM,” and pioneering femcee Roxanne Shante even obtained the Lifetime Achievement Award. Even with no album out, GloRilla managed to have a blockbuster 12 months that included a profitable run on her Superb Tour and a stunning win within the gospel class on the BET Awards — backlash from spiritual folks, sure, however a win no much less. Whereas her album took perpetually to return, Cardi B compared additionally managed to close any and all naysayers up (whereas pregnant!) when her record-breaking sophomore album, Am I The Drama?, formally dropped. Since its launch three months in the past, the chart-topping LP has already gone triple platinum in document time and pushed one of many singles (“Exterior”) onto Billboard’s year-end Prime R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.
All this pleasure even earlier than her highly-anticipated Little Miss Drama Tour is about to start!
The sisters are actually doing it for themselves, however the kings of the sport additionally obtained honorary love. Eminem took residence AMAs for “Favourite Male Hip-Hop Artist” and “Favourite Hip-Hop Album” because of his 2024 comeback LP, The Loss of life of Slim Shady (Coup de Grâce), in the meantime Snoop Dogg’s legacy was mirrored together with his BET Final Icon Award and Busta Rhymes was bestowed with the Rock the Bells Visionary Award on the MTV VMAs.
And naturally, we take a minute to recollect the fallen icons in hip-hop tradition who we sadly misplaced this 12 months. We ship a honest farewell to “Stroll It Out” emcee DJ Unk (January 24), Homicide Inc. founder Irv Gotti (February 5), Professional Period-affiliated rapper Chelsea Reject (February 12), Outlawz member Younger Noble (July 4), Mass Enchantment / Ego Journey co-founder and hip-hop connoisseur Sacha Jenkins (Could 23) and the numerous others we’d’ve missed however by no means forgotten.
