Kendrick Lamar's Success and Achievements in Timeline

A closer look at the biggest achievements of Kendrick Lamar. Awards, milestones, and records that define success.

Kendrick Lamar Duckworth is a highly acclaimed American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer, widely considered one of the greatest rappers of all time. His work, deeply rooted in West Coast hip-hop, is characterized by conscious and introspective lyrics, often featuring political criticism and social commentary focused on African-American culture. A significant achievement in his career was winning the 2018 Pulitzer Prize for Music, a historic moment as he was the first non-classical or jazz musician to receive this honor.

Sections (5)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Legacy & Impact

October 2012: Headlining the BET Music Matters Tour and winning Lyricist of the Year

In October 2012, Kendrick Lamar headlined the BET Music Matters Tour with Black Hippy and Stalley. He also won Lyricist of the Year at the BET Hip Hop Awards during this month.

2013: Named Best Rapper Alive by Complex

In 2013, Complex named Kendrick Lamar the best rapper alive.

January 2014: Grammy Nominations and Performance

In January 2014, Kendrick Lamar received seven nominations at the 56th Annual Grammy Awards, including Best New Artist, Best Rap Album, and Album of the Year for "Good Kid, M.A.A.D City". During the awards ceremony, he performed a mashup of "M.A.A.D City" and "Radioactive" with Imagine Dragons.

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2014: Included on Forbes' 30 Under 30 list

In 2014, Kendrick Lamar was included on Forbes' 30 Under 30 list in the music category.

March 15, 2015: Release of "To Pimp a Butterfly"

On March 15, 2015, Kendrick Lamar released his third album, "To Pimp a Butterfly". It incorporated genres such as jazz, funk, and soul, and featured producers like Sounwave and Pharrell Williams. The album sold 324,000 copies in its first week, becoming Lamar's first number-one album on the Billboard 200 and the UK Albums Chart.

May 2015: Declared generational icon by the California State Senate

In May 2015, Kendrick Lamar was declared a generational icon by the California State Senate for his contributions to music and philanthropy.

2015: First US Billboard Hot 100 number-one single and Release of To Pimp a Butterfly

In 2015, Kendrick Lamar featured on the remix of Taylor Swift's "Bad Blood" and scored his first US Billboard Hot 100 number-one single, and released his third album, To Pimp a Butterfly.

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2016: Included on Time's 100 Most Influential People

In 2016, Time included Kendrick Lamar on its annual list of the 100 most influential people in the world.

2017: Named Best Rapper Alive by Complex

In 2017, Complex named Kendrick Lamar the best rapper alive for the second time.

2017: Release of Damn and Humble

In 2017, Kendrick Lamar released his fourth album Damn, which leaned towards R&B and pop, and yielded his second US number one single, "Humble".

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April 16, 2018: "Damn" wins Pulitzer Prize for Music

On April 16, 2018, Kendrick Lamar's album "Damn" won the Pulitzer Prize for Music, marking the first time a musical composition outside of the classical and jazz genres received the honor.

2018: Black Panther Soundtrack and Academy Award Nomination

In 2018, Kendrick Lamar curated original songs for the soundtrack of the film Black Panther, earning a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Original Song for "All the Stars".

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2018: Pulitzer Prize for Music

In 2018, Kendrick Lamar was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Music, marking the first time a musician outside the classical and jazz genres received the award.

2018: Included on Forbes' 30 Under 30 list

In 2018, Kendrick Lamar was included on Forbes' 30 Under 30 list in the music category for the second time.

2019: Featured on Forbes' Celebrity 100 ranking

In 2019, Kendrick Lamar appeared on Forbes' Celebrity 100 ranking.

2020: Inclusion in Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums

In 2020, three of Kendrick Lamar's works were included in Rolling Stone's 2020 revision of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.

May 13, 2022: Release of "Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers"

On May 13, 2022, Kendrick Lamar released his fifth album, Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers, a double album influenced by jazz, R&B, trap, and soul. The album was widely acclaimed, with every track charting on the Hot 100, and became his fourth consecutive number-one album on the Billboard 200.

February 2023: Top Ranked Album on Rate Your Music

As of February 2023, To Pimp a Butterfly is the top ranked album on the online encyclopedia Rate Your Music.

2023: Included in Billboard's list of the greatest rappers of all time

In 2023, Kendrick Lamar was included in Billboard's list of the greatest rappers of all time.

2023: Ranked tenth-best solo singer of the 21st century

In 2023, The Times ranked Kendrick Lamar the tenth-best solo singer of the 21st century.

March 2024: End of Big Steppers Tour

In March 2024, Kendrick Lamar's Big Steppers Tour concluded. The tour grossed $110.9 million worldwide, becoming the highest-grossing rap tour ever at the time.

2024: Billboard names Lamar as greatest pop star; Starred in Piece by Piece

In 2024, Billboard listed Lamar as the greatest pop star of the year. Also in 2024, outside of music, Lamar starred in the animated biographical film Piece by Piece.

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2024: Good Kid, M.A.A.D City Named Seventh Greatest Album of All Time by Apple Music

In 2024, Good Kid, M.A.A.D City was named the seventh greatest album of all time by Apple Music.

February 2, 2025: "Not Like Us" Wins at the Grammy Awards

On February 2, 2025, Kendrick Lamar's "Not Like Us" won five awards at the 67th Annual Grammy Awards including "Record of the Year", "Song of the Year", "Best Rap Performance", "Best Rap Song" and "Best Music Video".

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February 9, 2025: Super Bowl LIX Halftime Performance

On February 9, 2025, Kendrick Lamar performed at the Super Bowl LIX halftime show, featuring cameos and musical performances from SZA, Samuel L. Jackson, Serena Williams, and Mustard. His halftime show broke viewership records, becoming the most-watched Super Bowl performance of all time with 133.5 million viewers.