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 is an acclaimed American rapper widely considered one of the greatest of all time. His groundbreaking work earned him the 2018 Pulitzer Prize for Music, a historic achievement as the first non-classical or jazz musician to receive the award. This recognition highlights his significant impact on music and culture.

Sections (5)

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

October 2012: BET Hip Hop Awards and ASAP Rocky Collaboration

In October 2012, Kendrick Lamar won Lyricist of the Year at the BET Hip Hop Awards. Also in October 2012, he was featured on ASAP Rocky's single "Fuckin' Problems" alongside Drake and 2 Chainz.

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October 22, 2012: Release of Good Kid, M.A.A.D City

On October 22, 2012, Kendrick Lamar released his second album and first under a major record label, Good Kid, M.A.A.D City, which was met with critical acclaim and debuted at number two on the Billboard 200. Its lead single was "Swimming Pools (Drank)".

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November 2012: Donation to American Red Cross

In November 2012, Kendrick Lamar donated to the American Red Cross to support the victims of Hurricane Sandy.

December 2013: Donation to Centennial High School

In December 2013, Kendrick Lamar donated $50,000 to his alma mater, Centennial High School, to support its music department.

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 earned 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 in January 2014, Lamar performed a mashup of "M.A.A.D City" and "Radioactive" with Imagine Dragons.

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2014: Donation of Concert Revenue to Charity

In 2014, Kendrick Lamar embarked on a small concert tour and donated all the revenue to Habitat for Humanity and his hometown.

2014: Featured on Forbes' 30 Under 30 List

In 2014, Kendrick Lamar was featured 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 album To Pimp a Butterfly, which incorporated jazz, funk, and soul genres. The album sold 324,000 copies in its first week and became Lamar's first number-one album on the Billboard 200 and the UK Albums Chart.

2015: First Billboard Hot 100 Number-One Single and Release of To Pimp a Butterfly

In 2015, Kendrick Lamar achieved his first Billboard Hot 100 number-one single with a feature on the remix of Taylor Swift's "Bad Blood". He also released his third album, To Pimp a Butterfly, which became his first of six consecutive number-one albums on the Billboard 200 chart.

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2015: Featured on Ebony's Power 100 List

In 2015, Kendrick Lamar was featured on Ebony's Power 100 list, which honors leaders within the African American community.

March 4, 2016: Release of Untitled Unmastered

On March 4, 2016, Kendrick Lamar released his compilation album, Untitled Unmastered. The album debuted atop the Billboard 200, becoming Lamar's second consecutive number-one project.

2016: Included on Time's 100 Most Influential People List

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

2016: Time's 100 Most Influential People

In 2016, Time magazine listed Kendrick Lamar as one of the 100 most influential people in the world.

July 2017: Purchase of Wheelchair-Accessible Van for Fan

In July 2017, Kendrick Lamar purchased a wheelchair-accessible van for a quadriplegic fan.

2017: Named Best Rapper Alive by Complex

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

April 16, 2018: DAMN. wins the Pulitzer Prize

On April 16, 2018, 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: Damn Wins Pulitzer Prize for Music

In 2018, Damn by Kendrick Lamar is the recipient of the Pulitzer Prize for Music, the first time a musical work outside of the classical and jazz genres was honored.

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 the single "All the Stars".

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2018: Featured on Forbes' 30 Under 30 List

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

2019: Appearance on Forbes' Celebrity 100 Ranking

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

2020: Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time

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

February 13, 2022: Super Bowl LVI Halftime Show Performance

On February 13, 2022, Kendrick Lamar co-headlined the Super Bowl LVI halftime show alongside Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, 50 Cent, and Mary J. Blige, which later won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Variety Special (Live).

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. The double album became Lamar's fourth consecutive number-one album on the Billboard 200.

October 2022: Good Kid, M.A.A.D City's Chart Milestone

In October 2022, Good Kid, M.A.A.D City became the first hip-hop studio album to spend over ten consecutive years on the Billboard 200 chart.

February 2023: To Pimp a Butterfly, Top Ranked Album on Rate Your Music

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

2023: Inclusion in Billboard's Greatest Rappers of All Time List

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

2023: Ranked Tenth-Best Solo Singer

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

March 2024: Appearance on "Like That" and Billboard Success

In March 2024, Kendrick Lamar appeared on Future and Metro Boomin's track "Like That," which reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 for three weeks.

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June 2024: Donation to Los Angeles Charities

In June 2024, Kendrick Lamar spearheaded a $200,000 donation to 20 charities and community initiatives based in Los Angeles.

2024: Billboard's Greatest Pop Star and Film Role

In 2024, Billboard listed Lamar as the greatest pop star of the year. He also starred in the animated film Piece by Piece that same year.

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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 by Kendrick Lamar was named the seventh greatest album of all time by Apple Music.

2024: Feud with Drake and Grammy Wins

In 2024, Kendrick Lamar's feud with Drake led to the US number-ones "Like That" and "Not Like Us", the latter of which won a joint-record five Grammy Awards, including Song of the Year and Record of the Year. Also in 2024, his album, GNX, produced the US number-one singles "Squabble Up" and "Luther".

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February 2, 2025: "Not Like Us" wins five Grammy Awards

On February 2, 2025, "Not Like Us" won five awards at the 67th Annual Grammy Awards: "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 SZA, Samuel L. Jackson, Serena Williams, and Mustard, breaking viewership records.