Kendrick Lamar Wins 2025 Grammys Record of the Year for Not Like Us

In 2025, Kendrick Lamar snagged his first Record of the Year award at the Grammys after being nominated four times.

His fiery track “Not Like Us,” which takes a jab at Drake, triumphed over songs by Taylor Swift and Post Malone (“Fortnight”), the Beatles (“Now and Then”), Beyoncé (“Texas Hold ’Em”), Billie Eilish (“Birds of a Feather”), Chappell Roan (“Good Luck, Babe!”), Charli XCX (“360”), and Sabrina Carpenter (“Espresso”). Surprisingly, they even aired some of the song’s harshest lines during the show; it might be a first for lyrics causing legal drama with a giant record label to be broadcasted at such an event.

Kendrick kicked off his speech with gratitude: “What’s up? First and foremost, praise to the most high we woke up this morning.” He continued by shouting out Dre and Swiss before dedicating his win to various parts of Los Angeles: Compton, Long Beach, Inglewood, Hollywood, extending all the way to San Bernardino. “This is my neck of the woods that held me down since a young pup,” he said passionately. His words painted a picture of his journey from scrappy beginnings in studios to crafting award-winning raps. He also thanked families in Palisades and Altadena for their support. His message was clear—together they could uplift their city. And then he called out for Mustard.

We feel like Kendrick’s dedication is really inspiring.

Mustard jumped in with excitement: “I ain’t got nothing to say but West Siiiiiiiiiiide!”

Noah Mitchell
Noah Mitchell
Noah Mitchell is a senior music writer at SongsDetails.com. Noah has been passionately covering the music industry for over five years, with a particular focus on live performances and the latest updates on artists.