Listicle for Black History Month Shout Out to the Top 3 Black artists who made history at the 2025 Grammys 

(Courtesy/ TheWrap)

The 2025 Grammy Awards was more than just a night filled with laughter and applause, it was a powerful kickoff to Black History Month. 

The 67th Grammys was a night to remember for Black artists like Beyonce, Kendrick Lamar and Doechii who shattered records and created new milestones; proving that Black creativity pivotal to the music industry. 

Here are three Black artists who won awards at this year’s Grammys.

Beyonce 

(Courtesy/Hollywood Reporter)

Does Queen Bey ever not ‘run the world?’ Well, she did again at this year’s Grammys  and made history winning two prestigious categories, Album of the Year and Best Country Album for “Cowboy Carter.” 

Beyonce’s country album, “Cowboy Carter” released on March 29, 2024, breached the country music genre. She made history again as the first Black artist to win Country Album of the Year. 

However, many people felt as if the album didn’t deserve the recognition it received, since she wasn’t nominated at the Country Music Awards. 

“I believe she paved a way winning that Grammy, she had other Black country artists on her album to help them get exposure,” said Jarah McMiller, a senior criminology major at Howard. “Also, she faced backlash because people think she is overrated but I disagree, people are just mad that a Black woman is ahead.”

Beyonce winning Album of the Year made history again when she became the second Black woman to win. The last Black woman to win this category was Lauryn Hill in 1999 for her landmark album “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill.” 

Despite all the negativity and hate, after 28 years Beyonce continues to break barriers in the music industry. 

Kendrick Lamar 

(Courtesy/ Grammys) 

Did K-Dot just sweep the Grammys? Kendrick Lamar was nominated for and won five categories at the Grammys. 

These five categories include Best Music Video, Best Rap Song, Best Rap Performance, Record of the Year and Song of the Year with his 2024 summer anthem “Not Like Us.” 

“Not Like Us” was produced in response to Drake’s song, “First Person Shooter”, featuring J. Cole during their rap beef. In his song, J. Cole mentioned that he, Drake and Lamar were the ‘Big Three’ of rap music; referencing them as the ‘holy trinity.’ 

Lamar decided to fire back, dissing them both separating himself from the trio in “Like That” by Future and Metro Boomin. 

Since Lamar released “Not Like Us”, everyone has become hooked, as it is catchy and shares a message. 

“The song represents Black culture and how we are different from the rest, they try to duplicate our history but they can’t because they not like us,” Brandon Horton, a junior journalism major said. “As soon as I heard the beat I knew the song was going to be good and have a huge impact. 

Kendrick Lamar now has 57 nominations and 22 wins making him one of the most awarded rappers in Grammy history. It’s no surprise that he won five Grammys for his song record. 

It’s not about the number of awards an artist has, it’s about the creativity and passion the artist has when making music. Kendrick Lamar continues to demonstrate powerful messages geared to the Black community through his songs. 

Doechii 

(Courtesy/ Forbes)

How do people not know about Doechii? As a fresh face at the Grammys, Doechii contributed to the history-making magic for three category nominations and one win. 

She was nominated for Best Rap Performance and Best New Artist. She won Best Rap Album for her album “Alligator Bites Never Heal” released on August 30, 2024. 

In this unique album, there are catchy song titles like “DENIAL IS A RIVER,” inspired by  Wendy Williams’s famous response to a caller seeking advice on her husband potentially being part of the LGBTQ community on her radio show.  

Although Doechii’s win for Best Rap Album is her first Grammy, it also made her the third Black woman to win in this category. The first to win this award was Lauryn Hill for the Fugees’ album “The Score” and then Cardi B won with her album “Invasion of Privacy.”

“This Grammy wasn’t just a win for Doechii but for women in male-dominated fields everywhere, recognizing their hard work and dedication, said Ashley Rayford, a senior political science major. 

 Doechii is proving that the wave of Black women in rap is here to stay. 

The 2025 Grammy Awards showed how Black artists continue pushing boundaries and shaping the industry. Look at how Beyonce made history with “Cowboy Carter,” Kendrick Lamar claimed a spot among other rap legends and Doechii represented a new wave for Black women in rap. 

This year’s winners are living proof that Black creativity is unstoppable. As Howard students reflect on these achievements, it’s clear that these artists aren’t just making hits; they are making history.