Kendrick Lamar Wins Best Male Hip-Hop Artist At The BET Awards, And Some Fans Are Confused

BY Alexander Cole
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NFL: Super Bowl LIX-Kansas City Chiefs at Philadelphia Eagles
Feb 9, 2025; New Orleans, LA, USA; Recording artist Kendrick Lamar performs during the halftime show of Super Bowl LIX between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Kansas City Chiefs at Ceasars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Kendrick Lamar took home a big win at the BET Awards, although some feel as though the award is misplaced.

Kendrick Lamar has won a plethora of awards throughout his illustrious career. When it comes to hip-hop, he has the most Grammys out of any artist ever. He surpassed Jay-Z for that title earlier this year, and he is poised to rack up more wins in the future.

Last night, Lamar was nominated in various categories at the BET Awards. One of those categories was Best Male Hip-Hop Artist. Despite not dropping new music over the past year, his presence was still felt. He made enough of an impact to be nominated next to Don Toliver, Drake, A$AP Rocky, Baby Keem, DaBaby, BigXthaPlug, and even J. Cole.

Given what's taken place in 2026, some fans figured either Drake or J. Cole would take home the win. In the end, once again, it was Kendrick Lamar who got the W.

Kendrick Lamar Wins Again

This has not gone over well on social media, where many pointed out that Lamar hasn't dropped anything since 2024's GNX. When it comes to the Best Male Hip-Hop Artist category at the BET Awards, cultural impact is typically the criterion for a win. However, some on rap Twitter feel as though that shouldn't be the case, especially when ICEMAN is the biggest hip-hop album in the world right now.

The Internet Reacts

Below, you can find some of the reactions to Lamar's win. Ultimately, rap Twitter can be a pretty negative place where narratives seem to thrive. Ever since Drake pointed out Lamar's ability to win Grammys at will, there has been a tendency to hate on K. Dot whenever he wins something. This is yet another example of this.

If you want to see a full list of the winners from last night's BET Awards, you can do so right here.

About The Author
Alexander Cole is the current editor-in-chief of HotNewHipHop. He started at HotNewHipHop back in 2018 where he began as a Sports and Sneakers writer. It was here where he began to hone his craft, putting his journalism degree from Concordia University in Montreal, Quebec, to good use. Since that time, he has documented some of the biggest stories in the hip-hop world. From the Kendrick Lamar and Drake beef to the disturbing allegations against Diddy, Alex has helped HotNewHipHop navigate large-scale stories as they happen. In 2021, he went to the Bahamas for the Big 3's Championship Game. It was here where he got to interview legendary figures like Ice Cube, Clyde Drexler, and Stephen Jackson. He has also interviewed other superstar athletes such as Antonio Brown, Damian Lillard, and Paul Pierce. This is in addition to conversations with social media provocateurs like Jake Paul, and younger respected artists like Kaycyy, Lil Tecca, and Jeleel!

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