Kendrick Lamar Makes History As He Wins Big At 2023 BET Hip Hop Awards

    Kendrick Lamar reasserted his status as “King Kendrick” at the 2023 BET Hip Hop Awards, emerging as the night’s biggest winner.

    The Compton native took home a total of four trophies at the annual awards show, which was held at Atlanta’s Cobb Energy Performing Arts Center on October 3 and televized on Tuesday (October 10).

    Sweeping every category he was nominated in, Kendrick won Hip Hop Artist of the Year, Lyricist of the Year, Best Live Performer and Video Director of the Year alongside his longtime collaborator Dave Free.

    K. Dot made history with these victories, becoming the first rapper to win Hip Hop Artist of the Year three times and extending his lead in the Lyricist of the Year category with a ninth win.

    He’s also tied with Kanye West and JAY-Z for most Best Live Performer wins with four, and is the first director to snag back-to-back Video Director of the Year awards since Hype Williams, who won four consecutive times between 2009 and 2012.

    Kendrick owes his trophy haul to the success of his 2022 album Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers and its accompanying Big Steppers Tour, as well as his “Count Me Out” and “Rich Spirit” music videos and “The Hillbillies” collaboration with Baby Keem.

    Elsewhere, Drake and 21 Savage won two awards each for Hip Hop Album of the Year (Her Loss) and Best Duo or Group, as did Lil Durk and J. Cole for Best Collaboration and Impact Track (both for “All My Life”).

    Lil Uzi Vert also claimed a couple of wins in the Song of the Year and Video of the Year categories (both for “Just Wanna Rock”), along with Metro Boomin, who was crowned both Producer of the Year and DJ of the Year.

    Ice Spice (Best Best Breakthrough Hip Hop Artist), JAY-Z (Best Featured Verse, “God Did”), 50 Cent (Hustler of the Year) and Yung Miami (Best Hip Hop Platform, Caresha Please) also took home silverware.

    Aside from recognizing achievements from the past year, the 2023 BET Hip Hop Awards also paid tribute to some of the game’s most iconic names, which was only fitting considering the genre is celebrating its 50th birthday this year.

    Swizz Beatz and Timbaland were honored with the Rock The Bells Cultural Influence Award for their respective careers as Hip Hop hitmakers, not to mention the more recent success of their Verzuz battle series.

    “I always dreamed I would be on the stage accepting the award about Hip Hop,” Timbo said. “Doing music back in Virginia, [I] never thought I would make it, but now I’m here!”

    “Me and my brother created something special, and it ain’t over,” he continued, hinting at the long-awaited return of their aforementioned platform. “I’m glad to share this moment with my brother, Swizzy.”

    During his turn on the mic, Swizz dedicated the award to “all the producers coming from nothing and making it into something,” as well as the late DMX and his Ruff Ryders family.

    Fellow beat king Marley Marl was also given his flowers as he received the I Am Hip Hop Award. The love poured in from his peers, too, with LL COOL J and Rakim delivering a tribute performance and Eminem, Swizz Beatz, DJ Jazzy Jeff and others singing his praises in a video montage.

    Check out the full list of 2023 BET Hip Hop Awards winners below:

    Hip Hop Artist of the Year

    21 Savage
    Burna Boy
    Cardi B
    Drake
    Glorilla
    J. Cole
    Kendrick Lamar (WINNER)
    Lil Uzi Vert

    Song of the Year

    Lil Durk f. J. Cole — “All My Life”
    DJ Khaled f. Rick Ross, Lil Wayne, JAY-Z , John Legend & Fridayy — “God Did”
    Lil Uzi Vert — “Just Wanna Rock” (WINNER)
    Coi Leray — “Players”
    Latto f. Cardi B — “Put It On Da Floor Again”
    Drake & 21 Savage — “Rich Flex”
    Burna Boy f. 21 Savage — “Sittin’ On Top Of The World”
    GloRilla & Cardi B — “Tomorrow 2”

    Hip Hop Album of the Year

    GloRilla — Anyways, Life’s Great…
    Coi Leray — Coi
    DJ Khaled — God Did
    Drake & 21 Savage — Her Loss (WINNER)
    Metro Boomin — Heroes & Villains
    Jack Harlow — Jackman
    Lil Uzi Vert — Pink Tape
    Megan Thee Stallion — Traumazine

    Best Hip Hop Video

    Coi Leray — “Players (DJ Smallz 732 Jersey Club Remix)”
    Latto f. Cardi B — “Put It On Da Floor Again”
    DaBaby — “Shake Sumn”
    Lil Uzi Vert — “Just Wanna Rock” (WINNER)
    Burna Boy f. 21 Savage — “Sittin’ On Top Of The World”
    Drake & 21 Savage — “Spin Bout U”
    GloRilla & Cardi B — “Tomorrow 2”

    Best Collaboration

    DJ Khaled f. Rick Ross, Lil Wayne, JAY-Z, John Legend & Fridayy — “God Did”
    Coi Leray f. Busta Rhymes — “Players (DJ Saige Remix)”
    Ice Spice & Nicki Minaj — “Princess Diana”
    Lil Durk f. J. Cole — “All My Life” (WINNER)
    Latto f. Cardi B — “Put It On Da Floor Again”
    Burna Boy f. 21 Savage — “Sittin’ On Top Of The World”
    GloRilla & Cardi B — “Tomorrow 2”

    Impact Track

    Nas — “30”
    Lil Durk Feat. J. Cole — “All My Life” (WINNER)
    Megan Thee Stallion — “Anxiety”
    Symba — “Can’t Win for Nothing”
    NLE Choppa — “Champions”
    DJ Khaled f. Rick Ross, Lil Wayne, JAY-Z, John Legend & Fridayy — “God Did”
    Killer Mike f. André 3000, Future & Eryn Allen Kane — “Scientists & Engineers”
    Robert Glasper f. Mac Miller — “Therapy Pt. 2”

    Best Duo or Group

    City Girls
    DJ Drama & Jeezy
    Drake & 21 Savage (WINNER)
    EarthGang
    Larry June & The Alchemist
    Quavo & TakeOff
    Rae Sremmurd

    Best Live Performer

    Burna Boy
    Busta Rhymes
    Cardi B
    Coi Leray
    DaBaby
    Drake
    Kendrick Lamar (WINNER)
    Megan Thee Stallion

    Best Breakthrough Hip Hop Artist

    Armani White
    Central Cee
    Doechii
    Finesse2tymes
    Ice Spice (WINNER)
    Kaliii
    Lola Brooke
    Sexyy Redd

    Lyricist of the Year

    21 Savage
    André 3000
    Burna Boy
    Cardi B
    Conway The Machine
    Drake
    J. Cole
    Kendrick Lamar (WINNER)

    Producer of the Year

    ATL Jacob
    DJ Khaled
    Dr. Dre
    Hit-Boy
    Hitmaka
    Kaytranada
    London On Da Track
    Metro Boomin (WINNER)
    The Alchemist

    Video Director of the Year

    Anderson .Paak
    Cole Bennett
    Colin Tilley
    DaBaby & Reel Goats
    Dave Meyers
    Kendrick Lamar & Dave Free (WINNER)
    Travis Scott

    DJ of the Year

    Chase B
    D-Nice
    DJ Cassidy
    DJ Clark Kent
    DJ Drama
    DJ Jazzy Jeff
    DJ Khaled
    Kaytranada
    Metro Boomin (WINNER)

    Best Hip Hop Platform

    AllHipHop
    Caresha Please (WINNER)
    Drink Champs
    HipHopDX
    Million Dollaz Worth of Game
    RapCaviar
    The Breakfast Club
    The Joe Budden Podcast
    XXL

    Hustler of the Year

    21 Savage
    50 Cent (WINNER)
    Burna Boy
    Cardi B
    DJ Khaled
    Drake
    JAY-Z
    Yung Miami

    Sweet 16: Best Featured Verse

    21 Savage — “Creepin’” [Metro Boomin f. The Weeknd & 21 Savage]
    21 Savage — “Peaches & Eggplants” [Young Nudy f. 21 Savage]
    André 3000 — “Scientists & Engineers” [Killer Mike f. André 3000, Future & Eryn Allen Kane]
    Cardi B — “Tomorrow 2” [GloRilla & Cardi B]
    Cardi B — “Put It On Da Floor Again” [Latto f. Cardi B]
    Drake — “Oh U Went” [Young Thug f. Drake)
    J. Cole — “All My Life” [Lil Durk f. J. Cole]
    JAY-Z — “God Did” [DJ Khaled f. Rick Ross, Lil Wayne, JAY-Z , John Legend & Fridayy] (WINNER)

    Best International Flow

    Aka (South Africa)
    Black Sherif [Ghana] (WINNER)
    Central Cee (UK)
    Gazo (France)
    J Hus (UK)
    K.O (South Africa)
    Major Rd (Brazil)
    Ninho (France)
    Sampa The Great (Zambia)
    Tasha & Tracie (Brazil)

    10 thoughts on “Kendrick Lamar Makes History As He Wins Big At 2023 BET Hip Hop Awards

    1. Kendrick, hiphop artist of the year? For what? His last album was 2022, which sucked. What did kendrick do for music the past 6 plus years? Nas should’ve gotten it this year. Multiple good albums.

      1. Nas didn’t even get a mention anywhere! I forgot what a let down BET is. Haven’t watched it in over a decade.

    2. BET Hip Hop awards committee on drugs literally. I can understand Kendrick winning all the awards below last year as he had Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers which i thought was mid but people, but to win them all again this year SMH

      Hip Hop Artist of the Year: Kendrick Lamar
      Lyricist of the Year: Kendrick Lamar
      Video Director of the Year: Kendrick Lamar & Dave Free
      Best Live Performer: Kendrick Lamar

    3. BET Hip Hop awards committee on drugs literally. I can understand Kendrick winning all the awards below last year as he had Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers which i thought was mid but people, but to win them all again this year SMH

      Hip Hop Artist of the Year: Kendrick Lamar
      Lyricist of the Year: Kendrick Lamar
      Video Director of the Year: Kendrick Lamar & Dave Free
      Best Live Performer: Kendrick Lamar

    4. A BET award much like every other meaningless award they giving out these days ain’t worth a McDonald’s happy meal toy.

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