Kendrick Lamar at the 2018 GRAMMYs

Kendrick Lamar performs at the 2018 GRAMMYs

Photo: Theo Wargo/WireImage

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GRAMMY Rewind: Watch Kendrick Lamar, U2 & Dave Chappelle Open The 2018 GRAMMYs With A Powerful Performance

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Kung-Fu Kenny served up golden bars for a medley, which included "XXX." and "DNA."—from his 2017 masterpiece, 'DAMN.'—plus "New Freezer" and "King's Dead"
Ana Monroy Yglesias
GRAMMYs
Jun 19, 2020 - 8:17 am

On Jan. 28, 2018, Kenrick Lamar amplified the energy and emotion at Madison Square Garden in New York City to 100 with a moving performance featuring Bono and The Edge of U2, Dave Chapelle and a literal army of dancers.

For the latest episode of GRAMMY Rewind, the Recording Academy returns to this unforgettable moment when Kung-Fu Kenny opened the 60th GRAMMY Awards, unleashing his poignant lyrics and incomparable flow. During the six-and-a-half-minute spectacular, he delivered golden bars from "XXX." and "DNA."—both off his 2017 masterpiece, DAMN.—as well as "New Freezer," his feature with Rich The Kid, and "King's Dead," from the Black Panther: The Album soundtrack.

GRAMMY Rewind: Kendrick Lamar Opens 2018 GRAMMYs

The Compton-born hero won five GRAMMYs for DAMN. that night, sweeping all four rap categories. The LP earned him the golden gramophone for Best Rap Album, and its massive hit single, "HUMBLE.," won for Best Rap Performance, Best Rap Song and Best Music Video. His Rihanna collab, "LOYALTY.," saw the powerhouse pair take home Best Rap/Sung Performance.

Watch: GRAMMY Rewind: Watch Kendrick Lamar Accept Best Rap Album For 'DAMN.' At The 2018 GRAMMY Awards

"King's Dead," which also features Jay Rock, Future and James Blake, won Best Rap Performance the following year at the 2019 GRAMMYs. Released as a single in January 2018, two weeks before Kendrick performed it on the GRAMMY stage, the track was featured on both the Lamar-produced Black Panther soundtrack and Rock's 2018 album, Redemption. The Black Panther project earned Lamar a total of eight nominations at the 2019 GRAMMYs, including Album Of The Year as well as Song Of The Year and Record Of The Year for its dreamy SZA-supported lead single, "All The Stars."

The hip-hop icon, who just turned 33 this week, earned his first GRAMMY nominations back at the 2014 GRAMMYs, following the release of his 2012 sophomore album, Good Kid, M.A.A.D City, which earned nods for Album Of The Year and Best Rap Album. While he didn't take home any golden gramophones that evening, he earned a total of seven nominations, including Best New Artist.

The next year, at the 57th GRAMMY Awards, K-Dot took home his first two GRAMMYs, for Best Rap Song and Best Rap Performance, for "i," the inspiring lead single off his 2015 album, To Pimp A Butterfly. He would then take home five more golden gramophones the following year, at the 2016 GRAMMYs, including Best Rap Album for Butterfly and Best Rap Song and Best Rap Performance for the Black pride anthem "Alright." To date, Kendrick has earned 13 GRAMMY wins and 37 overall nominations.

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Will Smith at the 1999 GRAMMYs

Will Smith at the 1999 GRAMMYs

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GRAMMY Rewind: Watch Will Smith Dedicate His 1999 Best Rap Solo Performance GRAMMY To His Son

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In his acceptance speech, he offers thanks to his family and "the jiggiest wife in the world, Jada Pinkett Smith"
Ana Monroy Yglesias
GRAMMYs
Sep 25, 2020 - 12:17 pm

Today, Sept. 25, we celebrate the birthday of the coolest dad—who else? Will Smith! For the latest episode of GRAMMY Rewind, we revisit the Fresh Prince's 1999 GRAMMY win for Best Rap Solo Performance for "Gettin' Jiggy Wit It."

In the below video, watch rappers Missy Elliott—donning white leather—and Foxy Brown present the GRAMMY to a stoked Smith, who also opted for an all-leather look. In his acceptance speech, he offers thanks to his family and "the jiggiest wife in the world, Jada Pinkett Smith." He dedicates the award to his eldest son, Trey Smith, joking that Trey's teacher said he (then just six years old) could improve his rhyming skills.

Will Smith Wins Best Rap Solo Performance In 1999

Watch Another GRAMMY Rewind: Ludacris Dedicates Best Rap Album Win To His Dad At The 2007 GRAMMYs

The classic '90s track is from his 1997 debut studio album, Big Willie Style, which also features "Miami" and 1998 GRAMMY winner "Men In Black," from the film of the same name. The "Está Rico" rapper has won four GRAMMYs to date, earning his first back in 1989 GRAMMYs for "Parents Just Don't Understand," when he was 20 years old.

GRAMMY Rewind: Watch Michelle Obama, Lady Gaga, Alicia Keys, J. Lo & Jada Pinkett Smith Open The 2019 GRAMMYs

U2 at 1988 GRAMMYs

U2 at 1988 GRAMMYs

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GRAMMY Rewind: U2 Win Their First-Ever GRAMMY For 'The Joshua Tree' In 1988

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For the latest episode of GRAMMY Rewind, revisit the "With Or Without You" act's first GRAMMY wins for their fifth studio album, 'The Joshua Tree,' at the 30th GRAMMY Awards
Ana Monroy Yglesias
GRAMMYs
Aug 7, 2020 - 2:13 pm

Back in 1987, Irish rock icons U2 were a favorite rising act of college radio DJs and Bono had yet to discover his love of sunglasses. It was the year they released their momentous chart-topping fifth studio album, The Joshua Tree, shortly after which Time declared them "rock's hottest ticket" with a cover story. The classic album not only put them on the map as socially conscious rock gods, it earned the group earned their first four GRAMMY nominations and first two wins. 

Read: Bono Names 60 Songs That Saved His Life On His 60th Birthday Playlist

For the latest episode of GRAMMY Rewind, revisit the "With Or Without You" act's first-ever GRAMMY win, for Best Rock Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal at the 30th GRAMMY Awards.

Watch U2 Accept Their First-Ever GRAMMY In 1988

With Bono and The Edge and Adam Clayton rocking choice steampunk looks, the quartet, also consisting of Larry Mullen Jr., accepted the award with big smiles as The Edge did the talking.  

"I don't know about you, but I'm still recovering from Whitney Houston," he said during the laugh and applause-filled speech, pulling out a paper and offering thanks to their lawyer, manager and "everyone at college radio, I don't know where we'd be without them."

The guitarist also thanked Jack Healy and Amnesty International, who hosted the 1986 Conspiracy of Hope U.S. benefit tour they took part in, along with Sting, Lou Reed, Peter Gabriel and Bryan Adams.

Watch: Flashback To Whitney Houston's 1985 Hit "Saving All My Love For You" | For The Record

He also gave gratitude to social justice heroes Desmond Tutu and Martin Luther King Jr., before moving into joking territory, offering thanks to Batman and Robin, Donald Duck "and, of course, [then President] Ronald Regan" whose name he ended on with a facetious, winking grin.

Another Great GRAMMY Rewind: Watch Jennifer Hudson Pay Tribute To Whitney Houston At The 54th GRAMMY Awards

Later in the evening, they took home the coveted Album Of The Year award for The Joshua Tree. It's unforgettable single "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" was nominated for both Record Of The Year and Song Of The Year.

The 1987 album's other memorable singles include "Where The Streets Have No Name" and "With Or Without You." It was produced by Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois, the same powerhouse pair who produced U2's prior album, 1984's The Unforgettable Fire. Its title was inspired by a Death Valley photo shoot with Anton Corbijn, whose epic black-and-white shots of the group in front of a lone joshua tree were featured in the album's art.

"People respond to our naïveté," Clayton in the 1987 TIME interview. "I think they see four guys from Ireland who don't want to let go of their dreams."

To date, U2 has earned 22 golden gramophones over the years, most recently for How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb at the 2006 GRAMMYs. 

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U2 at 2006 GRAMMYs

U2 at 2006 GRAMMYs

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GRAMMY Rewind: Watch U2 Win Album Of The Year At The 2006 GRAMMY Awards

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Watch U2 accept the high honor of Album Of The Year for 'How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb' at the 48th GRAMMY Awards in 2006
Ana Monroy Yglesias
GRAMMYs
Mar 13, 2020 - 1:25 pm

For the latest episode of GRAMMY Rewind, please join us in celebrating U2 bassist Adam Clayton's 60th birthday today, March 13, with this look back at one of the legendary rock band's GRAMMY highlights. At the 48th GRAMMY Awards in 2006, the Irish rock legends took home five golden gramophones, including for the high honors of Song Of The Year and Album Of The Year.

Below, watch U2 accept the Album Of The Year GRAMMY for their 11th studio album, How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb, with a charming speech where Bono shouts out fellow Album Of The Year nominees Kanye West (Late Registration), Mariah Carey (The Emancipation of Mimi) and Gwen Stefani (Love. Angel. Music. Baby.).

Watch U2 Win Album Of The Year At 2006 GRAMMYs

Watch More: GRAMMY Rewind: Watch Luther Vandross Perform "Give Me The Reason" At The 1987 GRAMMYs

As Bono, Clayton, The Edge and Larry Mullen Jr. approach the stage to accept the award, fellow Album Of The Year nominees Paul McCartney (Chaos and Creation In The Backyard) and West, dressed in a fierce lavender tux, congratulate the band.

"This is our second Album Of The Year, but we've lost two, Achtung Baby and All That You Can't Leave Behind, so now it feels that Kanye, you're next. [He's] a great artist that's been on the road with us [on the Vertigo Tour], [he's] extraordinary," Bono said on stage, rocking his signature tinted rimless shades with a cowboy hat and leather jacket. After also sharing complements for Carey and Stefani, he adds: "This is really a big, big night for our band."

More U2: Vote Now: Which 2000 Album Will You Have On Repeat This Year?

"If ever there should have been a record called 'Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own,' it should've been this one," Clayton added. "We had a lot of producers; Danny Lanois, Brian Eno, Flood, Nellee Hooper, Jacknife Lee, Carl Glanville, Chris Tomas and our friend Steve Lillywhite."

Adam Clayton's MusiCares speech: Life In Recovery

The GRAMMY-winning album was released on Nov. 22, 2004, including classic hits "Vertigo," "Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own" and "City Of Blinding Lights." The five GRAMMYs it helped the band win include Best Rock Album and Song Of The Year and Best Rock Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal for "Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own."

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Nipsey Hussle

Nipsey Hussle

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Remembering Nipsey Hussle On The Anniversary Of His Death: "I Just Wanted To Be Really Intentional"

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The Recording Academy celebrates the life of the late Los Angeles rapper, who earned two posthumous GRAMMY Awards this year
Ana Monroy Yglesias
GRAMMYs
Mar 31, 2020 - 12:49 pm

Since the tragic loss of Los Angeles rapper, entrepreneur and activist Nipsey Hussle on March 31, 2019, his motivational music and inspiring message of investing in your community are continued by the many lives he touched. Here in L.A, you see countless murals painted in his likeness, his inspirational words reminding us greatness and kindness are not mutually exclusive.

Remembering Nipsey Hussle

Nipsey Hussle, Beloved L.A. Rapper And Activist, Lived As A Patron To His Community

In 2018, after a decade of perfecting his storytelling and flow with hard-hitting mixtapes, Hussle released his victorious debut album Victory Lap. It earned him his first GRAMMY nomination, for Best Rap Album, at the 2019 GRAMMYs. The week following the show, he released his final single during his lifetime, "Racks in the Middle," featuring rising L.A. rapper Roddy Ricch and powerhouse producer Hit-Boy.

At the 62nd GRAMMY Awards this year, he posthumously earned three more nominations and took home two wins. "Racks in the Middle" won Best Rap Performance and "Higher," a track he was working on with DJ Khaled before he died, won Best Rap/Sung Performance for "Higher." Khaled released the uplifting track, which also features John Legend, in Hussle's memory on May 17, 2019.

How Nipsey Hussle Transcended Hip-Hop, Starting In The Los Angeles Streets

Hussle's family, including his grandmother and his partner Lauren London, took the GRAMMY stage to accept his awards in two tearful yet celebratory moments. Khaled, Legend, Ricch, Meek Mill, Kirk Franklin and YG also celebrated the rap hero with a moving tribute performance during the show.

"The biggest thing that he left behind in his legacy is to go the extra mile for other people and be aware of your community," singer Tinashe said in a recent interview. "That spirit is really important. It's important to bring people together. I think that's part of his message. It's looking out for one another."

Meek Mill And Justin Timberlake Deliver Uplifting Message, Honor Nipsey Hussle In Powerful "Believe" Music Video

That message of hope and community is echoed in so many others' words about Hussle; his positive impact is immense and immeasurable. It is reflected in a message from none other than former President Barack Obama. Hussle's longtime friend and marketing manager Karen Civil read Obama's powerful words about him during his moving memorial service:

"While most folks look at the Crenshaw neighborhood where he grew up and see only gangs, bullets and despair, Nipsey saw potential. He saw hope. He saw a community that, even through its flaws, taught him to always keep going. His choice to invest in that community rather than ignore it—to build a skills training center and coworking space in Crenshaw; to lift up the Eritrean-American community; to set an example for young people to follow—is a legacy worthy of celebration. I hope his memory inspires more good work in Crenshaw and communities like it."

The Marathon Continues.

GRAMMY Rewind: Watch Selena Win Best-Mexican American Album For 'Live' At The 1994 GRAMMYs