The 68th Annual GRAMMY Awards on Feb. 1 was Kendrick Lamar’s night, as he became the most decorated artist of the evening and the most GRAMMY-awarded rapper in history. After surpassing Jay-Z’s record by two awards, Lamar has taken home a total of 27 GRAMMYs. Yet, Lamar was only standing on the shoulders of the greats who had come before him.
“Every time I tell you this, hip-hop is always gonna be right here,” stated Lamar during his acceptance speech for Best Rap Album. Hip-hop inspired a new wave of genres and global chart-toppers that owe it all to their African American origins.
Combining African and Caribbean influences with Bronx roots produced a new genre among the African diaspora called hip-hop, which will forever be cemented in the American music industry, as Lamar referenced in his speech. The GRAMMY Awards have helped propel that new wave by introducing mainstream American listeners to Black artists who have forever re-shaped pop culture.
Stretching Genres
At the 2026 GRAMMYs, Collins Chibueze, or Shaboozey, became the first Black man to win Best Country Duo/Group Performance for his collaboration with Jelly Roll on “Amen.” Known for his soulful modern country mixed with hip-hop elements, “Amen” narrates an internal struggle after “the pills ran out” and turning to faith for mercy.
These themes of mental health and substance abuse have carried through Shaboozey’s work since his popularity explosion in 2024, when he released his hit “A Bar Song (Tipsy).” He’s joined the ranks of other Black artists who have also fused country and hip-hop, like Beyoncé.
Beyoncé won this category in 2025 alongside Miley Cyrus for their single “II MOST WANTED,” becoming the first Black woman to win in the country genre since 1975. Winning the Best Country Album with COWBOY CARTER broke GRAMMY history again that same night, as Beyoncé became the first Black woman to win that category.
a Platform for Storytelling
An element most unique to music is its ability to tell an entire story, all while you’re taking a shower or walking to class. Communicating one’s identity through songwriting and production allows artists from minority groups to reach audiences that were never previously accessible.
Gabriella Wilson, known as H.E.R., won Song Of The Year in 2021 for “I Can’t Breathe.” The single references the swell of Black Lives Matter protests after the 2020 murder of George Floyd by police brutality. Thousands of demonstrations across the nation showcased signs reading “I can’t breathe,” which were Floyd’s last words before his death.
H.E.R.’s songwriting played an important role in her GRAMMY win, as the criteria for Song Of The Year focus on lyrics and melody rather than performance. “I Can’t Breathe” features themes of fighting for compassion and equality in the face of racial injustice, prompting the listener to wonder, “How do we judge off the color? The structure was made to make us the enemy.”
Donald Glover Jr., or Childish Gambino, dominated the 61st GRAMMYs in 2019 with his powerful hit “This Is America.” Gambino took home Record Of The Year, Best Music Video, and Best Rap/Sung Performance in addition to Song Of The Year.
“This Is America” was especially impactful because of its raw and graphic music video. The visualizer reflects the song’s alternating tones from a joyful gospel choir to a confrontational high-tempo beat. The video opens with a Black man strumming his guitar and then Gambino dancing into the frame to shoot him.
While the images depicted in H.E.R.’s and Gambino’s works can be unsettling, they spotlight social and political issues to a broader audience. These topics of systemic racism and targeted violence may not have been addressed by the media if it weren’t for Black musicians spotlighting them in their work.
Inspiring a New Generation
For Beyoncé, it was Michael Jackson, Diana Ross, Aretha Franklin, and Tina Turner who inspired her sound. For newer artists, it’s Beyoncé they have on repeat. The recognition of Black musicians is especially crucial for representation in creative industries to generate new talent.
In Lizzo’s acceptance speech for Record Of The Year in 2023, she recalled skipping her fifth-grade class to watch Beyoncé perform. She shared that when she saw Beyoncé sing a gospel medley, it deeply inspired her to “want to make people feel this way with [her] music.”
Witnessing someone who resonates with your identity gain public recognition for their work is validating and empowering, especially if your identity is part of a minority. Issues, unfortunately, often go overlooked, though. As trends rotate in seconds, the problem you care about is no longer trendy enough to make any real change.
Yet, emerging artists from all backgrounds continue to push pop culture to evolve and welcome new creatives. Your favorite song or Super Bowl performer exists because an artist once saw themselves represented on stage for the first time.
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