The Grammy Award for Best Melodic Rap Performance (awarded as Best Rap/Sung Collaboration until 2017, and Best Rap/Sung Performance from 2018 to 2020) is an honor presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to recording artists for quality songs on which have both rapped and sung or sing-rap vocals. Honors in several categories are presented at the ceremony annually by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to "honor artistic achievement, technical proficiency and overall excellence in the recording industry, without regard to album sales or chart position".
The name and definition of the category were changed in June 2020, with immediate effect, to represent the inclusivity of the growing hybrid performance trends within the rap genre. According to the Recording Academy, "This category is intended to recognize solo and collaborative performances containing elements of rap and melody over modern production. This performance requires a strong and clear presence of melody combined with rap cadence, and is inclusive of dialects, lyrics or performance elements from non-rap genres including R&B, rock, country, electronic or more. The production may include traditional elements of rap or elements characteristic of the aforementioned non-rap genres."
The award goes to the artist(s). The producer, engineer and songwriter can apply for a Winners Certificate.
American rapper Eve and American singer Gwen Stefani won the first award in 2002 with "Let Me Blow Ya Mind". The pair were also nominated a second time in 2006 for "Rich Girl". American rapper Jay-Z has received seven Grammys in the category— four times as lead artist and three times as featured artist; he has also been nominated for three other songs. Rihanna is the female artist with the most wins in the category, with five wins out of nine total nominations.
Recipients
2000s Year Performing artist(s) Work 2002 Eve featuring Gwen Stefani "Let Me Blow Ya Mind" Ja Rule featuring Case "Livin' It Up" Jagged Edge featuring Nelly "Where the Party At" Ludacris featuring Nate Dogg "Area Codes" Mystic featuring Planet Asia "W" 2003 Nelly featuring Kelly Rowland "Dilemma" Fat Joe featuring Ashanti "What's Luv?" Ja Rule featuring Ashanti "Always on Time" Nappy Roots featuring Anthony Hamilton "Po' Folks" Justin Timberlake featuring Clipse "Like I Love You" 2004 Beyoncé featuring Jay-Z "Crazy in Love" The Black Eyed Peas featuring Justin Timberlake "Where Is the Love?" LL Cool J featuring Marc Dorsey "Luv U Better" Snoop Dogg featuring Pharrell and Uncle Charlie Wilson "Beautiful" Pharrell featuring Jay-Z "Frontin'" 2005 Usher featuring Ludacris and Lil Jon "Yeah!" Kanye West featuring Syleena Johnson "All Falls Down" Christina Milian featuring Fabolous "Dip It Low" Jadakiss featuring Anthony Hamilton "Why" Twista featuring Jamie Foxx and Kanye West "Slow Jamz" 2006 Linkin Park and Jay-Z "Numb/Encore" Gwen Stefani featuring Eve "Rich Girl" Destiny's Child featuring T.I. and Lil Wayne "Soldier" Common featuring John Legend and Kanye West "They Say" Ciara featuring Missy Elliott "1, 2 Step" 2007 featuring T.I. "My Love" Akon featuring Eminem "Smack That" Beyoncé featuring Jay-Z "Déjà Vu" Eminem featuring Nate Dogg "Shake That" Jamie Foxx featuring Ludacris "Unpredictable" 2008 Rihanna featuring Jay-Z "Umbrella" Chris Brown featuring T-Pain "Kiss Kiss" Akon featuring Snoop Dogg "I Wanna Love You" Keyshia Cole featuring Lil' Kim and Missy Elliott "Let It Go" Kanye West featuring T-Pain "Good Life" 2009 Estelle featuring Kanye West "American Boy" Flo Rida featuring T-Pain "Low" John Legend featuring André 3000 "Green Light" Lil Wayne featuring T-Pain "Got Money" Lupe Fiasco featuring Matthew Santos "Superstar"
2010s Year Performing artist(s) Work 2010 Jay-Z featuring Rihanna and Kanye West "Run This Town" Beyoncé featuring Kanye West "Ego" Keri Hilson featuring Kanye West and Ne-Yo "Knock You Down" The Lonely Island featuring T-Pain "I'm on a Boat" T.I. featuring Justin Timberlake "Dead and Gone" 2011 Jay-Z featuring Alicia Keys "Empire State of Mind" B.o.B featuring Bruno Mars "Nothin' on You" Chris Brown featuring Tyga and Kevin McCall "Deuces" Eminem featuring Rihanna "Love the Way You Lie" John Legend featuring The Roots, Melanie Fiona and Common "Wake Up Everybody" 2012 Kanye West, Rihanna, Kid Cudi and Fergie "All of the Lights" Beyoncé and André 3000 "Party" DJ Khaled, Drake, Rick Ross and Lil Wayne "I'm On One" Dr. Dre, Eminem and Skylar Grey "I Need a Doctor" Rihanna and Drake "What's My Name?" Kelly Rowland and Lil Wayne "Motivation" 2013 Jay-Z, Kanye West, Frank Ocean and The-Dream "No Church in the Wild" Flo Rida and Sia "Wild Ones" John Legend and Ludacris "Tonight (Best You Ever Had)" Nas and Amy Winehouse "Cherry Wine" Rihanna and Jay-Z "Talk That Talk" 2014 Jay-Z and Justin Timberlake "Holy Grail" J. Cole and Miguel "Power Trip" Jay-Z and Beyoncé "Part II (On the Run)" Kendrick Lamar and Mary J. Blige "Now or Never" Wiz Khalifa and The Weeknd "Remember You" 2015 Eminem featuring Rihanna "The Monster" Common featuring Jhené Aiko "Blak Majik" ILoveMakonnen featuring Drake "Tuesday" Schoolboy Q featuring BJ the Chicago Kid "Studio" Kanye West featuring Charlie Wilson "Bound 2" 2016 Kendrick Lamar featuring Bilal, Anna Wise and Thundercat "These Walls" Big Sean featuring Kanye West and John Legend "One Man Can Change the World" Common and John Legend "Glory" Jidenna featuring Roman GianArthur "Classic Man" Nicki Minaj featuring Drake, Lil Wayne & Chris Brown "Only" 2017 Drake "Hotline Bling" Beyoncé featuring Kendrick Lamar "Freedom" DRAM featuring Lil Yachty "Broccoli" Kanye West featuring Chance the Rapper, Kelly Price, Kirk Franklin and The-Dream "Ultralight Beam" Kanye West featuring Rihanna "Famous" 2018 Kendrick Lamar featuring Rihanna "Loyalty" 6lack "Prblms" GoldLink featuring Brent Faiyaz and Shy Glizzy "Crew" Jay-Z featuring Beyoncé "Family Feud" SZA featuring Travis Scott "Love Galore" 2019 Childish Gambino "This Is America" Christina Aguilera featuring GoldLink "Like I Do" 6LACK featuring J. Cole "Pretty Little Fears" Kendrick Lamar and SZA "All the Stars" Post Malone featuring 21 Savage "Rockstar"
2020s Year Performing artist(s) Work 2020 DJ Khaled featuring Nipsey Hussle and John Legend "Higher" Lil Baby and Gunna "Drip Too Hard" Lil Nas X "Panini" Mustard featuring Roddy Ricch "Ballin'" Young Thug featuring J. Cole and Travis Scott "The London" 2021 Anderson .Paak "Lockdown" DaBaby featuring Roddy Ricch "Rockstar" Drake featuring Lil Durk "Laugh Now Cry Later" Roddy Ricch "The Box" Travis Scott "Highest in the Room" 2022 Kanye West featuring The Weeknd and Lil Baby "Hurricane" J. Cole featuring Lil Baby "Pride Is the Devil" Doja Cat "Need to Know" Lil Nas X featuring Jack Harlow "Industry Baby" Tyler, the Creator featuring Youngboy Never Broke Again and Ty Dolla $ign "WusYaName" 2023 Future featuring Drake and Tems "Wait for U" DJ Khaled featuring Future and SZA "Beautiful" Jack Harlow "First Class" Kendrick Lamar featuring Blxst and Amanda Reifer "Die Hard" Latto "Big Energy" (Live) 2024 Lil Durk featuring J. Cole "All My Life" Burna Boy featuring 21 Savage "Sittin' on Top of the World" Doja Cat "Attention" Drake and 21 Savage "Spin Bout U" SZA "Low" 2025 Rapsody featuring Erykah Badu "3:AM" Jordan Adetunji featuring Kehlani "Kehlani" Beyoncé, Linda Martell and Shaboozey "Spaghettii" Future, Metro Boomin and The Weeknd "We Still Don't Trust You" Latto "Big Mama" 2026 Kendrick Lamar and SZA "Luther" Fridayy featuring Meek Mill "Proud of Me" JID featuring Ty Dolla Sign and 6lack "Wholeheartedly" Terrace Martin and Kenyon Dixon featuring Rapsody "WeMaj" PartyNextDoor and Drake "Somebody Loves Me" Each year is linked to the article about the Grammy Awards held that year.
Artists with multiple wins
7 wins Jay-Z
5 wins Rihanna Kanye West
3 wins Kendrick Lamar
2 wins Justin Timberlake Drake
Artists with multiple nominations
15 nominations Kanye West
12 nominations Jay-Z
9 nominations Drake Rihanna Beyoncé 7 nominations Kendrick Lamar John Legend
5 nominations J. Cole Eminem Lil Wayne SZA T-Pain Justin Timberlake
4 nominations Common Ludacris
3 nominations 21 Savage 6lack Chris Brown DJ Khaled Future Kelly Rowland Lil Baby T.I. Travis Scott The Weeknd
2 nominations Akon André 3000 Ashanti Doja Cat Nate Dogg Snoop Dogg The-Dream Missy Elliott Eve Flo Rida GoldLink Jamie Foxx Fergie Anthony Hamilton Jack Harlow Ja Rule Latto Lil Durk Lil Nas X Nelly Pharrell Rapsody Roddy Ricch Gwen Stefani Ty Dolla Sign Charlie Wilson
See also Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group Grammy Award for Best Rap Solo Performance Grammy Award for Best Rap Song
References
General
Specific
External links Official site of the Grammy Awards