15-time Grammy winning rapper Eminem has confidently predicted that Kendrick Lamar will dominate the Grammy Awards this year, securing victories in all seven categories for which he is nominated. Speaking with DJ Whoo Kid on SiriusXM’s Shade45, Eminem praised the Compton-based artist’s talent and expressed little doubt about the outcome of the 67th Annual Grammy awards, set to take place on 2 February.
“Kendrick is gonna sweep that s**t. He’s going to, and he should,” Eminem said.
For the uninitiated, the two rap icons will face off in the fiercely contested Best Rap Performance category. However, Eminem believes Kendrick’s achievements this year, especially with his chart-topping single Not Like Us, make him the clear frontrunner. Reflecting on Kendrick’s influence, Eminem once again reiterated his admiration for the younger rapper’s lyrical prowess. “Kendrick is at the very, very top tier of lyricists. Not just of this generation, but of all time,” Eminem said.
Lamar’s Not Like Us earned nominations for Song of the Year, Best Rap Performance, Best Rap Song, Record of the Year, and Best Music Video. Additionally, his collaboration with Future and Metro Boomin on Like That has been shortlisted for Best Rap Performance and Best Rap Song.
This isn’t the first time Eminem has publicly acknowledged Kendrick’s artistry. In 2016, he described the rapper’s debut album as groundbreaking in a statement for Genius. “The fact that it was his first real album and he was able to make it into a story which intertwines with the skits like that was genius. The level of wordplay, deliveries, the beats — it’s just a masterpiece,” he wrote.
The two artists share a rich history, having performed together at the Super Bowl LVI Halftime Show in 2022 alongside Dr. Dre, Mary J. Blige, Snoop Dogg, 50 Cent, and Anderson .Paak. They previously collaborated on the track Love Game from Eminem’s 2013 album The Marshall Mathers LP 2.
Eminem himself has earned a nomination this year for Best Rap Album for The Death of Slim Shady. While competition remains stiff, Slim Shady is unequivocal in his belief that Lamar will emerge as the evening’s big winner.
For this year’s Grammy awards, Beyonce leads the nods with 11, bringing her career total to 99 nominations. That makes her the most nominated artist in Grammy history. This is her first time receiving nominations in the country and Americana categories. Previously, she and her husband Jay-Z were tied for most career nominations, at 88.
