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.

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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)