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Grammys are an annual celebration of the year’s musical releases, and especially of Black talent. The 1st Annual Grammy Awards was held in 1959, and that same year, Ella Fitzgerald became the first Black woman to win a Grammy for Ella Fitzgerald Sings The Duke Ellington Songbook and Ella Fitzgerald Sings The Irving Berlin Songbook. Count Basie became the first Black man to win as well, in the Jazz and Pop categories for the album Basie. Stevie Wonder was the first Black person to win Album of the year, in 1974 for Intervisions. Since then, only twelve Black artists have won Album of the Year, including Michael Jackson, OutKast, Ray Charles, and John Batsist.
In the 2025 Grammys, Beyonce was the fourth Black woman to win Album of the Year (for “COWBOY CARTER”), succeeding Natalie Cole ( in 1992 for Unforgettable…With Love), Whitney Houston (in 1994 for The Bodyguard’s soundtrack) and Lauryn Hill (in 1999 for The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill). It has been 25 years since another Black woman won, and the first time she won that award. Beyonce is also the first Black person to win Best Country Album, a category that has historically often gone to white men. She now has 35 Grammys, and 99 nominations, which makes her the most-awarded artist in Grammy history. She secured her first win in 2001, as a member of Destiny’s Child for “Say My Name”, and has won multiple awards almost every year for the past twentyish years.
Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us” won Song of the Year, Record of the Year, Best Rap Song and Performance, and Best Music Video. These four awards, on top of seven nominations, made him the winningest artist of the year. Ironically, it was the mike-drop in a long standing feud between Lamar and Canadian rapper Drake, where they exchanged insults on racial, familial, and political matters. Drake sued his record label.
Doechii won Best Rap Album for “Alligator Bites Never Heal”, and performed her hits “DENIAL IS A RIVER” and “CATFISH.” She was the third Black Woman to win this award, after Cardi B won in 2019 for her album Invasion of Privacy, and before that, Lauryn Hill won the award in 1996 for her album The Score with the rap group the Fugees.
The vast majority of the winners this year were women and people of color. Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars’ “Die With A Smile” won Best Pop Duo Performance. Charli XCX won Best Pop Dance and Best Dance Electronic for her album “Brat” and the song “Von Dutch.” The best RnB song was “Saturn” by SZA. Sabrina Carpenter won Best Pop Solo for her hit song “Espresso.”
The 67th Annual Grammy Awards proved to be a night to remember, full of big wins not only for artists such as Kendrick Lamar, Beyonce, and Doechii, but the community they carry with them onto the stage, and the voices that can be heard in their acceptance speeches.
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