As Issa Rae said at the 2017 Emmy Awards, “I’m rooting for everybody Black.” A similar sentiment was shared by many in anticipation of the 2025 Grammy Awards. This year, the members and record companies of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences recognized many artists from the Black community. The award show, held on Feb. 2, featured major and even historic wins across various categories for three Black artists: Doechii, Kendrick Lamar and Beyoncé.
Doechii
Although to many it may seem like Doechii is a newcomer to the music scene, she has a discography that spans almost 10 years. In a less professional capacity, Doechii recalls beginning her musical journey writing poetry and rap in high school. This fueled her creative energy and catapulted her to making music as a profession. Doechii’s debut song, “Girls,” was released on the audio streaming platform, SoundCloud. From there, she fell into a rhythm with her music and audience. Most notably, Doechii started generating buzz when her song, “Yucky Blucky Fruitcake” gained popularity on TikTok in 2021. From there, she went on to collaborate with mainstream artists like SZA, Tyler the Creator and Kodak Black. Doechii is often commended for her authenticity. Therefore, her authenticity did not go unnoticed as she was awarded Best Rap Album for her 2024 mixtape, “Alligator Bites Never Heal.” Many of her fans appreciate her unique storytelling style rap that highlights her eccentric personality and her carefree nature that coincides with her theatrical performances. For fans, Doechii is a fresh presence and distinctive voice in the longstanding music industry.
“[Doechii’s music] was different [from] most mainstream songs,” Edward Stanton (12) said. “That’s kind of what made her stand out, so I thought [that characteristic] was interesting.”
Kendrick Lamar
Kendrick Lamar is widely regarded by fans for his master lyricism, a skill that earned him the Pulitzer Prize in 2018. Lamar is most recognized for his lyrics that captivate the essence of Black culture and identity. However, for his winning song, “Not Like Us,” Lamar turned a new leaf. This record was written as a diss against another mainstream artist, Drake. The rocky relations between the two all started with Lamar’s disapproval of Drake’s so-called “big three.” This track not only served to crucify Drake but also is now a widely played anthem of pop culture. “Not Like Us” earned Lamar a total of five Grammy Awards: Song of the Year, Record of the Year, Best Music Video, Best Rap Song and Best Rap Performance. In spite of the song’s origins, Lamar dedicated his win to the West Coast, Black artists and the spaces that have shaped him as an artist. He also stressed the importance of the rap genre in the music industry. Many saw Lamar’s win as a demonstration of his continuous effort to uplift Black culture and serve as a voice for the community.
“I think [‘Not Like Us’] is probably one of the most played songs of the year, and it is a good song,” Stanton said. “I think [‘Not Like Us’] had a lot of replayability … that element of the album is really good.”
Beyoncé
The Beyhive was buzzing following Beyoncé’s historic Grammy win. Beyoncé, a world renowned artist, has been a pioneer in the music industry. Beyoncé holds numerous records such as being the most-nominated and most-awarded artist in Grammy history. She led the highest-grossing tour of any Black artist and became the first female artist to have all her albums hit number one on the Billboard 200 chart. Beyoncé first rose to fame in the ‘90s as a member of the girl group, Destiny’s Child. As a 30-year veteran in the music space, Beyoncé is no stranger to controversy and ridicule. Ahead of the 2025 Grammys, Beyoncé received a lot of backlash for her nomination within the country genre. Those in opposition to her, invalidated her nomination because they believed that she did not have enough ‘accreditation’ within the country world to even be considered for the award. They felt as though she did not fit the curated image of the country genre, thus making her undeserving of the chance to win the award. However, the night of the awards proved to be a clap back to her haters. Her most notable award of the night was Best Country Album for “Cowboy Carter.” This marked a historic moment for many Black artists as Beyoncé was the first Black woman to win this award.
“I really love how [Beyoncé] makes each album a part of her life,” Destinee Lofton (10) said. “[Beyoncé] puts so much depth into her music. For Black girls and Black women in general, it’s like we have our own personal person and [Beyoncé] branches off … Her music is for everybody. I love that anybody can get into it.”
