Kendrick Lamar is poised for a major night at the upcoming MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs), leading all nominees with 10 nods, while his lyrical rival Drake secured just one, per hiphopdx.com. The two hip-hop titans will face off in the Best Hip Hop category, where Lamar’s viral track “Not Like Us” will compete against Drake’s “Nokia.”
Lamar’s nominations extend far beyond that single category. He is up for the coveted Artist of the Year, Video of the Year, and Best Album. He also earned a Best Direction nomination for co-directing the “Not Like Us” video alongside Dave Free.
The nominations follow a year of continued success for the Compton superstar, who also recently received several Emmy nods for his groundbreaking Super Bowl halftime show. The performance, which featured cameos from Samuel L. Jackson and Serena Williams, is nominated for Outstanding Variety Special (Live), Outstanding Directing for a Variety Special, and other key production categories.
The Super Bowl show also made headlines for its pointed jabs at Drake. During the performance of “Not Like Us,” Lamar self-censored a key line but still smirked at the camera as he rapped: “Say Drake, I hear you like ’em young / You better not ever go to cell block one.” Jackson, who appeared in the show as an Uncle Sam-like narrator, called the performance “revolutionary.”
Lamar previously won an Emmy for his role in the 2022 Super Bowl halftime show, where he performed alongside Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem and others.
•Featured image: Kendrick Lamar/Earl Gibson III/Variety via Getty Images
