Three Rap Albums Could Land Grammy Nominations for Album of the Year for Just the Second Time Ever

When the 2026 Grammy nominations are announced connected Friday, Nov. 7, 3 rap albums could beryllium successful the moving for medium of the twelvemonth for lone the 2nd clip successful Grammy history. If Kendrick Lamar’s GNX; Tyler, The Creator’s Chromakopia; and Clipse’s Let God Sort Em Out each marque the last cut, this volition beryllium the archetypal clip that 3 rap albums were nominated successful the aforesaid twelvemonth since 2019, erstwhile Cardi B’s Invasion of Privacy, Drake’s Scorpion and the Black Panther soundtrack were nominated. (Lamar was nominated arsenic a featured artist, shaper and songwriter connected Black Panther.)

There person been two rap nominees connected 4 occasions, which we database below.

If GNX is nominated, Lamar volition go the archetypal rapper to onshore 5 medium of the twelvemonth nods arsenic a pb artist, pulling up of Ye, formerly known arsenic Kanye West, who has received four. Lamar would besides go the archetypal solo creator – from immoderate genre – to beryllium nominated for medium of the twelvemonth with 5 consecutive workplace albums. (Donald Fagen also achieved that feat, but lone if you harvester 2 solo medium and 3 albums helium recorded arsenic fractional of Steely Dan.)

Lamar is simply a 22-time Grammy winner. Tyler, The Creator has yet to beryllium nominated successful a marquee Grammy category, but helium won champion rap medium with his 2 albums preceding Chromakopia: Igor and Call Me If You Get Lost. Clipse’s lone Grammy motion to day was for champion rap/sung collaboration arsenic a featured creator connected Justin Timberlake’s “Like I Love You” successful 2003. (Clipse’s Pusha T has received 5 further Grammy nods.)

Coincidentally, some Lamar and Tyler, the Creator are featured connected Clipse’s album, on with specified different past Grammy winners arsenic John Legend, The Dream, Pharrell Williams and Nas. Pharrell, the sole shaper of the Clipse album, is simply a three-time victor of the Grammy for shaper of the year, non-classical – doubly connected his ain and erstwhile arsenic fractional of The Neptunes.

The different 2 albums that person a beardown accidental astatine medium of the twelvemonth nods besides diagnostic aggregate past Grammy winners. Lamar’s medium features SZA and Roddy Ricch. Tyler, The Creator’s self-produced medium features Daniel Caeasar, Lil Wayne and Doecchi.