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2025 in hip-hop
Overview of the events that happened in hip-hop in 2025 From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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This article summarizes the events, album releases, and album release dates in hip-hop for the year 2025.
Events
January
- On January 1, A.D.O.R. died at the age of 55.[1]
- On January 15, Drake filed a federal defamation lawsuit against UMG over the release and promotion of claims made in Kendrick Lamar's diss track "Not Like Us".[2]
- On January 20, Nelly, Snoop Dogg, Rick Ross, and Soulja Boy performed at President Donald Trump's Inauguration Ball.[3]
- On January 21, the trial began for ASAP Rocky on charges of assault with a deadly weapon after allegedly shooting former affiliate ASAP Relli in 2021.[4]
- On January 22, Barry Michael Cooper died at the age of 66.[5]
- On January 24, DJ Unk died at the age of 43.[6]
- On January 31, YFN Lucci was released from prison.[7]
February
- On February 2, the 67th Annual Grammy Awards were held.[8] Kendrick Lamar won Record of the Year, Song of the Year, Best Music Video, Best Rap Song, and Best Rap Performance for "Not Like Us". Rapsody and Erykah Badu won Best Melodic Rap Performance for "3:AM". Doechii won Best Rap Album for Alligator Bites Never Heal. Roxanne Shante received the Lifetime Achievement Award.[9]
- On February 5, Irv Gotti died at the age of 54.[10]
- On February 7, Naâman died at the age of 34.[11]
- On February 9, Kendrick Lamar headlined the Super Bowl LIX halftime show at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana, with guest performer SZA,[12] which became the most watched halftime show, surpassing the Super Bowl XXVII halftime show with headliner Michael Jackson.[13]
- On February 13, Delcat Idengo was shot and killed in Goma.[14]
- On February 15, the 32nd Hanteo Music Awards were held. RM won the Special Award – Hip-hop.[15]
- On February 18, the MOBO Awards 2025 were held. Darkoo won Best Female Act and Song of the Year with Dess Dior for "Favourite Girl". Central Cee won Best Male Act. Bashy won Best Hip-hop Act and Album of the Year for Being Poor Is Expensive. Scorcher won Best Grime Act. Pozer won Best Drill Act.[16] On the same day, ASAP Rocky was found not guilty on charges of assault with a deadly weapon.[17]
- On February 21, Khalil Fong died at the age of 41.[18]
- On February 22, the 56th NAACP Image Awards were held. Doechii won Outstanding New Artist. Kendrick Lamar won Outstanding Hip Hop/Rap Song and Outstanding Music Video/Visual Album for "Not Like Us".[19]
- On February 27, the 22nd Korean Music Awards were held. B-Free & Hukky Shibaseki won Best Rap & Hip-Hop Album for Free Hukky Shibaseki & the God Sun Symphony Group: Odyssey.1. G-Dragon won Best Rap & Hip-Hop Song for "Power".[20]
March
- On March 1, the Brit Awards 2025 were held. Stormzy won Best Hip Hop/Grime/Rap Act.[21]
- On March 3, Beau Dozier died at the age of 45.[22]
- On March 5, DJ Funk died at the age of 54.[23]
- On March 13, J. B. Moore died at the age of 81.[24]
- On March 17, UMG filed a motion to dismiss Drake's federal defamation lawsuit over the claims made in "Not Like Us", stating that "he has sued his own record label in a misguided attempt to salve his wounds."[25] On the same day, the 2025 iHeartRadio Music Awards were held. Kendrick Lamar won Hip-Hop Song of the Year for "Not Like Us". GloRilla won Hip-Hop Artist of the Year. BossMan Dlow won Best New Hip-Hop Artist. Future and Metro Boomin won Hip-Hop Album of the Year for We Don't Trust You. Stray Kids won K-Pop Album of the Year for Ate. Nelly won the iHeartRadio Landmark Award.[26]
- On March 19, the 2025 MTV Video Music Awards Japan were held. Yuki Chiba won Best Hip Hop Video for "Team Tomodachi". XG won Best Visual Effect for "Woke Up".[27]
- On March 22, Sayso P was killed and Sauce Walka was injured in a shooting in Memphis, Tennessee.[28]
- On March 28, Young Scooter died at the age of 39.[29]
- On March 30, the Juno Awards of 2025 were held. Snotty Nose Rez Kids won Rap Album/EP of the Year for Red Future. Jessie Reyez and Big Sean won Rap Single of the Year for "Shut Up". bbno$ won the Fan Choice Award. AP Dhillon won South Asian Music Recording of the Year for The Brownprint. Boi-1da received an International Achievement Award.[30]
April
- On April 5, Pasha Technique died at the age of 40.[31]
- On April 16, Drake filed an amended complaint in the defamation lawsuit filed against UMG earlier this year to include complaints about Kendrick Lamar's Super Bowl halftime performance.[32]
- On April 30, the APRA Music Awards of 2025 were held. Lithe won Most Performed Hip Hop / Rap Work for "Fall Back".[33]
May
- On May 5, the trial began for Diddy on charges of sex trafficking and racketeering.[34]
- On May 13, Rodney-O filed a lawsuit against Metro Boomin, Future and Kendrick Lamar, alleging unpaid royalties and lack of proper clearance of "Everlasting Bass" that was sampled for "Like That".[35]
- On May 17, Werenoi died at the age of 31.[36] On the same day, Kendrick Lamar and SZA's concert in Lumen Field, Seattle as part of the Grand National Tour became the highest-grossing hip-hop concert, making $14,811,000 in revenue.[37]
- On May 21, the 2025 Music Awards Japan were held. Creepy Nuts won Song of the Year, Best Japanese Song, Top Japanese Song in Europe, Top Japanese Song in Latin America, Top Japanese Song in North America, Best Japanese Hip Hop/Rap Song, Best Japanese Dance Pop Song, and Best Viral Song for "Bling-Bang-Bang-Born" and Best Japanese Hip Hop/Rap Artist. Nujabes won Best Instrumental Song for "Aruarian Dance". Kendrick Lamar won Best International Hip Hop/Rap Song in Japan for "Not Like Us". Megan Thee Stallion and RM won Best of Listeners' Choice: International Song for "Neva Play".[38]
- On May 26, the American Music Awards of 2025 were held. Eminem won Favorite Male Hip-Hop Artist and Favorite Hip-Hop Album for The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grâce). Megan Thee Stallion won Favorite Female Hip-Hop Artist. Kendrick Lamar won Favorite Hip-Hop Song for "Not Like Us". Doechii won Social Song of the Year for "Anxiety".[39]
- On May 28, NBA YoungBoy, sentenced to 2 years in jail for gun-related crimes, was pardoned by president Donald Trump.[40]
June
- On June 9, the BET Awards 2025 were held. Kendrick Lamar won Album of the Year for GNX, Video of the Year for "Not Like Us", Best Collaboration alongside SZA for "Luther", Video Director of the Year alongside Dave Free, and Best Male Hip Hop Artist. Doechii won Best Female Hip Hop Artist. Future and Metro Boomin won Best Group. Snoop Dogg and Kirk Franklin won the Ultimate Icon Award.[41] On the same day, the 2025 Libera Awards were held. Shygirl and Saweetie won Best Hip-Hop/Rap Record for "Immaculate". De La Soul won Best Sync Usage for "Say No Go" in the film Civil War. MF DOOM won Creative Packaging and Best Reissue for MM..FOOD (20th Anniversary Edition) and Best Remix for "One Beer" (Madlib Remix).[42]
- On June 11, Silentó was sentenced to thirty years in prison for murder charges relating to the 2021 death of his cousin, Frederick Rooks.[43]
- On June 16, Dave Scott died at the age of 52.[44]
- On June 21, the 34th Seoul Music Awards were held. RM won the R&B/ Hip-hop Award.[45]
- On June 24, XXL released their 2025 Freshman Class, including Ray Vaughn, BabyChiefDoit, Eem Triplin, 1900Rugrat, Samara Cyn, Ian, Gelo, Loe Shimmy, Lazer Dim 700, YTB Fatt, Nino Paid, and EBK Jaaybo.[46]
July
- On July 2, Diddy was convicted on two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution, but was acquitted of two counts of sex trafficking and one RICO charge.[47]
- On July 4, Outlawz member Young Noble died from suicide at the age of 47.[48]
- On July 17, Robbie Pardlo died at the age of 46.[49]
- On July 18, Cash Out was convicted of sex trafficking, racketeering and aggravated sodomy; he was sentenced to life plus 70 years in prison.[50]
- On July 31, the AIR Awards of 2025 were held. Miss Kaninna won Best Independent Hip Hop Album or EP for Kaninna and Breakthrough Independent Artist of the Year. Nick Herrera won Independent Mix, Studio or Mastering Engineer of the Year for Kaninna.[51]
August
October
November
- Max B is scheduled to be released from prison.[54]
- On November 8, Outkast and Salt-N-Pepa will be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.[55]
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Released albums
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
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Upcoming releases
August
September
October
November
Unscheduled and TBA
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Highest-charting songs
United States
United Kingdom
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Highest first-week consumption
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All critically reviewed albums ranked
Metacritic
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See also
- Previous article: 2024 in hip-hop
References
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