Beyoncé made history at the 2025 Grammy Awards by winning Album of the Year for Cowboy Carter, becoming the first Black woman this century to achieve this milestone. Her victory was celebrated widely, with fans and media outlets highlighting her emotional reaction and powerful acceptance speech, where she addressed the limitations of genre and encouraged artists to follow their passions. Additionally, Beyoncé won Best Country Album for Cowboy Carter, further solidifying her versatility and impact. The night also featured memorable moments, such as her dancing to Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us” during his Record of the Year win. Fans and critics alike praised her groundbreaking achievements and enduring influence in music.
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Chappell Roan’s Grammy speech was a bold and necessary call-out to the music industry. Her demand that record labels provide livable wages and health care, especially for developing artists, highlights a critical issue that’s often overlooked. The industry profits immensely from young talent, yet many artists are left financially and emotionally vulnerable once their label deals end.
Roan’s personal experience—being signed as a minor, dropped without job experience, and struggling to afford insurance—exposes the systemic flaws in the industry. The reality is that artists invest their lives into their craft, often sacrificing financial stability, and when labels cut ties, many are left with nothing. This isn’t just about one artist’s struggle; it’s about an exploitative system that thrives on talent but fails to protect its people.
Her speech resonates beyond music—it’s a labor rights issue. If record labels truly value their artists, they should treat them as employees, ensuring fair wages, health care, and basic worker protections. The audience’s cheers at the Grammys show that people agree: the industry needs to do better.
The question Roan posed—“Labels, we got you, but do you got us?”—is a challenge that record labels can no longer ignore.
Kendrick Lamar’s Not Like Us has made history by winning both record of the year and song of the year at the 2025 Grammy Awards. The song, which has been widely interpreted as a diss track aimed at Drake, became an instant cultural moment, with fans and celebrities alike reacting in real-time during the ceremony.
During his Grammy acceptance speech, Kendrick paid tribute to his hometown, stating, “This is my neck of the woods that’s held me down since I was a young pup.” He also emphasized his commitment to uplifting his community and staying true to his roots ¹.
The live audience’s reaction was electric, with a standout moment occurring when the crowd collectively hit A minor, a nod to the song’s instrumental. The performance’s energy was heightened by notable celebrity reactions—Miley Cyrus’s playful comment, Beyoncé dancing, and Kendrick Lamar grinning on stage all contributed to a viral moment. Fans noted that the delay in Kendrick’s walk to the stage seemed deliberate, possibly as a victory lap moment ².
Lyrically, Not Like Us takes direct shots at Drake, with lines such as “Certified Lover Boy? Certified pedophiles,” sparking intense discussions. Despite the controversy, the track has achieved record-breaking commercial success, dominating streaming charts and becoming an undeniable anthem ³.
Winning a Grammy for a diss track is unprecedented, and many online have declared this as the hardest loss in rap beef history. Social media exploded with reactions, with users commenting on how the performance and Grammy wins essentially erased Drake from the conversation for the year. Some even suggested that the song’s placement at the Grammys was intentionally strategic—a final exclamation point on Kendrick’s victory over his rival ².
With this win, Kendrick Lamar has solidified his dominance in hip-hop, continuing his reign as one of the most critically acclaimed rappers of his generation.
OTHER GREAT MOMENTS IN THE NIGHT:
Footnotes:
- Kendrick Lamar Wins Record of the Year at 2025 Grammys for ‘Not Like Us’, Pays Tribute to L.A. – People
- Grammys 2025: Winners, Losers, Performances – The Guardian
- Kendrick Lamar Wins Song of the Year for Not Like Us – Pitchfork
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