Kendrick Lamar dominated the 2022 BET Hip Hop Awards with six wins including artist of the year and album of the year for Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers, which entered the Billboard 200 at No. 1 in May.
The awards ceremony, taped on Friday Sept. 30 at the Cobb Energy Centre in Atlanta, premiered on Tuesday (Oct. 4) on BET, BET Her, MTV2 and VH1.
Lamar also won lyricist of the year and best live performer. He shared two other awards — best hip hop video for “Family Ties” with Baby Keem and video director of the year with Dave Free.
This was Lamar’s eighth win for lyricist of the year, more by far than anyone else in the history of the show (which originated in 2006). This was his third win for hip-hop album of the year, which puts him in a tie with T.I. and Jay-Z for the most wins in the category. It was also his third win for best hip-hop video and best live performer; his second for hip-hop artist of the year.
Drake took home three awards including best collaboration for “Wait For U” with Future and Tems. The smash hit entered the Billboard Hot 100 at No. 1 in May.
Latto’s “Big Energy,” which reached No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100, won song of the year.
Lizzo’s “About Damn Time,” which topped the Hot 100 for two weeks in July and August, won impact track. That award is for the song that “moves our culture forward with social commentary, political discourse or other thought-provoking lyrics.” “About Damn Time” also won in the roughly equivalent category, video for good, at the MTV Video Music Awards.
Newcomer GloRilla (birth name: Gloria Woods) was crowned best breakthrough hip hop artist. She’s the fourth female artist to win in that category, following Nicki Minaj (2010), Iggy Azalea (2014) and Cardi B (2017). GloRilla’s “Tomorrow 2” (a collab with Cardi B) is the second-highest new entry on this week’s Hot 100 at No. 9.
Trina received the I Am Hip Hop Award. She’s the fourth female artist or group to take that award, following Salt-N-Pepa (2010), MC Lyte (2013) and Lil’ Kim (2019).
Fat Joe hosted this year’s show.
Click here for a complete list of the 2022 BET Hip Hop Awards winners.
A version of this story was first published on billboard.com
