Key Takeaways
- Hip Hop and R&B artists have had a long, complex history with the Grammy Award for Best New Artist category.
- The list showcases genre-defining talent, from breakthrough stars to overlooked icons.
- The article includes Grammy rules and nomination context that help explain how artists qualify.
There’s probably no better way for an artist to secure their place in the industry than earning a Best New Artist nomination at the Grammy Awards, especially given how competitive the category typically is. Over the years, musicians like Victoria Monét, Megan Thee Stallion, Lauryn Hill, and many other talented acts have secured the prestigious honor.
For anyone who’s not quite sure how the category works, artists nominated for Best New Artist “must have achieved a breakthrough into the public consciousness and impacted the musical landscape” within the eligibility period. While there’s no maximum limit to how much music an artist can release before submitting, the Recording Academy only allows an artist to put their name in the running up to three times. Once you’re nominated, there are no do-overs here.
In addition to the stars mentioned above, countless rap and R&B artists have been nominated — whether they won or not — since Best New Artist first launched. From Kendrick Lamar to Doechii, here are 19 who’ve earned a spot in the category.
1. Mariah Carey
Mimi took home Best New Artist and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance for “Vision Of Love" in 1991. “I’m just really thankful,” she said during her acceptance speech, which you can revisit above.
2. Drake
Both Drake and Justin Bieber were nominated — and, to some fans’ disappointment, lost — at the 2011 ceremony. Esperanza Spalding ended up taking home Best New Artist. Considering how many trophies Drizzy has now, it’s not something to be too upset about.
3. Leon Thomas
Leon Thomas was one of the most-nominated R&B acts for the 2026 Grammys, so seeing him in the Best New Artist lineup made complete sense, especially after the momentum of “MUTT.” Others competing in the category included KATSEYE, Addison Rae, and Sombr.
4. 50 Cent
The NY legend was up for the award in 2004, competing against Sean Paul, Evanescence, and several others. He was coming off the heels of Get Rich or Die Tryin’, which earned its own nomination along with a few of the tracks from the album.
5. J. Cole
It’s wild to think that even by the time his sixth studio album, The Off-Season, dropped, J. Cole still hadn’t won a Grammy as a lead artist. He lost Best New Artist to Bon Iver back in 2012.
6. Milli Vanilli
Milli Vanilli are the first artists to ever win a Grammy — specifically Best New Artist — and have their award revoked. The duo, Fab Morvan and Rob Pilatus, were forced to return the coveted gramophone after it was revealed they hadn’t sung their own vocals, including on All or Nothing.
7. Victoria Monét
The “On My Mama” singer won Best New Artist at the 2024 ceremony, along with two additional awards for JAGUAR II: Best R&B Album and Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical.
8. Kanye West
Kanye West was up for the category in 2005, though he lost to Maroon 5. It’s not like he didn’t drop one of the greatest albums — The College Dropout — a year earlier, but to be fair, the Chicago lyricist went on to rack up more than two dozen wins.
9. Erykah Badu
Just like plenty of other award shows, the Recording Academy has let a few artists slip through the cracks — ones who, in hindsight, probably should’ve won. Erykah Badu was up for the award in 1998 but lost to “I Don’t Want to Wait” singer Paula Cole. Fortunately, Baduizm and “On & On” still brought home Grammy wins for her.
10. Kendrick Lamar
There’s a lot to say about this one, especially given everything that unfolded afterward. In 2014, Kendrick Lamar not only lost Best New Artist to Macklemore and Ryan Lewis in 2014, but he was "robbed" of Best Rap Album as well. “I wanted you to win. You should have. It’s weird, and it sucks that I robbed you,” Macklemore wrote in a text message to Lamar, which he later shared on Instagram that same year.
11. Frank Ocean
Say what you want about Frank Ocean’s mysterious nature and habit of disappearing — particularly before and after Blonde — but his mystique definitely worked in his favor when nomination time rolled around in 2013.
12. Toni Braxton
Put some respect on Toni Braxton’s name! She presented, performed, and most importantly, took home Best New Artist in 1994. Not to mention, "Another Sad Love Song" won Best Female R&B Vocal Performance.
13. Chloe x Halle
Best New Artist was stacked in 2019, so Chloe x Halle missing out on that golden gramophone was disappointing but understandable. They were up against Jorja Smith, H.E.R., and Dua Lipa, who ended up winning that year.
14. Lauryn Hill
Lauryn Hill was the only artist in the ’90s to win both Best New Artist and Album of the Year in the same year. The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill — along with its massive single “Doo Wop (That Thing)” — also scored wins in 1999.
15. Megan Thee Stallion
Hotties had plenty to celebrate at the 2021 Grammy Awards. Not only did Megan Thee Stallion win Best New Artist, but she also took home Best Rap Performance and Best Rap Song for her Beyoncé-assisted “Savage Remix.”
16. Alicia Keys
Alicia Keys won the award in 2002. At the time, she was up against India Arie, Nelly Furtado, and Linkin Park, to name a few.
17. Coco Jones
As mentioned earlier, Victoria Monét ultimately took home Best New Artist in 2024. That said, she wasn’t the only one in the running who deserved it. Coco Jones — along with Ice Spice, Gracie Abrams, and Jelly Roll — were all strong contenders, if you ask us.
18. Chance the Rapper
“I hear you gotta sell it to snatch the Grammy,” Chance the Rapper spat on West’s “Ultralight Beam” in 2016. Just a year later, he walked away with three of them: Best New Artist, Best Rap Album, and Best Rap Performance.
19. Doechii
Though she didn’t end up winning Best New Artist at the 2025 Grammys — those honors went to Chappell Roan, which we’re definitely not mad at — Doechii still made history as the third woman to win Best Rap Album with Alligator Bites Never Heal. You win some, you lose some, and that’s absolutely okay.