Kendrick Lamar has yet another award he can celebrate.

Have y’all been keeping up with all the awards Kendrick Lamar has been snagging lately? Let me break it down for you: Grammy nods for “Not Like Us,” Billboard Rapper of the Year, highest-selling hip-hop album of the year, and he’s set to perform at the Super Bowl next year. But wait—there’s more to add to the list.

Today, Kendrick Lamar was crowned Billboard’s Pop Artist of the Year. Yup, you read that right: Pop Artist of the Year. And before you start saying, “But Kendrick doesn’t make pop music,” this award typically goes to the year’s most popular artist—and clearly, Billboard thinks Kendrick fits the bill.

Kendrick Lamar has been named the #1 'Greatest Pop Star' of 2024 by Billboard. pic.twitter.com/TtxFv6MYBl

— chart data (@chartdata) December 23, 2024

Can I throw out a wild hypothetical for you? Alright, here it goes: If Kendrick Lamar dropped the exact same music but without any Drake disses—including “Not Like Us”—does he still take home this award? Honestly, it’s hard to ignore how much his beef with Drake elevated his profile this year. And to Kendrick’s credit, he capitalized on the momentum, flooding us with music, lining up concerts, tours, and more. Crazy to think there was a time earlier this year when we were all wondering if Kendrick would even clap back at Drake.

So, what do y’all think? Does Kendrick Lamar truly deserve the title of Pop Artist of the Year? Sound off in the comments below!

Quincy

Quincy is the creator of Ratings Game Music. He loves writing about music, taking long walks on beaches, and spaghetti that fights him back.