Kendrick Lamar wins Pulitzer, tops Billboard nominations

Hip-hop star Kendrick Lamar is on a roll. The 30-year-old musician and poet, who really did come out of the NWA enclave, Compton in California, was recently announced as the winner of the 2018 Pulitzer Prize for Music for his album DAMN. Then a few days ago, Kendrick with DAMN, plus the single Humble and his latest masterpiece, the Black Panther soundtrack, topped this year’s nominations for the Billboard Music Awards.

The prestigious Pulitzer Prize was established by newspaper publisher Joseph Pulitzer in 1917 to honor writing achievements in newspaper, magazine, literature, and now also online journalism and musical composition in the US. Winners receive a certificate and $15,000. The winners of the music prize have mostly been from the field of classical music like Aaron Copland and Gian Carlo Menotti. 

The three notable exceptions these past 100 years were jazz musicians. They are trumpet wiz, teacher and composer Wynton Marsalis in 1997 for the album Blood In The Fields; saxophonist, violinist, trumpeteer and composer Ornette Coleman in 2007 for Sound Grammar; and flautist and composer Henry Threadgill in 2016 for In For A Penny, In For A Pound. 

Lamar is the first-ever winner for rap and in a way also for popular music. The Pulitzers described his album DAMN as:  “…a virtuosic song collection unified by its vernacular authenticity and rhythmic dynamism that offers affecting vignettes capturing the complexity of modern African-American life.” 

The Platinum-selling DAMN is a fluid blend of musings about love, personal struggles, religion and racial politics. Lamar stays laidback most of the time but is no less raw or aggressive as he was in his early works, the also Platinum-selling, good kid m.A.A.d. City and To Pimp A Butterfly.  DAMN is this year’s Grammy winner for Best Rap Album, while Drake won for Best Rap Performance, Best Song, Best Video and Best Rap/Sung Collaboration for Humble.

 Here is how Drake and other music biggies fared at the Billboard Music Awards. The award was established by Billboard Magazine, which is considered the “bible” of the music industry and is home to the legendary Hot 100 Chart. If you want to check on the latest news in the music biz or for anything regarding the latest hits, Billboard is the place to go to. Now here are some of the nominees. Check out the Billboard site for the rest.

Top Artist: Drake, Kendrick Lamar, Bruno Mars, Ed Sheeran and Taylor Swift.

New Artist: 21 Savage, Camila Cabello, Cardi B, Khalid, Kodak Black.

Billboard Chart Achievement Award: Camila Cabello, Cardi B, Drake, Sam Hunt, E Sheeran.

Male Artist: Drake, Kendrick Lamar, Bruno Mars, Post Malone, Ed Sheeran.

Female Artist: Camila Cabello, Cardi B, Halsey, Demi Lovato, Taylor Swift.

Top Duo/Group: The Chainsmokers, Coldplay, Imagine Dragons, Migos, U2.

Billboard 200 Artist: Drake, Kendrick Lamar, Ed Sheeran, Chris Stapleton, Taylor Swift.

Hot 100 Artist: Imagine Dragons, Kendrick Lamar, Bruno Mars, Post Malone, Ed Sheeran.

Streaming Songs Artist: Cardi B, Drake, Kendrick Lamar, Post Malone, Ed Sheeran.

Song Sales Artist: Imagine Dragons, Kendrick Lamar, Bruno Mars, Post Malone, Ed Sheeran.

Radio Songs Artist: Halsey, Imagine Dragons, Bruno Mars, Charlie Puth, Ed Sheeran.

Social Artist: Justin Bieber, BTS, Ariana Grande, Demi Lovato, Shawn Mendes.

Touring Artist: Coldplay, Guns N’ Roses, Bruno Mars, Ed Sheeran, U2.

R&B Artist: Chris Brown, Khalid, Bruno Mars, SZA, The Weeknd.

R&B Male Artist: Khalid, Bruno Mars, The Weeknd.

R&B Female Artist: Beyoncé, Rihanna, SZA.

R&B Tour: Bruno Mars, Lionel Richie, The Weeknd.

Rap Artist: Drake, Kendrick Lamar, Lil Uzi Vert, Migos, Post Malone.

Rap Male Artist: Drake, Kendrick Lamar, Post Malone.

Rap Female Artist: Bhad Bhabie, Cardi B., Nicki Minaj.

Top Rap Tour: J.Cole, JAY-Z, Kendrick Lamar.

Rock Artist: Imagine Dragons, Linkin Park, Portugal. The Man, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, twenty one pilots.

Rock Tour: Cold Play, Guns N’ Roses, U2.

Dance/Electronic Artist: The Chainsmokers, Calvin Harris, Kygo, Marshmello, ODESZA.

Billboard 200 Album: Drake, More Life; Kendrick Lamar, DAMN; Post Malone, Stoney; Ed Sheeran, Divide; Taylor Swift, Reputation.

Top Selling Album: Kendrick Lamar, DAMN; Pink, Beautiful Trauma; Ed Sheeran, Divide; Chris Stapleton, From A Room: Volume 1; Taylor Swift, Reputation.

Soundtrack: Black Panther; The Fate of the Furious: The Album; The Greatest Showman; Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 2: Awesome Mis Vol.2; Moana.

R&B Album: Khalid, American Teen; Bruno Mars, 24K Magic; SZA, CTRL; The Weeknd, Starboy; XXXTentacion, 17.

Rap Album: Drake, More Life; Kendrick Lamar, DAMN; Lil Uzi Vert, Luv Is Rage 2; Migos, Culture; Post Malone, Stoney.

Rock Album: Imagine Dragons, Evolve; Linkin Park, One More Light; Panic! At The Disco, Death of a Bachelor; Portugal. The Man, Woodstock; U2, Songs of Experience.

Dance Electronic Album: Avicii, AVICI (01); The Chainsmokers, Memories… Do Not Open; Calvin Harries, Funk Wav Bounces Vol.1; Kygo, Stargazing; ODESZA, A Moment Apart.

Hot 100 Song: Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee featuring Justin Bieber, Despacito; Kendrick Lamar, Humble; Bruno Mars, That’s What I Like; Post Malone, feat. 21 Savage, Rockstar; Ed Sheeran, Shape Of You.