Kendrick Lamar has been dominating the Billboard charts and breaking records for many years, but the past 12 months have been especially huge for the rapper. After scoring a career-defining win with the Drake diss track “Not Like Us,” he released his latest album GNX late in 2024, and that set has continued to churn out hit after hit after hit.
The rapper makes history and joins several hip-hop powerhouses this week as he earns another No. 1 on one of Billboard’s radio rankings, as his successful streak continues with another huge smash.
Kendrick Lamar and SZA Hit No. 1 With “30 for 30”
Lamar earns a brand new No. 1 on the Mainstream R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart this week thanks to his collaboration with SZA, “30 for 30.” The tune jumps from No. 5 to the summit, becoming his latest hit to perform well at radio.
Lamar Replaces Himself at No. 1 — Again
As “30 for 30” rises to the top, it replaces “TV Off,” another Lamar-led cut. That track, a duet with Lefty Gunplay from GNX, slips from No. 1 this week.
Before “TV Off,” the chart was ruled by “Luther,” another collaboration between Lamar and SZA. That means the rapper has now replaced himself at No. 1 not once, but twice in a row.
With “30 for 30” now in charge, Lamar claims an incredibly rare feat: three back-to-back-to-back leaders on the Mainstream R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart. That kind of uninterrupted run at No. 1 is uncommon on any Billboard tally, but especially on this genre-focused airplay ranking.
Kendrick Lamar Joins Lil Wayne, 50 Cent and Even Drake
According to Billboard, Lamar is just the fourth artist to manage three successive No. 1 hits on the Mainstream R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart with no gap in between.
He joins an elite club of rappers who have pulled this off. 50 Cent was the first, scoring the trifecta with “Candy Shop” featuring Olivia and two collaborative efforts with The Game—“How We Do” and “Hate It or Love It.”
Lil Wayne followed, thanks to his solo smash “How to Love” and featured turns on Kelly Rowland’s “Motivation” and DJ Khaled’s “I’m On One.”
Then came Drake, who saw “God’s Plan” and “Nice For What” hit No. 1 consecutively before appearing on BlocBoy JB’s “Look Alive,” which also took over the top spot. Now, Lamar joins their ranks.
Kendrick Lamar’s Nine No. 1s
“30 for 30” is just the latest radio smash in Lamar’s discography. The rapper has now scored nine No. 1 hits on the Mainstream R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart throughout his career. That list includes solo efforts and collaborative tracks alike. He’s also landed a total of 17 top 10s, with nearly half of his 36 total appearances on the tally making it into the uppermost tier.
Meanwhile, SZA adds another leader to her growing catalog. The singer has racked up four No. 1s on this chart. Two of her leaders resulted from working with Lamar, and the two will surely perform them all during their upcoming joint tour.