The relationship between awards shows and hip-hop has never been smooth. The genre wasn’t even acknowledged by the Grammys until 1989. Rappers have, however, received even worse treatment at other “prestigious” award ceremonies. It took until 2002 for the first rap song to even be considered for an Academy Award.
There have been a total of three hip-hop artists who have won both a Grammy and an Oscar. And the winners are:
EMINEM.
Eminem has received 15 Grammy Awards since 2000. In fact, only legends like Kendrick Lamar, Kanye West and Jay-Z have amassed more victories than Slim Shady, who is currently in fourth place overall. The best rap album, best rap song, and best music video are just a few of the Grammy categories in which the Detroit rapper has won.
The unexpected victory for Eminem came in 2003. He won the Best Original Song Oscar for “Lose Yourself” from the movie 8 Mile at the 75th Academy Awards. The semi-autobiographical picture, which was directed by Curt Hanson (L.A. Confidential), received high marks from both reviewers and Marshall Mathers devotees. Eminem made Academy Awards history by being the first rapper to win an Oscar, despite not having been nominated for an award for his acting.
COMMON.
Only three Grammy awards have gone to Common despite his twenty nominations. For the Erykah Badu song “Love of My Life (An Ode to Hip-Hop)” in 2003, Common received his first award. Badu and Common, who were romantically linked at the time of the recording, sang the song as a duo.
However, the biggest win for Common was the one-two punch of earning an Oscar and Grammy for the same song. At the 2015 Academy Awards, Common won the Oscar for Best Original Song for “Glory” from Selma. A year later, Common and co-writers John Legend and Rhymefest would also win the Best Song Written for Visual Media Grammy. In 2017, Common won an Emmy, leaving him just a Tony award away from the coveted “EGOT.” Just like Eminem, who has won an Emmy last year for his Super Bowl Halftime Show performance with Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Kendrick Lamar, Mary J. Blige, 50 Cent and Anderson .Paak.
WILL SMITH.
Will Smith has been a facet of pop culture for nearly four decades. From being in the hip hop duo DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince to starring in summer blockbusters, Smith has dominated every artist field he’s entered. His cultural presence has practically been unmatched by his peers. In 1989, Smith and DJ Jazzy Jeff won the inaugural Grammy award for Best Rap Performance for the song “Parents Just Don’t Understand.” The track would go on to be a playful anthem for kids everywhere.
After being nominated 3rd time at the Oscars, Will Smith finally took home the statue in 2022. Smith played Richard Williams, father of Serena and Venus Williams, in the film King Richard. The film not only earned Smith the Best Actor in a Leading Role Oscar but also a Best Picture nomination.
