Kendrick Lamar, Doechii, and Samara Joy are among the big winners at this year’s NAACP Image Awards. On night two of the awards’ virtual ceremonies (aired via the NAACP YouTube Channel), all three artists brought home awards alongside the likes of Beyoncé, Keke Palmer, and Ayo Edebiri.
Fresh off a history-making Super Bowl performance and Grammys sweep, Lamar won the Outstanding Hip-Hop/Rap Song trophy for his inescapable diss track “Not Like Us,” which won Song of the Year at the Grammys. He’s also up for NAACP Entertainer of the Year in 2025, competing against Cynthia Erivo, Palmer, Kevin Hart and Shannon Sharpe.
Doechii, who nearly led the music categories with five nominations this year, took home the award for Outstanding New Artist. Among other awards, she was also up for Outstanding Album and Best Rap Album for her debut record Alligator Bites Never Heal. The nods add to an already-impressive awards season for the star, who became the third woman ever to win a Grammy for Best Rap Album.
The NAACP also honored Samara Joy’s latest record Portrait, naming it Outstanding Jazz Album. Joy was also nominated for the same award back in 2023 for her album Linger Awhile, which also won her a Grammy for Best Jazz Album. For the last two years, she has won a Grammy for Best Jazz Performance.
This year’s NAACP Image Awards have only just begun, with a virtual Creative Honors ceremony set for February 21st and a televised ceremony set for February 22nd on BET and CBS. Taking place at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium in Pasadena, California, the theme of this year’s show is “Our Stories, Our Culture, Our Excellence.” Honorees set to be recognized at the televised event include Dave Chappelle, the Wayans Family, and former vice president Kamala Harris.
