Drake Named Top R&B/Hip-Hop Artist At 2024 Billboard Awards

Drake has been named the top R&B/Hip-Hop artist at the 2024 Billboard Music Awards, earning the title for the eighth time. According to Billboard, the honor ushers the Toronto musician into top spot, with twice as many year-end No. 1 titles as any other artist, only one more than disgraced R&B singer R. Kelly.

The 38-year-old also took home Top Rap Album for his 2023 album For All the Dogs. Billboard notes Drake’s For All the Dogs spent 11 weeks at No. 1 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart during the eligibility period, the longest run for any Drake album since Take Care.

Additionally, the album had multiple hits, including “Slime You Out,” featuring SZA, and “First Person Shooter,” featuring J. Cole, which both topped the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, as well as “Rich Baby Daddy,” featuring Sexyy Red and aforementioned Top Dawg Entertainment R&B star.

Drake, winner of the Artist of the Decade Award, poses backstage for the 2021 Billboard Music Awards, broadcast on May 23, 2021 at Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles, California.

Rich Fury/Getty Images for dcp

In the Top Rap Artist and Top Rap Male Artist categories, Drake beats his Compton-bred foe Kendrick Lamar for the win, counting a total 42 career wins. Despite the Toronto musician’s victories, the stinging “Not Like Us” earned Kung-Fu Kenny the Top Rap Song honor. Billboard notes the summer anthem boasts an unprecedented 24-week domination on the Hot Rap Songs chart and a record-tying 21-week run atop the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.

Additonal winners at the the event include Tyla, Shaboozey, and Beyoncé, who took home her first award in the country music lane for COWBOY CARTER. The global music icon was awarded Top Female Country artist, beating out Megan Moroney and Lainey Wilson.

Overall, Taylor Swift was the nights biggest winner, collecting 10 total awards including the coveted “Top Artist,” “Top Female Artist,” “Top Billboard 200 Artist,” “Top Hot 100 Artist,” “Hot 100 Songwriter,” “Top Streaming Songs Artist” and “Top Billboard 200 Album.”