Kendrick Lamar news: Rapper bags several rap awards despite being 'snubbed'

Fans and several media outlets have pegged Kendrick Lamar to win this year's Album of the Year, only to be taken by eventual winner Bruno Mars.Reuters/Mario Anzuoni

Kendrick Lamar, the hit American rapper, has been on the rise in the recent years because of his albums such as "Good Kid" and "To Pimp A Butterfly." Many fans expected the rapper to finally grab the most-coveted award in this year's Grammys, but results fell short of expectations yet again.

Although the rapper lost in the biggest categories such as Album of the Year, Lamar did not go home empty-handed during the awards night. The rapper bagged several smaller awards, and deservedly so. Lamar won Best Rap Album, Rap Performance, Rap Song, and Rap/Sung Collaboration. The rapper was up for a competitive night after monopolizing the rap awards. Besides that, Lamar also won Best Music Video for his song "Humble."

As the rapper reaped award after award, there has been a growing sense that Lamar might finally bag the highly coveted prize. Lamar's excitement was also visible, especially after he said "Jay-Z for president!" while accepting the Best Rap Song award.  

Ultimately, the Album of the Year would go to popstar Bruno Mars. Mars had a successful year as well, topping the charts multiple times with songs such as "That's What I Like." The aforementioned song also contributed to Mars winning the 2018 Song of the Year award.

Many news outlets and blogs have since pointed out several reasons why Mars swept the Grammys instead of Lamar. Some feature articles pointed out the controversial messages that Lamar infuses in his songs, which can then be hard for the industry especially when compared to Mars' carefree and lively songs.

There are also claims that Lamar's songs simply do not cater to the voters of the Grammys, especially since his raps are centered on a younger generation, unlike Mars songs that any age bracket can appreciate.

Fans of the rapper are hoping for another comeback in 2019, but one thing remains certain: Lamar's message is a constant with or without a Grammy.