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Clipse won their first Grammy as a group for best rap performance for “Chains & Whips.”

Story by Yuriy Andriyashchuk

Clipse win their first Grammy as a group for Best Rap Performance for “Chains & Whips”

Clipse Earn First Grammy as a Group With “Chains & Whips”

Clipse reached a long-awaited milestone by winning their first-ever Grammy Award as a group, taking home Best Rap Performance for “Chains & Whips” featuring Kendrick Lamar and Pharrell Williams. The win marks a historic moment for the Virginia duo and comes from their 2025 comeback album, “Let God Sort Em Out.”

A Career-Defining Grammy Moment

For Pusha T and Malice, this Grammy win carries deep significance. Clipse has long been regarded as one of the most respected duos in hip-hop history, known for their razor-sharp lyricism, coke-rap narratives, and uncompromising authenticity. Yet despite their influence, the group had never won a Grammy together until now.

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Winning Best Rap Performance validates not just one song, but the legacy of a duo that helped redefine street rap in the 2000s. The moment felt less like a surprise and more like a correction — the Recording Academy finally acknowledging Clipse’s lasting impact on the genre.

“Chains & Whips”: A Ruthless, Purposeful Record

“Chains & Whips” stands as one of the most commanding tracks on “Let God Sort Em Out.” The song is raw, confrontational, and unapologetic, blending Clipse’s signature street realism with Kendrick Lamar’s piercing intensity.

Rather than chasing modern trends, the track leans into minimalism and tension. Every bar is deliberate. Every pause feels heavy. Pusha T delivers icy precision, Malice brings moral gravity and reflection, and Kendrick injects urgency with a verse that feels both confrontational and prophetic.

The result is a performance-driven record that commands attention — the exact type of song the Best Rap Performancecategory was designed to honor.

Kendrick Lamar’s Role in Elevating the Track

Kendrick Lamar’s feature on “Chains & Whips” wasn’t just a co-sign; it was a strategic and artistic alignment. Kendrick has long cited Clipse as foundational influences, and the collaboration felt like a generational bridge rather than a passing feature.

His verse complemented the duo’s themes of power, consequence, and survival without overshadowing them. Instead, Kendrick sharpened the song’s message, adding intensity and urgency while respecting Clipse’s space.

“Let God Sort Em Out”: A Triumphant Return

Released in 2025, “Let God Sort Em Out” marked Clipse’s official return as a duo after years of speculation, solo success, and spiritual divergence. The album didn’t aim to chase relevance — it asserted it.

Instead of sounding dated, the project felt timeless. The production was lean, the writing was surgical, and the themes carried weight. “Chains & Whips” quickly emerged as a standout, encapsulating the album’s core ideas: accountability, power, morality, and consequence.

The Grammy win further cemented the album as one of the most respected hip-hop releases of the year.

Best Rap Performance: Why This Category Matters

The Best Rap Performance category emphasizes delivery, presence, and execution over commercial success. It rewards records that feel commanding, purposeful, and undeniable when performed.

“Chains & Whips” fits that definition perfectly. The song doesn’t rely on hooks or radio-friendly structures. Its power lies in its intensity, its precision, and the chemistry between three elite lyricists operating at full capacity.

The win suggests a shift toward rewarding substance and execution — a meaningful signal for hip-hop artists who prioritize craft over trends.

A Long Road to Grammy Recognition

Clipse’s Grammy journey has been complicated. Despite critically acclaimed albums and genre-defining influence, award recognition often eluded them during their prime years. Their music was respected but sometimes viewed as too uncompromising for mainstream award culture.

This win changes that narrative. It acknowledges that greatness doesn’t expire — and that legacy artists can still create work worthy of top honors when they remain true to their core.

For longtime fans, the moment felt emotional. For Clipse, it felt earned.

Cultural and Industry Reaction

The hip-hop community responded with overwhelming praise. Fans, artists, and critics alike celebrated the win as a victory for lyrical integrity and authenticity. Many pointed out how rare it is for a veteran duo to return with music strong enough to dominate award conversations.

The moment also sparked broader discussions about overdue recognition in hip-hop and the importance of honoring artists whose influence transcends chart positions.

In many ways, Clipse’s win felt bigger than a trophy — it felt symbolic.

Pusha T and Malice: A Full-Circle Moment

For Pusha T, the Grammy added another layer to an already decorated career, bridging his solo accolades with his foundational work as part of Clipse. For Malice, the moment carried spiritual weight, reinforcing the themes of accountability and reflection that define his later career.

Together, the win represented reconciliation — not just between two brothers, but between eras of hip-hop. It was evidence that evolution doesn’t require abandoning roots.

What This Grammy Means for Clipse’s Legacy

This Grammy win permanently alters how Clipse’s legacy will be discussed. No longer just “influential but unawarded,” they are now officially Grammy winners as a group — a distinction that carries weight in industry history.

More importantly, the award underscores that Clipse didn’t need to compromise their sound to earn recognition. They stayed sharp, stayed honest, and stayed dangerous.

“Chains & Whips” will likely be remembered as the song that finally brought the industry full circle.

A Victory Years in the Making

Clipse’s Best Rap Performance Grammy for “Chains & Whips” is more than a career highlight — it’s a testament to patience, discipline, and unwavering artistic identity. From Virginia to the Grammy stage, the duo’s journey reflects the power of staying true to one’s voice.

With “Let God Sort Em Out,” Clipse didn’t chase validation — and ironically, that’s exactly what they received.

After all these years, the culture caught up. And Clipse finally got their flowers.

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