Kendrick Lamar Breaks Two More Billboard Rap Charts Records With ‘GNX’ & ‘Luther’

Kendrick Lamar adds to his collection of Billboard chart records not once, but twice this week as his latest studio album GNX and his SZA collaboration “Luther” become the longest-running No. 1s in the history of the Top Rap Albums and Hot Rap Songs chart, respectively, on the lists dated July 5, 2025.

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Top Rap Albums launched in June 2004, and Hot Rap Songs began in March 1989.

GNX rebounds from the runner-up slot to capture an unprecedented 22nd week at No. 1 on Top Rap Albums. It passes the previous titleholder, Pop Smoke’s Shoot for the Stars Aim for the Moon, and its 21-week run that wrapped in April 2021. For its coronation week, GNX earned 31,000 equivalent album units in the tracking week of June 20-26, according to Luminate, an 8% decline from its total in the prior tracking frame.

As GNX asserts its supremacy on Top Rap Albums, here’s a review of the albums with the longest runs at No. 1 in the chart’s 21-year history.

Weeks at No. 1, Album Title, Artist, Date Reached No. 1
22, GNX, Kendrick Lamar, Dec. 7, 2024
21, Shoot for the Stars Aim for the Moon, Pop Smoke, July 18, 2020
19, Recovery, Eminem, July 10, 2010
18, Heroes & Villains, Metro Boomin, Dec. 17, 2022
16, Take Care, Drake, Dec. 3, 2011
14, The Marshall Mathers LP 2, Eminem, Dec. 23, 2013

GNX opened atop the Top Rap Albums chart dated Dec. 7, 2024, as Lamar’s sixth No. 1. Its surprise arrival capped a high-profile 2024 for the rapper, whose feud with Drake and resulting diss track battle — including the runaway hit “Not Like Us” — was among the year’s defining music storylines.

Joining the album achievement, Lamar and SZA’s single “Luther” snatches its share of Billboard history with a record 27th week at No. 1 on Hot Rap Songs. Lamar, however, keeps the baton, as “Luther” passes “Not Like Us,” which spent 26 weeks at the summit in 2024-25.

The song’s landmark week comes through a combination of 12.8 million official U.S. streams (down 8%), 53.1 million in airplay audience (down 1%) and 1,000 sales downloads (down 17%).

As “Luther” shuffles the leaderboard, let’s recap the songs with the most weeks at No. 1 on Hot Rap Songs.

Weeks at No. 1, Song Title, Artist, Date Reached No. 1
27, “Luther,” Kendrick Lamar & SZA, Dec. 21, 2024
26, “Not Like Us,” Kendrick Lamar, May 18, 2024
20, “Old Town Road,” Lil Nas X feat. Billy Ray Cyrus, April 13, 2019
19, “Industry Baby,” Lil Nas X & Jack Harlow, Aug. 7, 2021
18, “Hot Boyz,” Missy “Misdemeanor” Elliott feat. Nas, Eve & Q-Tip, Nov. 27, 1999
18, “Fancy,” Iggy Azalea feat. Charli xcx, May 3, 2014
18, “Hotline Bling,” Drake, Oct. 10, 2015
17, “Panda,” Desiigner, April 23, 2016
17, “Mood,” 24kgoldn feat. iann dior, Oct. 24, 2020

In addition to ruling Hot Rap Songs, “Luther” likewise leads Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs for a 27th week, extending its record for the most time at No. 1. (It nabbed the standalone title in its 23rd week, beating “Not Like Us.”) The single topped the all-genre Billboard Hot 100 for 13 weeks in March and through May, easily the longest stay of both Lamar and SZA’s careers.

Trevor Anderson

Billboard