kendrick-lamar-best-rap-album

All hail King Kendrick. The Compton MC, who led this year’s nominations with 11, took home Best Rap Album for To Pimp a Butterfly during Monday’s ceremony at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.

While accepting his award from Ice Cube and his son O’Shea Jackson, Jr., he dedicated it to the entire genre.

“This for hip-hop,” he said. “This for Snoop Dogg’s Doggystyle. This for Illmatic. This for Nas. We will live forever. Believe that.”

During the speech, he also thanked his parents and his fiancée, Whitney Alford.

“All glory to God, that’s for sure,” he said. “My foundation, my roots to me being on this stage, Kenneth Duckworth, and Paula Duckworth, those who gave me the responsibility of knowing and understanding, accepting the good with the bad. I’ll always love you for that. Whitney, I will always love you for supporting me and keeping me motivated to being the best person.”

TDE wasn’t left out as Kendrick thanked his labelmates and the company’s CEO, Anthony “Top Dawg” Tiffith.

“Taking these kids out of the projects and out of Compton and putting them right here on this stage to be the best they can be,” he said. “We will never forget that.”

It’s already a big night for Kendrick. So far, he’s won five awards including Best Rap Album, Best Rap Song, Best Rap/Sung Collaboration, Best Rap Performance, and Best Music Video.