Which rappers are nominated at the 2025 BRIT Awards?
The 2025 BRIT Awards will be held at The O2 Arena on March 1st, and rappers will be representing in some of the biggest categories. The 45th edition of the BRITs, presented by the British Phonographic Industry, will recognise the best British and international music from 2024.
Some of the most biggest rap inclusions at the ceremony are Central Cee and KSI, nominated for ‘Song of the Year’ with their respective songs, ‘Band4Band’ and ‘Thick of It’. Cee’s song, a Lil Baby collaboration that appeared on his debut album Can’t Rush Greatness, peaked at number three on the UK Singles Chart last year while boasting 412million streams on Spotify.
As for KSI, the multifaceted influencer, boxer, and musician reached number six with his Trippie Redd collaboration. The song has over 90million streams and is already one of the biggest releases of his career so far, with KSI describing the song as “just me pushing out what’s on my mind, what I’ve been going through.”
Cee is also up for an award with some of the most prominent UK artists in the ‘British Artist of the Year’ category. To win, he must beat several superstars such as Charli XCX, Dua Lipa, Sam Fender, Fred again.., Jamie xx, Michael Kiwanuka, Nia Archives, Rachel Chinouriri and Beabadoobee.
The London artist also makes it into the ‘Best Hip-Hop/Grime/Rap Act’ category alongside UK rap heavyweights like Dave, Ghetts, Little Simz and Stormzy. Ghetts dropped his On Purpose, With Purpose album in February last year, while Simz delivered her Drop 7 EP that same month.
Outside of the UK, international rappers are also showing out. Asake, Kendrick Lamar, and Tyler, The Creator are up for ‘International Artist of the Year’ following the release of their Lungu Boy, GNX, and Chromakopia albums. However, they face tough competition from Beyoncé, Billie Eilish, Chappell Roan, Sabrina Carpenter, Taylor Swift, Adrianne Lenker, and Benson Boone.
Future and Metro Boomin are nominated for ‘International Group of the Year’ off the back of their We Don’t Trust You and We Still Don’t Trust You albums, and of course, their hit single ‘Like That‘, which kicked off Kendrick’s beef with Drake. The rest of the category includes Fontaines DC, Linkin Park, Amyl and the Sniffers and Confidence Man.
Rappers are also on full display in the ‘Best International Song’ category. The nominations include Eminem’s ‘Houdini‘, Jack Harlow’s ‘Lovin on Me’, Tommy Richman’s ‘Million Dollar Baby’, Shaboozey’s ‘A Bar Song (Tipsy)’ and Post Malone’s ‘I Had Some Help’, although the latter two songs explore country music.
Again, some of the biggest songs of the year are included in the nominations, such as Billie Eilish’s ‘Birds of a Feather’, Beyoncé’s ‘Texas Hold ‘Em’, Chappell Roan’s ‘Good Luck, Babe!’, Djo’s ‘End of Beginning’, Noah Kahan’s ‘Stick Season’, Sabrina Carpenter’s ‘Espresso’, Taylor Swift’s ‘Fortnight’, Hozier’s ‘Too Sweet’ and Teddy Swims’ ‘Lose Control’.
The 2025 BRIT Awards will be broadcast live on ITV1 and ITVX from 8:15pm. The show is set to take place between 9pm and 11pm, with red carpet live streams beginning online at 5:30pm. Jack Whitehall will host the ceremony for the fifth time and his first since 2021.