Kendrick Lamar’s album that became the first non-classical or jazz work to win the Pulitzer Prize for Music was Damn.
Damn was released on April 14, 2017, by Top Dawg Entertainment, Aftermath Entertainment, and Interscope Records. The album includes “HUMBLE.,” “DNA.,” “ELEMENT.,” and “LOVE.” Its production and performances combine hip hop with influences from rock, soul, jazz, and pop.
In 2018, the Pulitzer board awarded the album the Pulitzer Prize for Music, describing it as a virtuosic song collection unified by its vernacular authenticity and rhythmic dynamism. Before this award, the music category had been dominated by classical and jazz works.
The honor is sometimes misreported as an award for Kendrick’s entire career; it specifically recognized Damn. The album also won the Grammy Award for Best Rap Album at the 60th ceremony in 2018.