“This Is America” was the first rap song to win both Record of the Year and Song of the Year at the Grammys.
The Childish Gambino track achieved the feat at the 61st Annual Grammy Awards in 2019. It won all four categories in which it was nominated: Record of the Year, Song of the Year, Best Rap/Sung Performance, and Best Music Video. The wins made Donald Glover, performing as Childish Gambino, the first hip-hop artist to take both of the two general-field song and recording prizes.
Released in May 2018, the song combines hip-hop, trap, afrobeats, and gospel-influenced elements. Its highly symbolic video, directed by Hiro Murai, drew attention to racism, gun violence, mass shootings, and the way entertainment can distract from social trauma.
Record of the Year honors the overall recording and its production, while Song of the Year recognizes songwriting. That distinction explains why winning both was significant. “This Is America” is sometimes remembered mainly for its video, but its Grammy milestone came from the two top songwriting and recording categories.