Kendrick Lamar is once again at the center of Grammy history. The Compton-born rapper leads this year’s nominations with nine in total, the most of any artist heading into the 68th Grammy Awards. The ceremony will be held on February 1st at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, where Lamar will go head-to-head with Lady Gaga for Album of the Year in one of the most anticipated showdowns of the season.

Lamar’s nominated project, GNX, arrived with almost no warning last November and quickly became one of the most talked-about releases of the year. The album earned widespread praise for its storytelling and production, and its nomination makes Lamar the first solo artist ever to have five consecutive studio albums compete for Album of the Year. His consistency and ability to evolve with every project have cemented his status as one of the most influential voices in modern hip-hop.

This latest recognition follows his major wins at the previous Grammy ceremony, where he took home Record of the Year and Song of the Year for Not Like Us. That song, which many fans saw as a statement moment in his ongoing rivalry with Drake, was also performed during his highly acclaimed Super Bowl halftime appearance. This year, Lamar is once again nominated for Record and Song of the Year, this time for Luther, his soulful collaboration with SZA that samples the Luther Vandross and Cheryl Lynn classic If This World Were Mine.

As Kendrick Lamar continues to redefine what it means to be a rap artist at the Grammys, his dominance this season proves that he remains one of music’s most commanding forces. Whether he finally takes home Album of the Year or not, his impact on the culture and the industry is undeniable.