Kendrick Lamar becomes the most-awarded rapper in Grammy Award history, Nigeria goes home empty-handed at the Grammys, Tyla wins again, Liverpool agree £60m deal for defender Jeremy Jacquet. Stay in the know with our Rave News Digest, which summarizes five of the hottest global news stories you need to catch up on, saving you time and energy. Consider it your daily news fix.
Here is a rundown of five of the hottest news topics…
1. Kendrick Lamar breaks Jay-Z’s record, becomes the most-awarded rapper in Grammy Award history
#KendrickLamar is officially the most-awarded hip-hop artist in #Grammys history, breaking Jay-Z’s record after earning his 26th trophy.
The “Not Like Us” rapper took home the awards for best rap album for “GNX,” best rap song for “TV Off,” melodic rap performance for “Luther”… pic.twitter.com/laImkvUYkv
— Variety (@Variety) February 2, 2026
Kendrick Lamar made history at the 2026 Grammy Awards on Sunday, February 2, becoming the most-awarded rapper of all time. The 38-year-old artist now holds 27 Grammy wins, surpassing Jay-Z’s long-standing record of 25. Lamar claimed Best Rap Album early in the night for GNX, marking a milestone moment in his career, before later winning Record of the Year for “Luther,” his collaboration with SZA. “I’m not good at talking about myself, but I express it through the music,” Lamar said during his acceptance speech. “It’s an honor to be here.”
In his remarks on the Grammy Award main stage, Kendrick Lamar also paid tribute to his peers and the culture at large, shouting out fellow nominees Tyler, The Creator and Clipse, as well as Pusha T and Malice. “Hip hop is gonna always be right here,” he said. “We gonna be having the culture with us.” Earlier in the ceremony, Lamar picked up Best Rap Performance for “Chains & Whips,” Best Melodic Rap Performance for “Luther,” and Best Rap Song for “tv off.” Leading the night with nine nominations, Lamar further cemented his dominance following a landmark 2025 run that included multiple Grammy wins for “Not Like Us” and a historic Super Bowl Halftime Show performance, underscoring his era-defining impact on hip-hop.
2. Nigeria goes home empty-handed at the Grammys, Tyla wins again
BREAKING: Davido, Burna Boy, Omah Lay, Ayra Starr, & Wizkid lose Best African Music Performance category at the 2026 #GRAMMYs. 💔🇳🇬 pic.twitter.com/IZnhdfOPaf
— Pulse Nigeria (@PulseNigeria247) February 1, 2026
Nigeria left the 2026 Grammy Awards without a win despite multiple high-profile nominations across major African and global categories. Burna Boy, Davido, Omah Lay, Ayra Starr, and Wizkid all entered the night as strong contenders but ultimately fell short, marking a rare clean sweep loss for the country at the ceremony. In the Best African Music Performance category, South Africa’s Tyla emerged victorious with “Push 2 Start,” beating Burna Boy’s “Love,” Davido and Omah Lay’s “With You,” and Ayra Starr and Wizkid’s “Gimme Dat.”
The disappointment continued in the Best Global Music Album category, where Burna Boy’s No Sign of Weakness lost out to Brazilian legends Caetano Veloso and Maria Bethânia, who won for Caetano e Bethânia Ao Vivo. For Tyla, however, the night reinforced her growing global stature, as the win marked her second Best African Music Performance trophy since the category was introduced in 2024. Having first made history with “Water” as the inaugural winner, Tyla’s repeat victory further cements her position as one of Africa’s most influential artists on the world stage.
3. Trump says the Kennedy Center will close in July for two years for renovations
US president says the arts complex will close for two years for reconstruction starting in July. https://t.co/nhamBjdI1W
— Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) February 2, 2026
President Donald Trump said Sunday that the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C., will close in July for approximately two years to undergo extensive renovations. In a post on social media, Trump said the planned July 4 closure would allow for faster and higher-quality reconstruction of the complex, which he described as “tired, broken, and dilapidated.” Trump, who chairs the newly rebranded Trump Kennedy Center, said the decision is pending approval from the center’s board, whose members were appointed by the president, and added that financing for the project is “fully in place.”
The announcement comes amid growing controversy surrounding the nation’s premier performing arts venue, which has faced a wave of cancellations since the board added Trump’s name to the complex. Most recently, award-winning composer Philip Glass withdrew the June world premiere of his symphony based on Abraham Lincoln. Trump has made reshaping the Kennedy Center a priority during his second term, securing $257 million in his “One Big, Beautiful Bill” for capital repairs, restoration, maintenance backlogs, and security upgrades.
4. Melania earns a surprising $7 million, the best non-music documentary debut in a decade
‘Melania’ earns a surprising $7 million, best non-music documentary debut in a decade https://t.co/GrKMj0c8pv
— CNBC (@CNBC) February 1, 2026
Amazon’s Melania delivered a surprising box office performance this weekend, earning $7 million domestically in its debut and marking the strongest opening for a non-music documentary in more than a decade. According to Comscore data, most documentaries released over the past 10 years have opened below $5 million and typically gross between $10 million and $20 million worldwide, making Melania a notable outlier. While music documentaries and concert films often benefit from built-in fan bases, few political or lifestyle documentaries have managed comparable numbers since Michael Moore’s Fahrenheit 9/11, which opened to $23.9 million in 2004 and went on to earn $119 million domestically.
Amazon MGM Studios expressed optimism about the film’s early success, with head of domestic theatrical distribution Kevin Wilson saying the opening exceeded expectations and signals a strong long-term run for both the film and its forthcoming docu-series on Prime Video. The documentary, reportedly acquired for around $40 million with a similar amount spent on marketing, drew an audience largely made up of women and moviegoers over 55, who accounted for at least 70% of ticket sales. Rural theaters also played an outsized role, representing 46% of total grosses, while EntTelligence estimates roughly 600,000 people saw the film over the weekend. Despite the strong audience turnout and a 99% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, critical reception was sharply divided, with the film holding an 11% critics’ rating and facing accusations of being “propaganda.”
5. Liverpool agrees to a £60m deal for defender Jeremy Jacquet
🚨💣 BREAKING: Jeremy Jacquet to Liverpool, here we go! Deal agreed now for June 2026, as revealed.
Understand fee is €60m plus €10m add-ons to Rennes. Jeremy has agreed personal terms with #LFC.
Agreement done for summer 2026 for one of the most talented CBs in the world. pic.twitter.com/eVoA75oAiQ
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) February 1, 2026
Liverpool have agreed a £60 million deal to sign Rennes defender Jeremy Jacquet, with the 20-year-old set to join the club in the summer rather than the current transfer window. The move is subject to a medical after the two clubs reached an agreement on a £55 million fee plus £5 million in add-ons. Personal terms are not expected to pose any problems for the France Under-21 international. He has emerged as one of Europe’s most highly rated young centre-backs.
Chelsea were also in talks with Jacquet during the winter window, but are understood to be unwilling to match Liverpool’s offer. The Reds are keen to strengthen their centre-back options, particularly with Ibrahima Konate’s contract set to expire at the end of the season. Jacquet, a product of Rennes’ academy, has made 18 appearances this campaign and impressed with a series of standout performances, attracting interest from several top clubs. Liverpool views him as a long-term investment after missing out on England defender Marc Guehi last summer, with Arne Slot’s side now moving decisively to secure a key piece for the future.
Featured image: Myung J. Chun/Los Angeles Times
Our Weekday News Digest brings you a curated selection of the most compelling stories from around the globe. This week, we delve into the latest celebrity headlines, from Hollywood to Nollywood, explore trending global news, and highlight the most exciting sports developments of 2026.
— Read also
