Many were shocked when Kendrick Lamar did not win a single award at Sunday's 2014 Grammy Awards. This week, the critically-acclaimed rapper finally addressed getting snubbed after having one of the biggest rap careers of 2013.

Kendrick Lamar was nominated for many Grammys this year: Album of the Year and Best Rap Album for Good Kid, M.A.D.D. City, Best New Artist, Best Rap Performance for "Swimming Pools (Drank)" and Best Rap/Sung Collaboration for "Now or Never" featuring Mary J. Blige. He also was nominated as a feature artist for Best R&B Performance for Miguel's "How Many Drinks?" and A$AP Rocky's "F***in' Problems".

Despite these seven nominations, Kendrick Lamar went home empty-handed. The most controversial loss was in Best Rap Album, which went to Macklemore & Ryan Lewis for The Heist.

Many fans and members of the rap community were outraged, but Kendrick Lamar says that the duo earned the award.

"It's well deserved. He did what he did, man," he told XXL. "He went out there and hustled and grinded. Everything happens for a reason. The universe comes back around. That's how it go."

Kendrick Lamar joins Nas, Big Pun and Snoop Dogg in a group of rappers who are considered to have been unjustly snubbed from the Grammy Awards.

"I definitely feel like they should always have more of the culture up in there, for sure, because we definitely stand out just like any other genre," Kendrick Lamar said of the Grammy's appreciation of hip-hop. "We part of the world. We part of the movement. So I think any awards, including the Grammys, should always push for more hip-hop because it's music as a whole, it's not just splitting different regions. Everything moves as far as sound and vibrations, and that's how it goes, and we are a part of that."

Macklemore texted Kendrick Lamar after the award show, saying he agrees that his winning of Best Rap Album was an upset:

"You got robbed. I wanted you to win. You should have. It's weird and such that I robbed you...Anyway, you know what it is. Congrats on this year and your music. Appreciate you as an artist and as a friend. Much love."

In addition to Best Rap Album, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis won three other awards: Best New Artist, Best Rap Performance and Best Rap Song. Kendrick Lamar was a nominee for every award Macklemore & Ryan Lewis won.

"[Kendrick Lamar] deserved best rap album... I'm honored and completely blown away to win anything much less 4 Grammys," Macklemore said via Instagram. "But in that category, he should have won IMO. And that's taking nothing away from The Heist. Just giving GKMC it's proper respect..."

Related