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In a sensational concert at the Kia Forum on Wednesday, Kendrick Lamar brought together a host of musical heavyweights for a night intended to showcase unity within the West Coast rap scene. The event featured guest appearances by over 20 musicians, including Dr. Dre, Roddy Ricch, Ty Dolla $ign, Tyler The Creator, and Steve Lacy.
Kendrick Lamar opened his performance on the night with a Drake diss track Euphoria,” which included the new line: “Give me Tupac’s ring back and I might give you a little respect.” This referred to a ring previously owned by Tupac Shakur, purchased at auction for over $1 million by an anonymous bidder who turned out to be Drake.
The pinnacle of the night was the live debut of Lamar’s track “Not Like Us,” a powerful takedown of Canadian rapper Drake. This performance is probably Kendrick’s ‘finishing move’ to end their long-standing feud, which had escalated earlier this year. Encouraged by the crowd, Kendrick Lamar performed the song five times, each rendition more intense than the last.
“Y’all ain’t gonna let nobody disrespect the West Coast, huh?” Lamar asked the audience as the show neared its end. “Oh y’all ain’t gonna let nobody mock or imitate our legends, huh?” he added, referring to Drake’s controversial use of AI versions of Tupac and Snoop Dogg’s vocals in his track “Taylor Made Freestyle.”
Kendrick Lamar vs Drake
The feud between Lamar and Drake has been simmering for years, reaching new heights in April and May as the rappers exchanged barbs through their music. Drake, a mainstream pop-rap icon, accused Lamar of selling out and mocked his height, while also making unverified allegations of domestic violence. Lamar, considered by many to be one of the best lyricists of his generation, criticized Drake’s music as “predictable” and suggested he had issues with gambling and drugs.
However, “Not Like Us” took the rivalry to another level. In the song, Lamar accused Drake of “colonizing” Southern rap culture for personal gain and made unsubstantiated claims about Drake’s conduct with young women, which Drake denied. The track, powered by a DJ Mustard beat, broke Spotify records for most plays in a single day, topped the US charts, and reached number six in the UK, becoming Lamar’s biggest solo hit.
“The Pop Out: Ken And Friends,”
Announced just two weeks prior, Lamar’s Juneteenth concert, titled “The Pop Out: Ken And Friends,” sold out instantly. The event opened with sets by DJ Hed and DJ Mustard, who honoured the late LA rapper Nipsey Hussle. Lamar took the stage at 6:30 pm, starting with “Euphoria.”
Lamar’s setlist included hits like “DNA,” “Alright,” “Swimming Pools (Drank),” and “King Kunta.” He was joined by Schoolboy Q, Ab-Soul, and Jay Rock of the hip-hop supergroup Black Hippy for performances of “M.A.A.D. City” and “That Part.” He also performed his verse from Future and Metro Boomin’s “Like That,” which sparked this year’s feud.
As the show streamed live on Amazon, Lamar brought out West Coast rap legend Dr. Dre for energetic renditions of “Still D.R.E.” and “California Love.” Dre then introduced “Not Like Us” by whispering its opening line, “I see dead people.” Anticipation for the song had been building all night, with the crowd chanting its lyrics. Each repeat performance saw more guests joining Lamar on stage, culminating in nearly 30 people, including YG, Steve Lacy, Schoolboy Q, Big Boy, G Perico, DJ Mustard, and basketball stars Russell Westbrook and Demar Derozan.
The concert concluded with a poignant moment of solidarity among Los Angeles’ often fractured hip-hop community. Lamar paused for a group photo and dedicated the show to friends and musicians lost to violence. “This is unity, y’all just don’t know man,” he told the crowd. “Everybody on this stage got fallen soldiers. For all of us to be together, that [expletive] is special. We put this together with peace… I promise this won’t be the last of us.”
The night ended with a sixth, instrumental version of “Not Like Us” as fans left the arena.
