Kendrick Lamar, the Pulitzer Prize-winning hip-hop artist, hosted a concert at Los Angeles’ Kia Forum on Wednesday. The event, aimed at uniting the West Coast rap community, featured over 20 artists, including Dr. Dre, Roddy Ricch, Ty Dolla $ign, Tyler The Creator, and Steve Lacy.
The highlight was Lamar’s live debut of his diss track Not Like Us, targeting Drake. Encouraged by the crowd, Lamar performed the track five times, each rendition more intense than the last.
“Y’all ain’t gonna let nobody disrespect the West Coast, huh?” Lamar asked. He referred to Drake’s controversial use of AI versions of Tupac and Snoop Dogg in his song Taylor Made Freestyle.
Lamar and Drake’s long-standing feud escalated recently with several diss tracks. Drake accused Lamar of selling out and made personal attacks, while Lamar criticized Drake’s music and alleged unethical behavior.
Announced just two weeks prior, the concert, titled The Pop Out: Ken and Friends, sold out quickly. It opened with sets by DJ Hed and DJ Mustard, who paid tribute to Nipsey Hussle. Lamar started his performance around 6:30 PM with another Drake diss track, Euphoria, featuring a new line about Drake’s purchase of Tupac’s ring.
Throughout the night, Lamar performed hits like DNA, Alright, Swimming Pools (Drank), and King Kunta. He was joined by Black Hippy members Schoolboy Q, Ab-Soul, and Jay Rock for M.A.A.D. City and That Part. Lamar also performed his verse from Like That, reigniting his feud with Drake.
The concert climaxed with Dr. Dre hyping the crowd for Not Like Us, with guests like YG, Steve Lacy, Schoolboy Q, and DJ Mustard joining Lamar on stage. By the end, nearly 30 figures, including Russell Westbrook and Demar Derozan, shared the stage in a rare show of unity for LA’s hip-hop scene.
.@kendricklamar performs “Not Like Us” at #ThePopOut #KenandFriends in Los Angeles. pic.twitter.com/fdQNtz6J3u
— The Hollywood Reporter (@THR) June 20, 2024
Advertisement
.@kendricklamar brings out every performer for a group photo at #ThePopOut #KenandFriends pic.twitter.com/ZKt2KkXuzS
— The Hollywood Reporter (@THR) June 20, 2024
Advertisement
