Kendrick Lamar hosted a star-studded concert at Los Angeles’ Kia Forum on Wednesday, showcasing unity within the West Coast rap community. Over 20 artists joined Lamar, including Dr. Dre, Roddy Ricch.
Kendrick Lamar hosted a star-studded concert at Los Angeles’ Kia Forum on Wednesday, bringing together the West Coast rap community. Over 20 artists, including Dr. Dre, Roddy Ricch, Ty Dolla $ign, Tyler The Creator, and Steve Lacy, made guest appearances.
The highlight of the evening was the live debut of Lamar’s song “Not Like Us,” a pointed critique of Canadian rapper Drake, marking the end of their long-running feud. Lamar performed the song five times, each rendition more intense than the last, and addressed the crowd, denouncing disrespect towards West Coast legends, referring to Drake’s use of AI-generated vocals from Tupac and Snoop Dogg.
The Lamar-Drake feud, which escalated recently with mutual insults in new songs, saw Drake accuse Lamar of selling out and mock his height, while Lamar criticized Drake’s music and suggested personal issues, which Drake denied. “Not Like Us” accused Drake of exploiting Southern rap culture and hinted at misconduct with young women.
The song, featuring a DJ Mustard beat, broke Spotify records and topped the US charts, reaching number six in the UK, becoming Lamar’s biggest solo hit. The concert, announced just two weeks prior, sold out instantly. Titled “The Pop Out: Ken And Friends,” it began with DJ Hed and DJ Mustard paying tribute to the late Nipsey Hussle.
Lamar’s set included hits like “DNA,” “Alright,” and “King Kunta,” and he was joined by Schoolboy Q, Ab-Soul, and Jay Rock for “M.A.A.D. City” and “That Part.” Dr. Dre performed “Still D.R.E.” and “California Love,” before introducing “Not Like Us.” The show concluded with nearly 30 guests on stage, emphasizing unity and dedicating the performance to those lost to violence.