Yahoo News Kendrick Lamar Brings Drake Beef To Fever Pitch With Juneteenth Concert In Los Angeles
The Kendrick Lamar-Drake beef has officially landed in new and uncharted territory.
The hip-hop feud reached a fever pitch Wednesday in Los Angeles when Lamar, the hometown hero of South Central, hosted a celebratory Juneteenth concert titled The Pop Out: Ken & Friends at the Kia Forum. At the concert, he performed his Billboard-charting Drake diss “Not Like Us” five times in a row.
Thousands rapped along as Lamar spit his fiery verses onstage at the star-studded affair, which was live-streamed on Amazon. The concert event also included guests Tyler, the Creator and YG. NBA stars Russell Westbrook and LeBron James, as well as singer The Weeknd, were in the crowd as Lamar brought dozens of rival gang members onstage.
“This shit gets me emotional, dog,” he told the crowd. “We done lost a lot of homies to this music shit, lot of homies to some street shit, and for all of us to be on this stage together; unity from each side of motherfucking L.A., crips, bloods, pirus — this shit is special, man.
The beef between the two hip-hip titans kicked off in March when the rappers directly engaged each other on wax after years of subtle shots. Lamar fans would note that his “Not Like Us” is already hip-hop’s unofficial summer anthem.
The concert attracted about 17,000 attendees. One social media user wrote on X, formerly Twitter, “This Kendrick show is the blueprint for a hometown event.”
Lamar apparently named the show after his espoused ethos on “Not Like Us” that “you gotta pop out” to squash the competition sometimes. He gave 15 relatively unknown local acts the stage to open for him.
Lamar held the concert on Juneteenth in commemoration of the last enslaved people in the U.S. being liberated in 1865 — after Drake accused him in a diss of “always rapping like you bout to get the slaves freed.” Lamar took a moment onstage to address Drake, saying, “Give me Tupac’s ring back.”
The Canadian rapper purchased one of Shakur’s rings last year for over $1 million.
While some fans are adamant the beef isn’t over, others see The Pop Out as the final nail in the coffin that is Drake’s rap career.
KENDRICK OPENING UP WITH PERFORMING EUPHORIA FOR THE FIRST TIME WITH EVERY ONE SINGING ALONG
THIS IS LEGENDARY SHIT 😭😭😭
pic.twitter.com/KGOQPrewV5— Big Boss 🇵🇸 (@LordBalvin) June 20, 2024
I personally think we needed someone like Kendrick to show the broader audience that all that shit yall thought mattered, doesn’t. People got clouded by the numbers & internet and forgot the real currency is in the community!
— Arial, like the font. (@honestari) June 20, 2024
KENDRICK RAN NOT LIKE US BACK IMMEDIATELY AND LET THE CROWD SING THE LYRICS FOR HIM DOG.. HE BARELY RAPPED!!!
THIS IS THE MOST INSANE VICTORY LAP IVE EVER SEEN IN MY FUCKING LIFE 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭pic.twitter.com/dig3zzZlC5— Big Boss 🇵🇸 (@LordBalvin) June 20, 2024
So then Drake told Kendrick that he rap like he tryna free the slaves
Kendrick threw a concert on Juneteenth that united rival hoods and celebrated legends.
- Me at a BBQ on Juneteenth 2054 pic.twitter.com/XNLSeflr81— Tony Bro (@ToneQapo) June 20, 2024
KENDRICK LAMAR PERFORMING NOT LIKE US WITH DR DRE INTRODUCING IT
THIS IS INSANITY pic.twitter.com/bE0CDm3oAH— Ahmed/The Ears/IG: BigBizTheGod 🇸🇴 (@big_business_) June 20, 2024
Kendrick really picked the right date for this show. This is a beautiful showcase of black culture
— Elsie not Elise 💿 (@ElsienotElisee) June 20, 2024
Kendrick Lamar bringing out all these artists at The Forum… this is UNHEARD OF… I dont think people understand how powerful that is… some of these artists never been in front of 20,000 people. Wow.
— IG: Mickey.Factz (@MickeyFactz) June 20, 2024
