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Hamilton Spectator
14-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Hamilton Spectator
Drake who? In his Toronto return, Kendrick Lamar rose above the drama to deliver a career-spanning spectacle
Rogers Centre, Toronto, June 12, 2025 We all love a bit of drama. A bit of conflict. As humans, we thrive on it. For over a year, music fans have feasted on the bitter discord between Kendrick Lamar and Drake , obsessing over each sensational new development in what's been touted as the greatest rap beef of the 21st century. So it should come as no surprise that Lamar's arrival in Toronto on Thursday night — his first venture north of the border since the feud erupted last spring — to perform on the city's biggest stage was touted as another triumph for the Compton rapper, or framed as a juicy opportunity to provoke his rival on his home turf. But inside Rogers Centre, the spectre of Drake was hardly discernible. Lamar didn't mention him, nor did make reference to the feud even once during a nearly three-hour show. Instead, Lamar chose the high road, providing fans with an electric, career-spanning spectacle that felt less like a victory lap than a joyous celebration of a hip hop superstar operating at the peak of his powers. 'I see Toronto ain't playing tonight,' a smiling Lamar exclaimed midway through the show, following a rousing performance of 'Family Ties,' his 2021 collaboration with Baby Keem that sparked the first of several enthusiastic 'Kendrick' chants from the tens of thousands in attendance. And though Lamar chose not to fan the flames of conflict on Thursday, there were plenty of fireworks, both literal and figurative, provided by both Lamar and his co-headliner SZA, in an expensive extravaganza that sagged a little at times, but mostly soared. I'll admit that I was somewhat skeptical ahead of Thursday's show — the first of Lamar and SZA's back-to-back gigs in Toronto. Something about seeing a hip hop show at a baseball stadium felt wrong, somehow. With a capacity of 50,000, Rogers Centre is more than double the size of Scotiabank Arena, where Lamar typically performs when he comes to Toronto. As I filtered into the stadium and took my seats, I was surprised at the makeup of the crowd: the vast majority of fans appeared to be under 25, and many were teenagers, some sitting with their parents, munching popcorn or admiring their newly purchased merch. Between the main show and the opening DJ set from Mustard, the vibe felt more like a comic convention than a hip hop show. All that changed when the lights went down and a black Buick GNX was rolled slowly toward the middle of the sprawling stage, as the menacing horns of 'wacced out murals' blasted through the stadium's booming speakers. Lamar, the superstar Compton rapper who's been embroiled in a year-long feud with Drake, The audience leapt to the feet immediately as Lamar emerged from the car, kicking the show off with furious medley of upbeat songs from across different eras of his storied career — 'squabble up' from 2024's 'GNX,' 'King Kunta' from 2015's 'To Pimp A Butterfly,' and 'ELEMENT' from 2017's 'DAMN.' After about 10 minutes, the audience erupted for a second time as SZA — who more than once has cancelled Toronto shows at the last minute — emerged from beneath the stage on a rising platform to perform '30 for 30,' a standout collaboration with Lamar from her recent album 'Lana.' It was a thrilling moment, buoyed by the natural chemistry between the two artists, their voices duelling and eventually dovetailing in the song's final chorus. As Lamar exited the stage, SZA was joined by a troupe of dancers to perform three songs from her beloved debut album, 'Ctrl,' her voice nearly drowned out by the thousands of fans singing along at the top of their voices. The rest of the show proceeded in this unique fashion: a miniset by Lamar followed by a miniset from SZA, with collaborations peppered in between. SZA (left) and Kendrick Lamar (right) perform at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey in May. In an era where co-headlining tours are commonplace, pairing Lamar and SZA together for the Grand National Tour stands out as a particularly brilliant move. Longtime collaborators, both artists are currently riding a wave of unprecedented commercial and critical success: Lamar's record-breaking diss track 'Not Like Us' recently won five Grammys, while SZA's 2022 album 'SOS' recently spent its 85th week on the Billboard Top 10. But more importantly, Lamar and SZA feel remarkably compatible: Lamar, at 37, the slippery shape-shifter and lyrical savant. SZA, at 35, the master craftswoman of irresistible hooks that seamlessly fuse hip hop and R&B. Both standing tall as their musical peers slowly recede from cultural relevancy, whether by self-sabotage ( Kanye West ), by self-imposed exile ( Frank Ocean ), by the seductions of capitalism ( Rihanna ) or by the stench of all-consuming solipsism ( Drake ). Still, following the excitement of the show's first half-hour, both the strengths and flaws the stadium setting became apparent. On the one hand, the show's production was spectacular. Flanked by gigantic screens displaying cutting-edge visuals, along with incredibly charismatic dancers, it was easy to get lost in the performance, even if you were far from the stage. Most arresting was the show's use of stunning pyrotechnics, with thick columns of flames climbing hundreds of feet toward the stadium's ceiling. (Lamar's performance of 'euphoria,' one of two Drake diss tracks he performed throughout the evening, featured more pyro than the entire Metallica show I saw last summer.) On the other hand, the sound in the stadium was frustratingly muddy, with the bass often overpowering Lamar's vocals, and an irritating echo making it difficult to make out banter between songs. The complex stage setup, which included stages that disappeared behind sliding screens, made it difficult to see the performers for stretches at a time, sometimes blocking them completely from view depending on your vantage point. But these issues didn't seem to spoil the fun for fans, who were absolutely dialed in for Lamar's midshow set, which featured some of his biggest hits ('Humble,' 'Backstreet Freestyle'), along with two deconstructed versions of songs from his 2012 debut 'Good Kid, M.A.A.D City.' Nor did the apparent sound issues deter fans from embracing the fun and pure absurdity of SZA's midshow set, during which she showed off both her range and eclectic style with a string of songs from 'SOS' and 'Lana.' For 'F2F,' she brought out a guitarist and bassist, briefly transforming the show into a millennial pop-punk fever-dream. For 'Kitchen,' she performed while riding a giant ant, as dancers dressed as giant praying mantises roamed the stage. ('She's such a stoner,' the woman next to me observed.) SZA performs at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey in May. As the show entered its third hour, the novelty of Lamar and SZA trading sets began to wear off, and the audience energy began to ebb, even as the two artists trotted out some of their most beloved hits — Lamar's 'Money Trees,' SZA's 'I Hate U' and of course 'All the Stars.' It was nearly 11 p.m. when Lamar finally kicked the show back into a high gear with the hyphy banger 'TV off,' as the word 'MUUSSTTAAARD' echoed through the stadium amid exploding fireworks and billowing columns of flame. With the crowd's energy revitalized, Lamar finally launched into a long-awaited rendition of 'Not Like Us' — the chart-topping, record-breaking, multiple Grammy-winning diss track that doubled as knockout punch in Lamar's feud with Drake; a song that sparked a million think pieces, prompted an explosive defamation lawsuit and arguably changed the shape of hip hop forever. And yet, in the context of the Grand National Tour, 'Not Like Us' somehow transcended all the drama and baggage attached to it. There were no sly comments from Lamar, no cheeky visuals or ad-libs. In fact, Lamar said nothing at all. Instead, the tens of thousands in the arena simply bounced along to the track with the same verve and enthusiasm as they did for the half dozen major hits that Lamar performed earlier in the evening. Admittedly, there was something visceral about chanting along to the song's more inflammatory lines, taking part in the gleeful fun we've been witnessed from a distance for over year now. But it all felt somehow detached from Drake, while the feud felt suddenly contrived and overwrought. (Earlier in the evening, Lamar performed 'Poetic Justice,' a song that features Drake, while SZA performed a cover of his song 'Rich Baby Daddy,' a reminder of the Toronto's rappers ubiquitous, etherlike influence on hip hop.) Though 'Not Like Us' was certainly a highlight, the show reached its pinnacle earlier in the night with Lamar's performance of 'Alright,' a galvanizing, politically charged track from 2015 that became a rallying anthem of the Black Lives Matter movement, and which has taken on fresh relevance amid the ongoing protests against mass deportation in the U.S. ' And we hate popo, wanna kill us dead in the street for sure ,' the audience shouted along, in a moment that provided a much deeper sense of emotional catharsis than the lines ' c ertified lover boy, certified pedophile.' As 'Not Like Us' ended, some half-hearted 'one more time' chants bubbled up, but quickly faded away, as fans realized that, after over 50 songs, the show was finally coming to an end. Wearing a bright red jumper, SZA returned to the stage once to perform 'Luther' and 'Gloria,' both lovely duets off Lamar's most recent album. 'Love and faith, that's what this is all about,' she told the exhausted audience, who began filtering out of the stadium before the final song had even wrapped.
Chicago Tribune
07-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Chicago Tribune
Review: Despite uneven pace, a masterful Kendrick Lamar exceeds the hype
Kendrick Lamar treated himself to a modest victory lap Friday at a packed Soldier Field. Strolling around a series of ramps and runways, the rapper flexed his muscles like a champion boxer proud of his title belt. The somewhat muted display represented Lamar at his most physically ostentatious. Predominantly reserved and incredibly focused, the MC delivered knockouts with one dynamite delivery after another. Lamar's singular way with words nearly absolved the 160-minute show of its flaws — mainly, the decision to interweave his sets with those of co-headliner SZA into a continuous nine-act whole, and the irreconcilable contrasts that resulted. In town on his 'Grand National Tour,' Lamar walked the talk. His boasts of being the greatest of all time? Hard to argue at this point. Lamar didn't need the compulsory glitter that complements most massive concerts. Yes, there were fireworks galore, blast-furnace flames, skyward-shot fireballs and mechanical platforms. Pre-recorded interrogation-themed vignettes doubled as preludes. Lamar would've been equally effective if he just had his microphone for his razor-wire voice and stage-spanning video wall to project conceptual imagery — pawn shop and corner liquor-store signage, three-dimensional digital sculptures, provocative collages, coded slogans — tied to songs. Lamar also brought his black 1987 Buick GNX coupe along for the ride, using it as a recurring prop and occasional entrance-exit device. A 16-person dance team, a descent down a flight of stairs and a choreographed segment where the California native walked atop a long table while his ensemble sat on one side were about as theatrical as things got in his universe. He focused on narrative devices, demonstrating an elite command of dynamics, syntax, tone, timing, tension and pitch. Aside from a blinged-out 'X' chain hanging from his neck, Lamar eschewed gaudiness and wore only two outfits. No hype men, no special guests, no gratuitous self-promotion. And no overt showboating, even with his voice. Mainly, a batch of biting songs and an effortless flow that often operated as the parallel of a world-class rhythm section. With his current trek, Lamar joins Jay-Z and Eminem on the short list of hip hop artists who co-headlined stadium tours in North America. Though all three partnered with an R&B singer, Lamar planned an outing — the 39-date tour heads to Europe in July — more ambitious in scope. He's regularly shattering records. In Seattle, he established the new mark for highest gross revenue ($14.8 million) for a single performance by a rapper. It's already a foregone conclusion that the 'Grand National Tour' will rank as the highest-grossing rap tour in history, adding to a series of feats that place the 37-year-old on the same global phenom platform as Beyoncé, Lady Gaga and Taylor Swift. Since winning the Pulitzer Prize for music in 2018 for his 'Damn' LP, Lamar has dominated. His 2022 'Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers' record drew widespread acclaim, gave him his fourth consecutive No. 1 album and spawned an international tour that included a headlining Lollapalooza slot. Turns out, he was only warming up. In spring 2024, Lamar engaged in a public feud with Drake, dropped four acclaimed diss singles (with 'Not Like Us' netting five Grammy Awards), released the chart-topping 'GNX' LP and spearheaded the most-watched Super Bowl halftime show in history. Meet the former Chicago 'theater kid' who stages Kendrick Lamar Given his winning streak, nobody would've flinched if Lamar framed his portion of the event as a celebration. Yet moments of sheer joy arrived sparingly, a balance in a greater storytelling arc involving introspection, anger, reflection, comfort, struggle, fear, confusion and spirituality. He even reshaped the buoyant Black Lives Matter anthem 'Alright,' trading its definite optimism for something far less certain, with the familiar refrain echoing as a question without a guaranteed answer. Complications, critiques and conflicts filled his verses. On more than one occasion, Lamar appeared in intense conversation with himself — and prior guises of himself — in attempting to navigate deep-rooted internal strife. During the piano-laden 'Reincarnated,' he linked his past lives to those of John Lee Hooker and Billie Holiday before zooming back on his present self and its battle for freedom from the devil. As he transitioned into a rendition of Baby Keem's 'Family Ties,' the terms 'Respect' and 'Or' interchangeably flashed on the screen between 'Money ' and 'Power.' Crouching on the hood of his vehicle, a predator ready to strike at any prey that neared, he spat the rhymes to 'Man at the Garden' as mantra in a seeming attempt to convince his toughest critic — himself — he deserves the spoils of this life and the one that could follow. 'This is not a song / This is a revelation,' Lamar declared on 'TV Off.' He took those words to heart, whether toppling enemies with scathing aggression ('Euphoria'), repping his hometown in deceptively laconic fashion ('Dodger Blue') or blending slang, onomatopoeia and pop-culture references into a bass-booming banger ('Squabble Up'). Lamar's lyrical swagger and rhythmic control defied limitations. He treated phrases like shifting puzzle pieces. Precise and transparent, and garnished with a hint of raspiness, his hydraulic voice cut through every mix. He switched frequencies akin to an analog radio tuner, raced ahead and then cruised along as if behind the wheel of a souped-up car. Lamar dodged and dashed syllables, sliced and syncopated cadences, cleaving language into staggered patterns that danced, taunted, bounced and attacked. He let the rhythm hit 'em with every opportunity. If only he'd played a single, uninterrupted set and sustained a constant momentum. Lamar's decision to perform snippets of multiple songs also fell short of the intended mark. Potent cuts such as 'King Kunta,' 'Backseat Freestyle' and 'Swimming Pools (Drank)' came across as teases or afterthoughts. But those were minor missteps compared to the unevenness of Lamar and SZA's traded-off sequences. Both would have been better served with standalone programs and collaborating once within each segment. SZA made for a fine duet partner on the six songs they performed together. She countered his coarser tendencies with smooth softness on fare such as 'Love' and the heartfelt ballad 'Luther.' Her soulful voice proved up to task on her own material, too. But the similarities between her and Lamar's approaches, along with the sharp divide in their overall musical styles, created a whiplash effect and stunted pacing. SZA also went overboard with production, pyrotechnics and costume changes. Despite a few standout moments during which she asserted independence ('The Weekend,' a cover of Rihanna's 'Consideration'), she more often was subservient to scenery and symbolism. Indulging in garden motifs, the singer mingled with dancers dressed as insects, straddled a giant grasshopper and, for the acoustic-based 'Nobody Gets Me,' hovered above the stage wearing a pair of wings that transformed her into a sprite. Background visuals reinforced her obsession with bugs and grasslands, which worked to clever purpose during the revenge fantasy 'Kill Bill.' Unfortunately, many of the vocal and emotional subtleties that SZA showed on a prior tour stop at the United Center faded here. Perhaps in an effort to compensate, the 35-year-old St. Louis native opted for the opposite spectrum. Embracing big melodies and sugary choruses, she trumpeted exaggerated slickness and puffy drama on a healthy number of tunes. With a guitarist by her side doing little else than striking the poses of bygone hair-metal pretenders, SZA sang from her knees and brought back '80s pop rock. In another context, maybe the throwback succeeds. But on a tour on which Lamar stands as the equivalent of an undefeated prizefighter with no close suitors, a bold visionary taking hip-hop and dialect places seldom explored, the disconnect is too from Soldier Field on June 8: Kendrick Lamar 'Wacced Out Murals' 'Squabble Up' 'King Kunta' 'Element' 'TV Off' (Part I) Lamar and SZA '30 for 30' SZA 'What Do I Do' 'Love Galore' 'Broken Clocks' 'The Weekend' Lamar 'Euphoria' 'Hey Now' 'Reincarnated' 'Humble' 'Backseat Freestyle' 'Family Ties' (Baby Keem cover) 'Swimming Pools (Drank)' 'Sweet Love' (Anita Baker cover) into 'M.A.A.D. City' 'Alright' 'Man at the Garden' SZA 'Scorsese Baby Daddy' 'F2F' 'Garden (Say It Like Dat)' 'Kitchen' 'Blind' 'Consideration' (Rihanna cover) 'Low' Lamar and SZA 'Doves in the Wind' 'All the Stars' 'Love' Lamar 'Dodger Blue' 'Peekaboo' 'Like That' (Future/Metro Boomin cover) 'DNA' 'Good Credit' (Playboi Carti cover) 'Count Me Out' into 'Don't Kill My Vibe' 'Money Trees' 'Poetic Justice' SZA 'I Hate U' 'Go Gina' 'Kill Bill' 'Snooze' 'Open Arms' 'Nobody Gets Me' 'Good Days' 'Rich Baby Daddy' (Drake cover) 'BMF' 'Kiss Me More' (Doja Cat cover) Lamar 'N95' 'TV Off' (Part II) 'Not Like Us' Lamar and SZA 'Luther' 'Gloria'
Car and Driver
26-05-2025
- Automotive
- Car and Driver
Retro Ford F-150, Lambos Star in New Radwood-Era Petersen Museum Exhibit
A new exhibit at the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles is showcasing icons of the 1980s and 1990s. Ultra-rare cars on show include the very first Buick GNX, the original DeLorean time machine from Back to the Future, and a one-of-one Nissan Skyline GT-R. It's the biggest Petersen exhibit so far this year, and there are even more '80s and '90s heroes to see throughout the museum. Remember the 1990s? Of course you do, it was just 10 years ago. Oh, wait, no it wasn't. No wonder our knees hurt. Well, should you remember the era of the Sony Discman and New Kids on the Block with fondness, the Petersen Automotive Museum has a great new exhibit for you. Along with a '92 Ford F-150 Flareside, pictured above with eye-popping paint and a cab spoiler, there are other Radwood-era eye candy, including iconic Lamborghinis such as an '85 Countach 5000S and '89 LM002. Read Our Review Petersen Automotive Museum A Radwood-Era Exhibit It's called 'Totally Awesome! Cars and Culture of the '80s and '90s,' and it's crammed with iconic vehicles that defined the era. This is a mainstage blowout experience, a Guns N' Roses touring with Aerosmith type of thing. The new exhibit features more than 13 classics that represent blockbuster movies, a world-beating performance, or the bedroom poster you had up next to the handbill from License to Drive. Petersen Automotive Museum On the Hollywood side of things, there's the original DeLorean DMC-12 time machine from Back to the Future, as well as the 1998 Beetle used in the Austin Powers franchise (also a time machine). Rally-car royalty is represented by a 1985 Audi Sport Quattro Group B car, and there's also the very first Buick GNX on display. Read Our Review Petersen Automotive Museum Perhaps most exciting are the supercars, which range from rare beasts like the Vector M12 and the sixteen-cylinder Cizeta Moroder V16T to the apex predator of them all, the McLaren F1. JDM culture will also be present with something of a mic drop moment: the NISMO Skyline GT-R LM homologation special built to allow Nissan to compete at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. There's only one in the world. Petersen Automotive Museum Read Our Review Petersen Automotive Museum Whether you're into Countachs or Corvettes, there's something for everyone here. Grab your denim jacket, hairspray the heck out of your hair, then get on down to the Petersen Museum. The exhibit opens Friday, June 6. Brendan McAleer Contributing Editor Brendan McAleer is a freelance writer and photographer based in North Vancouver, B.C., Canada. He grew up splitting his knuckles on British automobiles, came of age in the golden era of Japanese sport-compact performance, and began writing about cars and people in 2008. His particular interest is the intersection between humanity and machinery, whether it is the racing career of Walter Cronkite or Japanese animator Hayao Miyazaki's half-century obsession with the Citroën 2CV. He has taught both of his young daughters how to shift a manual transmission and is grateful for the excuse they provide to be perpetually buying Hot Wheels.
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Kendrick Lamar, SZA's Grand National Tour feels like a victory lap: Review
MINNEAPOLIS – Dissing Drake may have earned Kendrick Lamar his five latest Grammy wins, but "Not Like Us" is not the whole story. Lamar's well-earned victory lap is best measured by a packed stadium – a rare venue for a rapper – of 50,000 devotees enraptured by a barrage of his dynamic lyrics. The cerebral rapper, 37, and longtime collaborative pal SZA, 35, jumpstarted The Grand National Tour, their run of 39 stadium concerts in North America and Europe, April 19 at U.S. Bank Stadium. Through 2½-hours and 52 songs – most of them played in full – the pair showcased how dichotomous stagecraft and differing cadences can lead to a beautiful collision. It was a bit of a surprise that shortly after opener Mustard spun a 30-minute DJ set, the lyrics of 'Wacced Out Murals' filled the stadium, a black Buick GNX engulfed in smoke rose from beneath the stage and Lamar stepped out, dovetailing into the remainder of the song with natural cool. The staccato delivery of 'Squabble Up' and stomping beat of 'King Kunta' that followed suggested Lamar would perform a solo set and SZA would follow. But a couple of songs later, the Buick returned, this time covered in moss, with SZA perched atop. She and Lamar, in an ensemble of leather, denim and a knit cap, crisscrossed the stage, swapping lyrics on '30 for 30' and strolling down parallel ramps that led to the secondary stage dubbed the Energy Floor. This is the truest depiction of a co-headlining tour, as Lamar and SZA traded sets every few songs, his usually drenched in black and white and dimly lit and hers filled with images and costumes related to her bug fascination. , SZA setlist: All the songs on their Grand National Tour Lamar is one of the few rappers to anchor a stadium tour, but it's a natural escalation considering a career that has yielded six albums, a Pulitzer Prize for Music in 2018, 22 Grammy Awards – including five in February – and the most watched Super Bowl halftime performance in NFL history. Whether sitting pensively on a set of stairs for 'Euphoria' until a burst of pyro accelerated the song or roaming through a circle of sporty female dancers and spitting the rhymes of 'Humble' with relentless intensity, Lamar was riveting. His expressions of sideways grins and head shakes were spotlighted through a series of film clips shown throughout the show depicting Lamar being interrogated about the meaning of his lyrics and SZA (born Solána Imani Rowe) humorously explaining how to pronounce her stage name. One frustrating element of Lamar's production was difficulty seeing him in between shadowy lighting despite the Mission Control assembly of soundboards and video monitors at the back of the stadium floor. His artsy tendencies are appreciated, but they didn't always translate to the massive scope of a stadium production. Sometimes it would have been beneficial to witness the wind-up of 'Man at the Garden' or better see his hips moving a foot ahead of him as he sashayed around the stage for the deliberate flow of 'DNA.' While the crowd loaded with teens and twentysomethings seemed to relish the moments that Lamar and SZA shared the stage, rising on hydraulic platforms during the pure pop, hip-swiveling 'All the Stars' and closing the show with 'Luther' and 'Gloria,' there was no question which Lamar song prompted the ear-splitting screams. Pyro accompanied the creeping synth notes that are the underbelly of 'Not Like Us' and Lamar spat the wordy tale that served as the death blow in his beef with Drake. Lamar seemingly mocked Drake's 'drop drop drop' line from 'Family Matters' in a video played before the song, and bowed his head while holding out the mic to let fans handle the 'A minor' line, which was rendered with a roar. More: Would you use a payment plan to afford expensive concert tickets? Gen Z says yes. In between Lamar's fierce performances, SZA appealed to those in the crowd who were there to hear her soulful declarations of romance and endearing insecurity. Her catalog of ballads is appealing, but SZA flourished when blasting the rock-tinged 'Scorsese Baby Daddy' and the adrenalized 'F2F' while romping with a throng of dancers on a stage decorated like Mad Max set in a jungle. Her several costume changes included a green one-piece short set and knee pads and she delivered the first time we've seen a musician ride an animatronic ant like a horse, as SZA did with back bending glee during 'Kitchen.' There were numerous references to bugs and butterflies every time SZA commandeered the stage, and the visuals culminated when she stood center stage during 'Crybaby' in a towering white gown that expanded vertically, 'Defying Gravity'-style, until it fell away to show her suspended midair with virtual wings against a starry backdrop like a crimson-haired Tinker Bell as she segued into "Saturn." As Lamar and SZA round North America and Europe through August, they're sure to thread changes throughout the concerts. But what the Grand National Tour proved even at its inaugural show is that there is a place where intellect, audacity and soulfulness collide – and it's open all summer. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Kendrick Lamar, SZA dominate on Grand National Tour: Review
Express Tribune
20-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
Kendrick Lamar and SZA kick off their Grand National Tour with 52-song setlist in Minneapolis
Kendrick Lamar and SZA launched their much-anticipated Grand National Tour with a 45-song performance at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis on 19 April 2025. Drawing a crowd of approximately 60,000, the event marked the beginning of a 39-date stadium tour that positions Lamar among the rare group of rappers capable of filling such massive venues. The opening show featured a 30-minute set by DJ Mustard, known for producing Lamar's recent track 'Not Like Us.' The main event commenced with Lamar emerging from beneath the stage in a Buick GNX, a nod to his current album GNX, starting with the track 'wacced out murals.' The concert was structured into seven acts, balancing solo performances and collaborations. Lamar and SZA alternated lead segments while joining forces on joint tracks. Despite the dimly lit stage design, the sound quality ensured clarity for both artists' vocals. Crowd engagement remained high throughout the 2.5-hour show, with deafening sing-alongs and widespread applause for both artists' solo and collaborative moments. With a total of 52 songs performed, the tour's debut highlighted the depth of both artists' catalogues and the scale of their joint appeal. Below is the full setlist from the first show of the Grand National Tour: Act I: Kendrick Lamar & SZA 'wacced out murals' 'squabble up' 'King Kunta' 'ELEMENT.' 'tv off (part 1)' '30 for 30' (with SZA) 'Love Galore' 'Broken Clocks' 'The Weekend' Act 2: Kendrick Lamar 'euphoria' 'hey now' 'reincarnated' 'HUMBLE.' 'Backseat Freestyle' 'family ties' 'Swimming Pools (Drank)' 'm.A.A.d city' 'Alright' 'man at the garden' Crosswords Promo January 2025 Act 3: SZA 'Scorsese Baby Daddy' 'F2F' 'Garden (Say It Like Dat)' 'Kitchen' 'Blind' 'Forgiveless' 'Low' Act 4: SZA and Kendrick Lamar 'Doves in the Wind' 'All the Stars' 'LOVE.' Act 5: Kendrick Lamar 'dodger blue' 'peekaboo' 'Like That' 'DNA.' 'GOOD CREDIT' 'Count Me Out' 'Money Trees' 'Poetic Justice' Act 6: SZA 'Diamond Boy (DTM)' 'Shirt' 'Kill Bill' 'Snooze' 'Crybaby' 'Saturn' 'Good Days' 'Rich Baby Daddy' 'BMF' 'Kiss Me More (Doja Cat cover)' Act 7: Kendrick Lamar and SZA 'bodies' 'tv off' 'Not Like Us' 'luther' 'gloria'
