Last night, in front of a massive crowd of thousands, Kendrick Lamar delivered an unforgettable event at The Kia Forum in Inglewood, CA, “The Pop Out – Ken & Friends” concert. Here, Lamar celebrated the West Coast with classic records and popular tracks; the perfect way to close out the Juneteenth holiday.
Presented by pgLang and Free Lunch, the concert featured a star-studded lineup of artists that came together to honor California hip-hop. DJ Hed began the evening with a medley that included Remble, Ray Vaughn, Bino Rideaux, Westside Boogie, OHGEESY, Cuzzos, and Jason Martin, among others. DJ Mustard followed with a set list for the ages, bringing out artists such as Dom Kennedy, YG, Ty Dolla $ign, Blxst, and Roddy Rich. Tyler, the Creator also made an appearance, performing “WusYaName” and the fan-favorite, “Earfquake”
Kendrick Lamar shut down his sold-out concert with hits like “Euphoria,” “ELEMENT,” “DNA,” “Alright,” and “Swimming Pools.” The set also featured collaborations from the DAMN. artist with TDE rappers Jay Rock, Ab-Soul, and ScHoolBoy Q. Together, they make up the collective Black Hippy, and performed songs like “Collard Greens,” “That Part,” and “m.A.A.d. City.”
With “The Pop Out – Ken & Friends” being an homage to the West Coast, Lamar used the opportunity to highlight the legends of his hometown, incorporating the assistance of the legendary Dr. Dre. The Aftermath founder ran through iconic jams “Still D.R.E.,” and “California Love.” After a brief pause between tracks, Dre whispered “Psst… I see dead people,” into the microphone, which drew a booming reaction from the crowd, and signaled the introduction to the smash, “Not Like Us.”
During the live debut of Lamar’s chart-topper, fans recited the record word-for-word, yelling its lyrics in unison. In totality, the Grammy Award-winning musician performed “Not Like Us” five times, with each being just as energetic as the last. As the set came to a close, several artists, athletes, and entertainers hit the stage to show love to the great state of California. Figures such as Russell Westbrook, Big Boy, DeMar Derozan, and other influential West Coast natives joined together to fellowship, reunite, and dance to one of the hottest singles of the year.
The evening ended with a powerful moment, where all the people on stage gathered for a historic photo signifying love and community. As Armen Keleshian steady the camera for the final shot of the night, Lamar spoke to the true motive for this event, saying “Let them see this—we put this together with peace.”
“The Pop Out – Ken & Friends” was streamed live by Amazon Music, coinciding with “Forever the Influence,” the showcase of Black Music Month from Rotation. In one evening, Kendrick Lamar added another notch on his belt of accolades, further solidifying his place as one of the greatest artists of this generation.
