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Kendrick Lamar  

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Kendrick Lamar is a rapper born on the 17th of June 1987 in Compton, California, USA. Since the release of his mixtape “Overly Dedicated”, and his second album “good kid, m.A.A.d city”, he has proved himself to be one of the most exciting, critically acclaimed rappers of his generation.

Kendrick Lamar founded the hip-hop supergroup, Black Hippy, in 2009, with the artists Ab-Soul, Jay Rock, and ScHoolboy Q. That same year, he began using his first and middle names with the release of his self-titled debut EP. In 2010, he released his fourth solo mixtape, Overly Dedicated.

Following the release of Overly Dedicated, Lamar began working on his first studio album. Section.80 dropped in 2011, debuting at number 113 on the US Billboard 200 chart. The album was met with many positive reviews, and Kendrick’s star began to rise.

In 2012, Kendrick Lamar signed a record deal with Dr. Dre’s Aftermath Entertainment. That October, he released his first major-label album, Good Kid, M.A.A.D City, a concept album telling the story of the rapper’s early life experiences with drugs and gangs in Compton. The album was a breakout success, producing five single which of which achieved success on the charts and earning Lamar four GRAMMY® Award nominations. In 2013, Kendrick Lamar set out on a world tour to promote the album with the other members of Black Hippy.

By the time Kendrick Lamar released his third studio album, he was already a household name. In 2015, To Pimp a Butterfly debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200 chart, Lamar’s first album to do so. It received mass critical acclaim and was nominated for seven GRAMMY® Awards. Kendrick Lamar took home two wins, including Best Rap Album and Album of the Year.

Kendrick Lamar also enjoyed his first number-one single in 2015. His hip-hop remix of Taylor Swift’s “Bad Blood” topped the US Billboard Hot 100 chart.

After the release of To Pimp a Butterfly, Lamar’s profile soared. His fourth studio album, DAMN., dropped in 2017, producing his second number-one single, “HUMBLE.” The song not only topped the charts, it won Best Rap Performance, Best Rap Song, and Best Music Video at the 2018 Grammy Awards and the Pulitzer Prize for Music.

Following the success of “DAMN.,” Lamar moved onto his first movie project: a curated soundtrack for Marvel’s Black Panther. Black Panther: The Album, released in 2018, included a wide range of Black artists including Future, SZA, Vince Staples, Travis Scott, and The Weeknd, with Lamar himself performing on five of the 14 tracks.

After launching a multimedia company in 2020, Kendrick Lamar returned to music with his fifth studio album, Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers. Released in 2022, the double album would be his final project with Top Dawg Entertainment. Debuting at number one on the US Billboard 200 chart, it became the rapper’s fourth number-one album. On Apple Music, the album garnered over 60 million streams in its first day. It also became the first hip-hop album in 2022 to reach one billion streams on Spotify.

To date, Kendrick Lamar has sold over 70 million records in the US, and every one of his studio albums has been certified platinum by the Record Industry Association of America (RIAA). The rapper also has 14 Grammy Awards, 11 MTV Video Music Awards, six Billboard Music Awards, and a Pulitzer Prize to his name. This phenomenal success solidifies his status as one of the most influential hip-hop artists of all time.

Live reviews

An all around great show. Dram and YG were impressive opening acts, even tho the crowd was a bit dead until Kendrick showed up. YG played "Fuck Donald Trump" which was preceded by a Trump impersonator and was genuinely really surprising and hilarious. Once Kendrick showed up, every seat was filled, it was chaotic, and there was a hell of a lot of screaming. Right before he ascended onto the stage from the little platform in the middle of the stage- which was exactly on time, I should add- there was a really cool showing of this ninja performance, as well as a story-like, cinematic, short where he battled someone, and funny title screens showed up from time to time saying phrases like "KENDRICK FUCKS SHIT UP". Similar clips were shown sporadically throughout the show so the crowd wouldn't get bored as they prepared for different parts of the act. It was cool when he got raised on this platform in the middle of the arena to perform "Money Tree", but the most beautiful part of the show was definitely when he played "LOVE." and just about every person had their phone's flashlights on, swaying side to side, chanting, "love me." It was stunning. Probably the wildest time, for me, was when he played "Alright," near the end. That song is really emotional for me, and seeing him play it live was magnificent. Not to mention how, just like with every other song, so many other people were shouting the lyrics, words for word. Afterwards, there was "HUMBLE." which Kendrick made the crowd sing the entirety of. It was then played a second time, where he sung along, and then descended back underneath the stage. Lots of people thought it was over, but some friends and I had checked the set-list and knew to stay put. Soon enough, he was right back on stage, and played the final song, "GOD." It wasn't quite as strong of a finish as 'HUMBLE." but was nonetheless an undoubtedly great song. If I could, I would experience it all over again, minus the ear ringing that lasted until the middle of the next day, a near loss of voice, and needing to skip the next day of school. Another highlight was seeing the uncomfortable white parents who brought their kids. It was amusing to watch them try to dance, shout-out to those guys. One dad brought this, like, eight year old kid who covered her ears when we screamed (understandable considering how ear-piercing it was, but still), and sat down except for when "HUMBLE." was playing. The dad was on his phone the entire time, though. It was amusing, the concert as a whole was unbelievably fun, I hope anyone who gets to see Kung Fu Kenny at some point has a hell of a good time. Heads up: they may not have the merch you want in your size or even at all, but they have other things that are just as good. Also, eat before you go, the lines are crazy long and the food way is too expensive. Anyway, have a blast, don't say the n-word if you're not black. Thank you.

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Photo Gallery Here: http://alexsandalis.com/kendrick-lamar-photo-gallery/

Amazing performance by Kendrick. His energy was great and he interacted with the sold out crowd making eye contact and listening to their screams and yells every chance he got.

Started off by teasing the crowd going back and forth to the mic and eventually starting with For Free, spitting bar after bar.

Best moment of the show was Alright / M.A.A.D City and definitely finishing with ADHD after he gauged the audiences reactions to him calling out all his albums he could see Section.80 was big for the crowd.

After he noticed a small group of people in the front row rapping a song from Untitled Unmastered we all started calling out songs to do from the album. Calling out “2” and “7” putting our fingers up as Kendrick looked at us contemplating whether he should do it for a good minute. A chant broke out for “We Gon’ Be Alright’ and then he played “Alright”. A part of me still thinks if they didn’t start chanting that he would’ve gone into one of the songs.

Only critique was the sound. From the front row the vocals were heavily drowning out by the live instrumentals so much so it took me 20-30 seconds before realising what song it was sometimes. Not all songs, ADHD was the most easily heard because they didn’t use as much heavy instrumentation. But the problem wasn’t throughout the whole stadium as I talked to those in seats they couldn’t relate to it sounding like that.

It was disappointing not to see there wasn’t an emphasis on visual display for his Australia tour like previous performances in the US, but it seemed like it was just about Kendrick, his band and straight music.

Also, never seen so many people have to be carried out by security guards over the barrier because they were hurt/passing out. Also saw one big guy walk being escorted through the barrier with half his face covered in blood from the corner of his eye. Kendrick fans don’t play.

He ended up finishing with ‘I Am’ off his Kendrick Lamar EP which is above.

I saw Kendrick Lamar on day two of Lollapalooza last summer. This was probably one of the craziest concerts I've been to, but I loved every minute of it! There was a special opportunity to meet the man himself before his concert, but my friends and I did not get there in time. The only other way to meet him was to each pay for a CD. We ended up deciding to wait for the concert that was going on before Kendrick to finish then try to get good spots. We thought the crowd would disperse after that concert, so it would be pretty easy to get close to the front. But, boy, were we wrong. Either everyone was thinking the same thing as us, or the crowd was staying for Kendrick - it was the most claustrophobic, sweaty, aggressive struggle to the front of the crowd I've ever experienced. My friends and I were forced to stand smushed against random people for forty minutes. I don't even know how we made it to a couple of rows from the front, but we eventually did.

After what seemed to be like the longest, stuffiest forty minutes of my life, Kendrick finally came on. He started out with "Fucking Problems," and the crowd went CRAZY! We were nonstop jostling the whole time. Kendrick is so on point live! Even though I was taken aback at first by how his voice did not sound the same as his audio tracks, he still was amazing. He challenged us to see if we all could keep up with him when he rapped. He knew how to keep the energy up the whole time. One of the most memorable moments in Kendrick's show was when he completely stopped in the middle of a song and pointed out to a spot in the crowd where a man in a wheelchair was crowd surfing. Kendrick commended the people that helped the man surf through the crowd while he was passed to the front over the crowd. It was a really cool moment to witness. Only places like Lolla would something like that happen, and I'm happy that I could see Kendrick how I did, all the craziness included.

I have always been an avid fan of Kendrick Lamar ever since his album "Section .80". He just has a way to capture your emotions because he raps the truth. As much as that sounds really corny, I think one would understand where I'm coming from if you saw him live. I had the privilege to see Kendrick Lamar front row at Fuji Rock Festival 2013 last summer. I'm not sure if this is the case for many of his shows but he came on a little later than expected. Despite that, he really pulled a great show and tried his best to make up for the time lost although he could've sung more if he came on earlier. Anyways, regardless I think what made Kendrick special was that other than lighting, some fog, and a few guys playing the beats for his songs with guitars and drums, it was really just him standing alone on stage rapping. I remember standing out and just really feeling the vibes while Kendrick stood in the spotlight surrounded by this dim purple lighting, melodically rapping and being slowly creeped on by some fog on a chilly summer night up in the mountains. It was actually quite mystical. Many Japanese fans seemed to love "Backseat Freestyle" and "Money Trees", as I felt more pushing from the crowd during those songs. Of course he also rapped "Bitch Don't Kill My Vibe", "The Recipe", "Swimming Pools", and his best songs in "good kid, mad city". One surprise during this concert was he also rapped "Fucking Problems" which was a huge hit for everyone and that was lots of fun. The concert was overall so good and worth being pushed around while I clung onto my spot in the front because Kendrick blew a kiss at my direction after I yelled out his name!

Overall I left the show pretty happy and satisfied, thought there were a few problems. To get the negatives out of the way, Travis Scott, one of the openers set to perform, didn't. The entire concert was interrupted with an intermission over an hour long due to Travis's absence, which really halted the momentum of the event. Another negative was that they played SZA's latest album "Ctrl" around 3 times in full between the opening set up and various intermissions. Even if you love this album, hearing the same songs repeatedly can get old quick. I would have much preferred if they mixed it up a bit, and at least play music from other TDE artist in addition to SZA's album.

Besides that the show was great though. DRAM did a pretty nice job with his brief set. He sounded great live, very close to how he sounds in his recordings, and the images he had flashing behind him created a fun atmosphere.

And once Kendrick came out and performed, it was fantastic. He performed a variety of songs, mainly from DAMN. as well as a few off of GKMC, TPAB, and UU. He was energetic throughout the performance, constantly moving, and engaged the audience, encouraging a hype atmosphere. The best part was easily during humble, when the crowd finished out one of the verses and the chorus together; it was truly communal. Due to our excitement Kendrick performed an encore with the song YAH.

Overall I'd recommend going to the concert if you're a fan of Kendrick Lamar, or hip-hop shows in general. I had a great time, even with some gripes, and would gladly experience it again.

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I’ve been to see many big rap artists including Jay Z, Kanye West, ASAP Rocky and even Eminem.... But Kendrick stepped up the game. The set list set out a journey that had the whole place shaking from start to finish. The SSE arena managed capture all this energy and let it simmer around for everyone to feed off throughout the whole because every man/woman yout and old were bouncing like they were trying to bring the place down.

Kendrick Lamar is no doubt a rap genius and probably the biggest in the world right now. The DAMN tour took us through the Kung Fu Kenny journey with amazing video graphics during short intermissions between songs as intros and gave enough storyline to the attendees to be enraptured by this and gas the whole crowd up for each moment!

It’s hard to pin one moment down but when the whole crowd started singing Humble twice over without the help of Kendrick for then him to come out and say this has got to be the best show yet.... man, I had goosebumps and was ready to stomp.

12/10.... worth every penny and more. Thank you Kendrick!

Kenrick Lamar is considered to be one of the most exciting new artists on the US hip hop scene. He has amassed a cult following over the years and now with new support on both sides of the pond, Lamar is packing out venues and festival tents at a staggering rate.

Rapturous cheers go up as Kendrick confidently appears onstage and takes the whole scene within his stride as the bass pierces the crowd and he begins 'Money Trees'. His freestyle ability demonstrates just why he has so much critical acclaim, he is undoubtedly a talented rap artist.

Breakthrough single 'Swimming Pools' gets a deafening reaction as it has become a cult hit over a relatively short amount of time. Kendrick capitalises on this as he invites the audiences into a back and forth of 'Pass Out... Drank'. 'Bitch Don't Kill My Vibe' also goes down incredibly well, the audience seemingly knowing every rap and verse. He reappears for 'A.D.H.D' visibly happy with the set and the crowd, it will be interesting to see where he will take his sound and show next.

I was sitting in the front on a chiar and once travis scott came up, he called everyone next to the stage and the crowd went crazy and it was chaotic. Everyone from the back seats came all the way to the front and everyone climbed on the chairs and it was hard to see anything. The security tried to get people back to their seats but they did not suceed. I thought it was unfair because i paid a lot of money to stay in front and the ones who had their seats in the back got to pay less but still get to stay in the very front. Also, everyone was high and drunk. The guy in front of me fell off his chair and spilled a whole cup of beer all over me and the 3 people next to me. I do not recommend paying for a seat right in front of the stage because everyone from behind will come in front anyways. Overall, the concert was not well organized since the secrity could not get people to their seats, but, the actual performance by kendrick lamar was a good one and he was able to keep everyone entertained.

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Kendrick Lamar Announces The Big Steppers Tour

Kendrick Lamar takes the global stage once again for The Big Steppers Tour, sponsored by Amazon Music, Rotation and Cash App. 

SUPPORT: Baby Keem on all dates and Tanna Leone on select dates.

TICKETS: General on sale starts Friday, May 20th at 12pm local time on oklama.com

TOUR DATES: 

Tue Jul 19 – Oklahoma City, OK – Paycom Center

Thu Jul 21 – Austin, TX – Moody Center 

Fri Jul 22 – Houston, TX – Toyota Center

Sat Jul 23 – Dallas, TX – American Airlines Center

Sun Jul 24 – Miami, FL – Rolling Loud

Wed Jul 27 – Tampa, FL – Amalie Arena

Fri Jul 29 – New Orleans, LA – Smoothie King Center

Sat Jul 30 – Atlanta, GA – State Farm Arena

Sun Jul 31 – Nashville, TN – Bridgestone Arena

Tue Aug 02 – Charlotte, NC – Spectrum Center

Thu Aug 04 – Washington, DC – Capital One Arena

Fri Aug 05 – Brooklyn, NY – Barclays Center

Sat Aug 06 – Brooklyn, NY – Barclays Center

Sun Aug 07 – Long Island, NY – UBS Arena

Tue Aug 09 – Philadelphia, PA – Wells Fargo Center

Wed Aug 10 – Boston, MA – TD Garden

Fri Aug 12 – Toronto, ON – Scotiabank Arena

Sat Aug 13 – Toronto, ON Scotiabank Arena

Sun Aug 14 – Detroit, MI – Little Caesars Arena

Tue Aug 16 – Columbus, OH – Schottenstein Center

Thu Aug 18 – Milwaukee, WI – Fiserv Forum

Fri Aug 19 – Chicago, IL  – United Center

Sat Aug 20 – Minneapolis, MN – Xcel Energy Center

Sun Aug 21 – Kansas City, MO – T-Mobile Center

Tue Aug 23 – Denver, CO – Ball Arena

Wed Aug 24 – Salt Lake City, UT – Vivint Smart Home Arena

Fri Aug 26 – Portland, OR – Moda Center

Sat Aug 27 – Seattle, WA – Climate Pledge Arena

Sun Aug 28 – Vancouver, BC – Rogers Arena

Tue Aug 30 – Sacramento, CA – Golden 1 Center

Wed Aug 31 – Oakland, CA – Oakland Arena

Thu Sep 01 – Oakland, CA – Oakland Arena

Tue Sep 06 – San Diego, CA – Viejas Arena at San Diego State University

Wed Sep 07 – Anaheim, CA – Honda Center

Fri Sep 09 – Las Vegas, NV – T-Mobile Arena

Sat Sep 10 – Phoenix, AZ – Footprint Center

Tue Sep 14 – Los Angeles, CA – Crypto.com Arena

Wed Sep 15 – Los Angeles, CA – Crypto.com Arena

Fri Oct 07 – Amsterdam, NL – Ziggo Dome

Mon Oct 10 – Prague, CZ – O2 Arena

Tue Oct 11 – Berlin, DE – Mercedes-Benz Arena

Thu Oct 13 – Hamburg, DE – Barclays Arena

Sat Oct 15 – Copenhagen, DK – Royal Arena

Mon Oct 17 – Stockholm, SE – Avicii Arena

Wed Oct 19 – Oslo, NO – Telenor Arena

Fri Oct 21 – Paris, FR – Accor Arena

Mon Oct 24 – Stuttgart, DE – Scheleyerhalle

Tue Oct 25 – Zurich, CH – Hallenstadion

Wed Oct 26 – Laussane, CH – Vaudoise Aréna

Fri Oct 28 – Antwerp, BE – Sportpaleis

Sun Oct 30 – Cologne, DE – Lanxess Arena

Mon Oct 31 – Frankfurt, DE – Festhalle

Wed Nov 02– Glasgow, UK – OVO Hydro

Thu Nov 03 – Leeds, UK – First Direct Arena

Fri Nov 04 – Newcastle, UK – Utilita Arena 

Sat Nov 05 – Birmingham, UK – Utilita Arena 

Mon Nov 07 – London, UK – The O2

Tue-Nov 08 – London, UK – The O2

Sun Nov 13 – Dublin, IE – 3Arena

Wed Nov 16 – Manchester, UK – AO Arena

Thu Dec 01 – Perth, AUS – RAC Arena

Sun Dec 04 – Melbourne, AUS – Rod Laver Arena

Thu Dec 08 – Sydney, AUS – Qudos Bank Arena

Mon Dec 12 – Brisbane, AUS – Entertainment Center

Fri Dec 16 – Auckland, NZ  – Spark Arena

For approved artist images and hi-res tour art, please download HERE .

For all shows in the US, the first tickets to The Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers Tour will be available to Cash App customers via an exclusive ticket presale. Beginning Thursday, May 19th at 10am through 10pm local time, new and existing Cash App Cash Card holders can unlock the special presale and purchase tickets by using the first 9 numbers of their Cash Card on Ticketmaster and completing the purchase immediately. Anyone can download Cash App and sign up for a free Cash Card instantly via cash.app/download. Both new and existing Cash App customers can easily fund their accounts to cover the total purchase amount and unlock the earliest access to the tour.

ABOUT LIVE NATION ENTERTAINMENT: Live Nation Entertainment (NYSE: LYV) is the world’s leading live entertainment company comprised of global market leaders: Ticketmaster, Live Nation Concerts, and Live Nation Sponsorship. For additional information, visit www.livenationentertainment.com .

ABOUT AMAZON MUSIC: Amazon Music reimagines music listening by enabling customers to unlock millions of songs and thousands of curated playlists and stations with their voice. Amazon Music provides unlimited access to new releases and classic hits across iOS and Android mobile devices, PC, Mac, Echo, and Alexa-enabled devices including Fire TV and more. With Amazon Music, Prime members have access to ad-free listening of 2 million songs at no additional cost to their membership. Listeners can also enjoy the premium subscription service, Amazon Music Unlimited, which provides access to more than 90 million songs and the latest new releases. Amazon Music Unlimited customers also now have access to the highest-quality listening experience available, with more than 90 million songs available in High Definition (HD), more than 7 million songs in Ultra HD, and a growing catalog of spatial audio. Customers also have free access to an ad-supported selection of top playlists and stations on Amazon Music. All Amazon Music tiers now offer a wide selection of podcasts at no additional cost, and live streaming in partnership with Twitch. Engaging with music and culture has never been more natural, simple, and fun. For more information, visit amazonmusic.com or download the Amazon Music app.

Rotation is Amazon Music’s flagship hip-hop/R&B brand, encompassing the Rap Rotation and R&B Rotation playlists and stations, which spotlight the best hip-hop and R&B tracks from rising newcomers and established heavyweights. Curated by Amazon Music’s hip-hop and R&B experts, Rotation is Amazon Music’s home for the most important new music, livestreams, and events for hip-hop and R&B fans around the globe.

ABOUT CASH APP: Cash App is redefining the world’s relationship with money by making it more relatable, instantly available, and universally accessible. Through our financial ecosystem of products for consumers, Cash App offers an easy way to send, spend, invest, and save to anyone who has ever sought an alternative to the traditional banking system. Loved by customers and pop culture, we currently serve over tens of millions of monthly active users. Download Cash App for free at cash.app/download

MEDIA CONTACTS: Kendrick Lamar – Amanda Silverman | [email protected] , Courtni Asbury | [email protected] , Meredith O’Sullivan | [email protected]

Live Nation Concerts – Monique Sowinski [email protected]

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Kendrick Lamar Announces 2022 Tour

By Matthew Ismael Ruiz

Kendrick Lamar has announced a 2022 tour in conjunction with his new album Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers . Joining Lamar on the road are pgLang artists and Mr. Morale contributors Baby Keem and Tanna Leone. Check out the full list of dates below.

Baby Keem, who released The Melodic Blue last year, contributed to four Mr. Morale tracks: “N95,” “Die Hard,” “Savior (Interlude),” and “Savior.” Tanna Leone just released Sleepy Soldier via pgLang and Def Jam Recordings, and he is on Lamar’s “Mr. Morale.”

The album and tour announcement follow the release of his new single “ The Heart Part 5 ,” which arrived with an unsettling video where the rapper’s face morphed into deepfakes of OJ Simpson, Kanye West, Kobe Bryant, Nipsey Hussle, Jussie Smollett, and Will Smith. It was directed by Lamar and Dave Free, while South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone’s studio Deep Voodoo was behind the deepfake work. Lamar is a co-producer with Parker and Stone on an upcoming live-action comedy film.

Lamar announced Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers in April by tweeting a link to his Oklama website. Back in August, Lamar announced that his next record would be his “ Final TDE Album .” He shared the news in a statement posted to his website and signed as “Oklama.” Top Dawg Entertainment CEO Anthony “Top Dawg” Tiffith has referred Lamar’s upcoming album as his victory lap. The album’s artwork , photographed by Renell Medrano , features Lamar in a crown of thorns holding a child; in the background is a woman with a baby.

After his Pulitzer-winning Damn. in 2017, Lamar curated and contributed to the Black Panther soundtrack before collaborating with Anderson .Paak for “ Tints ” and his Top Dawg label mate Sir on “ Hair Down .”

In March 2020, Lamar launched the multi-service firm pgLang with Dave Free. The company produced a video campaign for Calvin Klein that featured Brent Faiyaz, Baby Keem, and Mecca Allah. Kendrick Lamar returned in the fall to contribute to Busta Rhymes’ “ Look Over Your Shoulder ,” which sampled the Jackson 5’s “I’ll Be There.”

In 2021, Kendrick Lamar worked with Baby Keem on The Melodic Blue , rapping on “ Family Ties ” and “ Range Brothers ” and also contributing to “Vent.” The record came out via pgLang, which had issued “ Hooligans ” and “ Sons & Critics Freestyle ” in conjunction with Columbia Records. “Family Ties” went on to win the Best Rap Performance Award at the 2022 Grammys . Lamar also made a guest appearance on Drones , the most recent album by his frequent collaborator Terrace Martin. He joined Ty Dolla $ign, Snoop Dogg, and James Fauntleroy on the title track to the record.

Kendrick Lamar performed in February at the 2022 Super Bowl halftime show alongside Dr. Dre, Eminem, Snoop Dogg, and Mary J. Blige. The program was part of Roc Nation’s production deal with the NFL, overseen by Jay-Z. Lamar will perform headlining slots at this year’s Glastonbury festival as well as Rolling Loud Miami .

Check out “ 5 Takeaways From Kendrick Lamar’s New Album Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers ” on the Pitch.

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Kendrick Lamar:

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Kendrick Lamar The Big Steppers Tour 2022

JUST ANNOUNCED: Kendrick Lamar takes the global stage once again for The Big Steppers Tour with special guests Baby Keem and Tanna Leone.

Tickets go on sale to the general public on Friday, May 20 at 12 PM.

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Take the Orange, Green, Purple, or Brown lines to Madison. Take #20 Madison buses west.

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What is the location of the Uber Zone? The new Uber Zone at the United Center is located on the corner of Madison Street and Wood Street. Fans will enter and exit through the sidewalk entrance located on Madison Street and cars will enter the lot by turning into the Uber Zone from Madison Street. Cars will exit on Warren Blvd.

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Kendrick Lamar’s U.S. Tour Comes to a Cinematic Close with Fourth Straight Sold-Out Show at Crypto.com Arena

The hometown hero will continue his tour next month in Europe.

By Neena Rouhani

Neena Rouhani

R&B/Hip-Hop Reporter

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Outside of the Crypto.com Arena on Saturday (Sept. 17), Los Angeles was in a frenzy. Bacon-wrapped hot dogs sizzled on grease-spattered portable grills, while a handful of street vendors eagerly flashed colorful Kendrick Lamar-themed bucket hats and t-shirts to whoever was willing to steal an unintentional glance. Crosswalks were in disarray, an outpouring of fans more consumed by their swelling anticipation for seeing Compton’s beloved on the last U.S. stop of his The Big Steppers Tour than the flashing orange stop signal. 

Trending on Billboard

Kendrick lamar paints emotional picture of domestic life in ‘we cry together’ short film.

As the lights illuminating the arena extinguished abruptly, fans erupted into cheers as album opener “United in Grief” reverberated throughout the 20,000 bodies. The introductory track reiterates Lamar’s intention for his most revealing project to date: “I hope you find some peace of mind.” 

Once the suit-wearing dancers arrived to the main stage, a single spotlight came to life in the left corner of the stage, revealing a stern Lamar, seated earnestly at an upright piano alongside his tour companion: a ventriloquist dummy of himself. His outfit, a TI$A-branded white suit dripping in pinkish-red graffiti honoring his native Compton, differed from getups worn on other legs of the tour, but the shimmering silver glove (a la Michael Jackson) remained the same.

Although his entire set carried themes of relinquishing ego, Lamar nevertheless budgeted time to receive the crowd’s never-ending praise, as he slowly glided down the catwalk, dummy in hand, standing still as a statue at a lone mic stand amidst a cloud of smoke. His motionlessness somehow provoked the crowd into louder cheers, as a “Kendrick” chant began to swell across the massive room.

Completely still, save his mouth and the hand that moves that of his doll, the pgLang mastermind delivered the song’s opening lines, performing bar for bar without a vocal track. It was a testament to the rapper’s endurance, carrying 20,000 fans on the strength of his conviction alone, a theme throughout the Mr. Morale spectacular.

From there, Lamar went back and forth between new and old, breaking into the pulsating “Worldwide Steppers” before celebrating a decade of “Backseat Freestyle,” the crowd erupting in repetitions of “Martin had a dream” as lights strobed throughout. After “Rich Spirit,” the debated hip-hop messiah toweled off in the darkness. As the lights came up, he hopped across the stage like a child with each piano key played over the speakers. “Mr. Morale, you’ve once again let your ego get the best of you,” warned Helen Mirren, the concert’s narrator — making for the perfect transition into “HUMBLE.”

As dancers encircled Lamar, some of their moves resembling divine nine step shows, Lamar descended for his one and only barely-there break of the show, thirty-minutes in, with an hour to go. He returned with a string of crowd-pleasers, including a theatrical medley of “King Kunta,” “LOYALTY,” “Swimming Pools. (Drank)” and finally, “Bitch, Don’t Kill My Vibe” — as well as lyrically centered moments performing cuts like “LUST” and “Count Me Out,” complemented by shadow play and high-resolution visuals on screen.

Keem wasn’t the only musician to make a guest appearance, with Tanna Leone taking the stage behind Lamar soon after for “Mr. Morale,” the 24-year-old newcomer shirtless and surrounded with flames. Before bringing the show to a close, Lamar left no suspicions of an encore, with all of his hits being heavily concentrated in the first half of the show. He simply reminded us that he is not our savior, assured he won’t be gone for long, and then disappeared one final time into the darkness.

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Kendrick Lamar

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Tour Update: DAMN. Kendrick Lamar is Finally Back on Tour!

Not only did he headline Coachella, but Kendrick Lamar just announced his DAMN. tour with D.R.A.M. and Travis Scott!

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Future, Metro Boomin announce We Trust You concert tour after fiery double feature, Drake feud

Metro Boomin and Future are trusting their fans to buy tour tickets.

The Grammy-winning rapper and Grammy-nominated producer announced their We Trust You Tour kicking off this July through the end of summer.

Future and Metro Boomin will make stops across North America with a 27-date tour including performances in Atlanta, Brooklyn, Toronto, Chicago and more to celebrate their double feature albums, "We Don't Trust You," which was released in March, and their April follow-up "We Still Don't Trust You."

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The albums stirred controversy in rap with disses aimed at Drake from guest stars J. Cole , Kendrick Lamar , The Weeknd and A$AP Rocky .

Future, Metro Boomin tour tickets

Presale tickets are available Wednesday for Cash App card customers, starting at 10 a.m. local time. General sale will begin on Friday at 10 a.m. local time on livenation.com .

J. Cole takes apparent swipe at Drake in 'Red Leather' after Kendrick Lamar diss apology

Where are Future and Metro Boomin going on We Trust You tour dates?

• Tuesday, July 30 – Kansas City, Missouri – T-Mobile Center
• Wednesday, July 31 – Saint Paul, Minnesota – Xcel Energy Center
• Friday, Aug. 2 – Milwaukee – Fiserv Forum
• Saturday, Aug. 3 – Chicago – Lollapalooza Music Festival
• Sunday, Aug. 4 – Detroit – Little Caesars Arena
• Tuesday, Aug. 6 – Nashville, Tennessee – Bridgestone Arena
• Thursday, Aug. 8 – Atlanta – State Farm Arena
• Saturday, Aug. 10 – Columbus, Ohio – Schottenstein Center
• Sunday, Aug. 11 – Toronto – Scotiabank Arena
• Tuesday, Aug. 13 – Boston – TD Garden
• Wednesday, Aug. 14 – Philadelphia – Wells Fargo Center
• Thursday, Aug. 15 – Brooklyn, New York – Barclays Center
• Saturday, Aug. 17 – Washington – Capital One Arena
• Tuesday, Aug. 20 – New Orleans – Smoothie King Center
• Thursday, Aug. 22 – Houston – Toyota Center
• Friday, Aug. 23 – San Antonio – Frost Bank Center
• Saturday, Aug. 24 – Dallas – American Airlines Center
• Sunday, Aug. 25 – Tulsa, Oklahoma – BOK Center
• Tuesday Aug 27 – Denver – Ball Arena
• Wednesday, Aug. 28 – Salt Lake City – Delta Center
• Friday, Aug. 30 – Las Vegas – T-Mobile Arena
• Saturday, Aug. 31 – Inglewood, California – Intuit Dome
• Tuesday, Sept. 3 – Sacramento, California – Golden 1 Center
• Wednesday, Sept. 4 – Oakland, California – Oakland Arena
• Friday, Sept. 6 – Seattle – Climate Pledge Arena
• Saturday, Sept. 7 – Portland, Oregon – Moda Center
• Monday, Sept. 9 – Vancouver, British Columbia – Rogers Arena

J. Cole apologizes to Kendrick Lamar for 'lame' diss '7 Minute Drill': 'I was conflicted'

'We Don't Trust You' and 'We Still Don't Trust You' vs. Drake: Diss tracks explained

Future and Metro Boomin's "We Don't Trust You," released March 22, and "We Still Don't Trust You," released April 12, unleashed grievances other rappers had with Toronto rapper Drake.

Lamar, Cole and Drake are widely recognized as their rap class' "Big Three," the most recognizable stars in the genre over the past decade. Cole referred to himself, Drake (Aubrey Graham) and Lamar (K. Dot) as the "big three" in modern rap in Drake's 2023 song "First Person Shooter."

Lamar shut down the "big three" line on the "We Don't Trust You" track "Like That." In the song, he called out "First Person Shooter" by name and said "it's just big me" when it comes to rap titans.

Following the diss, J. Cole dropped a surprise album, "Might Delete Later," which included "7 Minute Drill," where Cole alluded to hearing about Lamar's diss, rapping, "I got a phone call, they say that somebody dissing / You want some attention, it come with extensions."

"He still doing shows but fell off like 'The Simpsons,'" the North Carolina rapper continued, adding that Lamar's first album was "classic" and his latest was "tragic."

But two days later,  at his Dreamville Festival,  J. Cole told his home state crowd during a headlining set that his diss track was a "lame" and "goofy" decision, in  videos captured by attendees .

J. Cole later appeared as a guest on the "We Still Don't Trust You" track "Red Leather," a seven-minute song that features an apparent swipe at Drake.

"Kept my nose out the streets, but I love to get a whiff / Of the action, with risk comes attraction / The blicks get to blastin’, I turn into a track star,” Cole raps on the track, who also said that his "story's more clever, my similes was better."

Rapper A$AP Rocky, who is the longtime boyfriend of Drake's ex  Rihanna,  also took shots at Drake on the "We Still Don't Trust You" track "Show of Hands," saying the Canadian rapper's latest music "came and went" and he didn't "trust" him.

The Weeknd joined the band wagon on "We Still Don't Trust You," remarking on the track "All to Myself" that he's glad never "signed (his) life away" to Drake's OVO label. He also took aim at Drake's "shooters," joking that they're too busy "making TikToks."

Future didn't let his features have all the fun. On the track "This Sunday," Future seemingly interpolates the chorus of Drake’s 2016 song "Feel No Ways" by telling his former "Life Is Good" collaborator that he doesn't care if Drake "feel a way" about all the disses.

Drake has yet to issue a formal response to the diss tracks, although a rumored single allegedly called "Push Ups" was leaked on social media Saturday that seemingly addresses Lamar and Metro Boomin.

Contributing: Jay Stahl

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Future, Metro Boomin announce We Trust You concert tour after fiery double feature, Drake feud

Drake Mostly Made Himself Look Bad on His Latest Diss

By Andre Gee

The long-awaited showdown between Kendrick Lamar and Drake has been bogged down by Instagram Story trolling, X bots, and artificial intelligence . While the rap world awaits Kendrick’s response to Drake, we’ve also been made to ponder technology’s role in societal decline. When the rap Gods declared “There are no rules in rap beef,” they likely weren’t imagining stan wars with hordes of X bot accounts feverishly posting sophomoric disses like “Daycares worldwide are being told to stay on high alert for Kendrick Lamar.”

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Both wore figurative masks and rapped from the perspective of West Coast giants, but while Kendrick did so to embody Nipsey Hussle, Drake used “Taylor Made” to obscure who he was. On “The Heart Part 5,” Kendrick uses his “Nipsey” verse to shed light on the toll of violence and impermanence of life, while Drake uses Tupac and Snoop’s voices to say things he didn’t have the heart, or credibility to say himself. In Snoop’s voice he rhymed, “never shot nobody, never stabbed nobody never did nothing violent to no one, it’s the homies that empower you” but as far as we know, the same applies to Drake. On “The Heart Part 5,” Kendrick rhymed of Nipsey Hussle, “I completed my mission, wasn’t ready to leave / But fulfilled my days, my Creator was pleased,” while Drake evoked Tupac to reference whispers about his alarming interactions with teenage girls — allegations that he’s never addressed himself.

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In many ways, the Kendrick beef is playing out in Drake’s favor online. He’s delivering propaganda through rap media personalities clamoring for access, his stans are running bot farms, and fan pages are coming up with conjectural theories about why artists are coming out against him. It’s all annoying, but using AI vocals is even more disheartening. Just last week fans were annoyed with AI when we didn’t know if Drake or Kendrick disses were real, but now some are doing mental gymnastics to convince themselves that evoking other people in a beef, especially a dead person, is fair game.

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Drake's beef with Kendrick Lamar, explained: Diss tracks leak from The Weeknd, Rick Ross, and others

• Drake appeared to fire back at Kendrick Lamar and others in a leaked diss track on Saturday. 
• Multiple rappers dissed Drake while featuring on Future and Metro Boomin's two latest albums.
• Drake has a long history of feuding with other rappers.

Hip-hop's heavyweights are feuding, and Drake appears to be the latest rapper to take aim in a leaked diss track "Push Ups (Drop & Give Me 50)," where he hits out at Kendrick Lamar, The Weeknd, Rick Ross, and others. But some fans aren't convinced it's not just another fake AI Drake track.

Lamar and Drake have a long-running beef, which reignited last month when Lamar dissed Drake and J. Cole on Future and Metro Boomin's track "Like That" from their latest collaborative album, "We Don't Trust You."

But the feud widened on Friday when Future and Metro Boomin released another album, "We Still Don't Trust You," featuring the Weeknd, A$AP Rocky, Rick Ross, Cole — and more insults aimed at Drake.

A day later, a diss track seemingly recorded by Drake surfaced on social media. In the song, the rapper fires shots at Lamar, Future, Metro Boomin, Ross, The Weeknd, and Cole.

Rocky was spared this time, but the "Hotline Bling" rapper previously dissed him on "Fear of Heights," from his 2023 album " For All the Dogs ."

Some fans have questioned whether the track is real or AI-generated, but Drake has alluded to the track in recent Instagram posts. A representative for Drake did not respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.

Although the tension seems genuine, feuds can be a clever marketing tactic to help artists boost streams and sales. "Like That," for instance, has topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart for the last two weeks, and "We Don't Trust You" debuted at the No.1 spot on the Billboard 200.

Here's what to know about Drake's feud with the rap world.

Drake and Lamar have been throwing digs at each other since 2013.

Lamar and Drake started out as friends, with Lamar opening for Drake's "Club Paradise" tour in 2012. The pair's feud began when Lamar rapped that he was better than all the rising rap stars, including Drake and Cole, when he featured on Big Sean's 2013 song "Control."

"And that goes for Jermaine Cole, Big K.R.I.T., Wale, Pusha T, Meek Millz, A$AP Rocky, Drake, Big Sean, Jay Electron', Tyler, Mac Miller / I got love for you all, but I'm tryna murder you n*****," he rapped.

Drake appeared to respond on the track "The Language" from his 2013 album, " Nothing Was the Same ," rapping: "I don't know why they been lyin' but your shit is not that inspirin'/ Bank account statement just look like I'm ready for early retirement / Fuck any n**** that's talking that shit just to get a reaction."

The two rappers last featured on the same song in 2013 and, since then, have made small digs at each other in their tracks and in interviews.

In 2015, many fans believe that Lamar accused Drake of using a ghostwriter, pointing to Lamar's 2015 track "King Kunta," where he raps, "I can dig rappin', but a rapper with a ghostwriter? / What the fuck happened?"

Lamar hasn't confirmed if the "King Kunta" lyric is about Drake.

Later that year, Meek Mill also accused Drake of using a ghostwriter in a since-deleted post on X, which Drake denied in a 2019 interview with Rap Radar .

The pair have also taken different paths artistically, with Lamar earning critical acclaim, including winning a Pulitzer prize for "Damn" in 2018 and 17 Grammys . Drake is more commercially successful, with 15 songs with over a billion streams on Spotify compared to Kendrick's five.

Cole entered the beef after appearing on 'For All The Dogs.'

Drake's 2023 track " First Person Shooter ," featuring Cole, is all about the two being the greatest rappers ever. Cole, who is friends with Lamar, references him in the song when talking about being the "Big 3" of the Hip Hop world.

"Love when they argue the hardest MC / Is it K-Dot? Is it Aubrey? Or me?" Cole raps, referring to Lamar's nickname, "K-Dot," and Drake's birth name Aubrey. "We the big three like we started a league, but right now, I feel like Muhammad Ali."

Lamar was rumored to be featured in the song too, but it never materialized.

Drake ends the song by comparing his success to that of the late Michael Jackson , who is the sixth best-selling artist of all time. In October 2023, Drake scored his 13th Billboard Hot 100 No.1, tying with Jackson.

Lamar's verse in "Like That" alludes to these lyrics, the song title, "First Person Shooter," and Drake's 2023 album title, " For All the Dogs ."

"Motherfuck the big three, n****, it's just big me," Lamar raps, adding later. "Fuck sneak dissin', first-person shooter, I hope they came with three switches."

"N****, Prince outlived Mike Jack'," Lamar raps later, referencing a 2017 song, "Mask Off (Remix)," where he compares himself to Prince. Prince and Jackson also had a long-standing beef when they were alive.

Lamar ends the verse referencing Drake's latest album: "'Fore all your dogs gettin' buried /That's a K with all these nines, he gon' see Pet Sematary (Yeah)."

A week after the song dropped last month, Drake appeared to respond to Lamar during a concert in Florida as part of his "It's All A Blur Tour: Big As In What?" with Cole.

Drake officially addresses Kendrick Lamar on stage “I got my head held high, my back straight, I’m ten f**king toes down… and I know no matter what there’s not another n**ga that could ever f*ck with me on this Earth” pic.twitter.com/4xJZ1kX8uS — Grand/THE WIZRD🔮⁶𓅓 (@grandwizardcn) March 25, 2024

"A lot of people ask me how I'm feeling. I'mma let you know I'm feeling," Drake said in a video shared on X. "I got my fucking head up high, my back straight, I'm 10 fucking toes down in Florida and anywhere else I go. And I know that no matter what, it's not a n**** on this earth that could ever fuck with me in my life!"

Cole fired back at Lamar and then apologized two days later.

Cole did not publicly comment on Lamar's "Like That" verse until April 5, when he released a 12-track EP, "Might Delete Later," which features Gucci Mane, Ari Lennox, and others.

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The first verse of the final track, "7 Minute Drill," appears to be a direct response to Lamar, who Cole implies is losing popularity. Rolling Stone's Andre Gee wrote that the title refers to a military drill where officers have to explain how to respond to an enemy attack.

"He still doin' shows, but fell off like the Simpsons / Your first shit was classic, your last shit was tragic / Your second shit put n***** to sleep, but they gassed it / Your third shit was massive and that was your prime / I was trailin' right behind and I just now hit mine," Cole raps.

Fans think Cole's bar about Lamar's second album references the critically-acclaimed " To Pimp a Butterfly ," as most people don't count 2011's "Section.80" as his first. "Good Kid, M.A.A.D City," is Lamar's actual second album.

Rolling Stone's Gee and Pitchfork's Alphonse Pierre panned Cole's track for not being aggressive enough.

"He doesn't have the heart for the lying, disrespect, and animosity it requires to make an effective diss track," Pierre wrote.

Two days after the song was released, Cole apologized to Lamar during his performance at the Dreamville Festival in Raleigh, North Carolina. It came after hip-hop's loudest voices, namely Joe Budden, expected Cole to continue the beef onstage. Instead, he shocked the hip-hop world and apologized.

"I just want to come up here and publicly be like, bruh, that was the lamest, goofiest shit," Cole said in a video shared on X. "And I pray that y'all are like, forgive a n**** for the misstep and I can get back to my true path. Because I ain't gonna lie to y'all. The past two days felt terrible."

Cole said he felt conflicted because he respected Lamar but felt pressure from his peers and fans to respond.

J.Cole speaks on his response to Kendrick and says it hasn’t felt good or right with his spirit, calling his own response “corny” and telling Kendrick to return his best shot if he feels a way pic.twitter.com/jan2jctfk9 — Glock Topickz (@Glock_Topickz) April 8, 2024

Cole said his diss verse, and the discourse surrounding it, didn't "sit right with my spirit," adding that he hoped Lamar, who he describes as "one of the greatest motherfucker's to ever touch a fuckin' microphone," wasn't hurt by his words.

"If he did, my n****, I got my chin out. Take your best shot, I'ma take that shit on the chin boy, do what you do. All good. It's love," he said.

Representatives for Lamar and Cole did not respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.

Future and Metro Boomin stirred more trouble with 'We Still Don't Trust You.'

On Friday, Future and Metro Boomin released their second collaborative album, "We Still Don't Trust You." While neither rapper directly diss Drake, they enlist The Weeknd and A$AP Rocky to do their bidding. Ross and Cole also appear on the album but don't diss Drake.

In the track "All To Myself," The Weeknd references declining to sign with Drake's OVO label, which has led to a frostiness between the two stars.

"They could never diss my brothers, baby / When they got leaks in they operation / I thank God that I never signed my life away / And we never do the big talk / They shooters makin TikToks / Got us laughin in the Lambo," The Weeknd rapped.

In the track "Show of Hands," Rocky references the rumor that he slept with Sophie Brussaux , the mother of Drake's child Adonis, before the "God's Plan" rapper.

"N****s in they feelings over women, what, you hurt or something? / I smash before you birthed, son, Flacko hit it first, son," Rocky rapped.

Rocky and Drake were also friends until the "Fuckin' Problems" rapper began to date Rihanna, who had an on-again-off-again relationship with Drake.

Drake referenced Rocky and Rihanna in "For All the Dogs." In the track "Fear of Heights," Drake disses both stars, saying sex with Rihanna was "average" and that Rocky is now stuck with her due to their children.

A 'Drake' diss track appears online –but fans are wary it's AI-generated.

On Saturday, a day after the release of "We Still Don't Trust You," a diss track surfaced on social media that appears to have been recorded by Drake.

Drake appeared to allude to the track being genuine when he shared an Instagram story post of a scene from "Kill Bill," where multiple enemies with swords surround Uma Thurman's character, The Bride.

Although Drake spends most of the four-minute track dissing Lamar, there are a few shots toward The Weeknd, Ross, Cole, Future, and Metro Boomin.

Drake mocked Lamar's latest album, "Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers," his appearances on Maroon 5 and Taylor Swift's pop songs, and suggested that Lamar's former label, Top Dawg Entertainment, took 50% of profits from the "Humble" rapper's songs.

"How the fuck you big steppin with a size 7 mens on? / Your last one bricked, you really not on shit," Drake rapped. "Maroon 5 need a verse, you better make it witty / Then we need a verse for the Swifties / Top say drop, you better drop and give him 50."

Drake also rapped that SZA, Travis Scott, and 21 Savage were bigger names in the hip-hop world than Lamar.

Later in the track, Drake references Cole's diss track and apology.

"And that fuckin' song y'all got is not starting beef with us / This shit brewin' in a pot, now I'm heating up / I don't care what Cole think, that Dot shit was weak as fuck," Drake rapped.

Later in the track, Drake raps that he gave Future his first No. 1 hit, referring to Drake's 2021 song "Way 2 Sexy," which he features on. Drake also say The Weeknd wastes his money, and Metro Boomin should "shut your ho ass up and make some drums, n****."

Taking aim at Ross, he says the 48-year-old rapper is too old to join the rap beef and owes his chart success to him. Drake also appears to refence Ross' friendship with Diddy, who was accused of sexual misconduct by four people in the last year.

"Spend that lil' check you got and stay up out my business / Worry 'bout whatever goin' on with you and…," Drake says, trailing off at the end.

Ross quickly recorded and released a response, "Champagne Moments," where he calls Drake a "white boy," claims the rapper got a nose job, and stole his flow from Lil Wayne. Ross also repeats the ghostwriter allegations, and has continued to make fun of Drake's nose on social media.

On Sunday, Drake shared a text message with his mother where she asked about the nose job rumor. Drake responded in the message that Ross is just "angry and racist" and he'll "handle it" — which likely means the rap beef is far from over.

Watch: The most explosive moments from Johnny Depp's suit against Amber Heard in week 5

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Breaking Down the Ridiculousness of Drake’s “Taylor Made” Kendrick Diss With AI Tupac and Snoop Dogg

Drake used AI technology to come after Kendrick Lamar again. Here’s what it all means.

Drake just made an insane chess move in his rap war with Kendrick Lamar by using artificial intelligence to pit two of Dot’s idols, Tupac and Snoop Dogg, against him.

You might be asking yourself, “What the fuck is going on?” And you’d be asking the right question. Right after the internet was sent into a tailspin with a viral Kendrick response track that Complex debunked as being the work of AI, Drake doubled down on his own instigation tactics when he dropped an AI-assisted diss song “Taylor Made Freestyle” on Instagram Friday night. 

On the nearly four-minute song, Drake uses AI technology to make it sound like Tupac and Snoop Dogg are pleading with Kendrick to respond to the OVO rapper and protect west coast rap’s legacy. After AI Tupac and AI Snoop finish their verses, Drake comes in and lays an impressive verse himself, calling Dot a coward for not dropping yet. And he does it all over a beat that sounds like it could be found by searching “West Coast type beat” on YouTube (likely by design). According to DJ Akademiks, Drake allegedly wrote both of the verses for AI Tupac and AI Snoop Dogg, which would make sense given their sarcastic nature (and how similar their cadences are to his).

The title “Taylor Made” is Drake’s way of saying that Kendrick is waiting to release his response track because Taylor Swift made him get out of the way of her massive album, The Tortured Poets Department, which dropped on Friday. Drake is playing into the narrative that Kendrick gets pushed around by the music industry machine and isn’t in control of his own destiny, rapping lines like, “Now we gotta wait a fucking week 'cause Taylor Swift is your new Top/ And if you 'bout to drop, she gotta approve.”

This war between Drake, Kendrick, and half the rap game continues to be the most unpredictable battle that rap has seen in decades. Here’s a breakdown of each verse in “Taylor Made Freestyle” and an explanation of what it all means.

The Al Tupac verse:

Kendrick has a well-documented admiration for Tupac Shakur (he even used audio from an unreleased Pac interview to make it sound like they were talking to each other at the end of “Mortal Man” ) which makes it even more devious for Drake to create a sarcastic AI Pac verse aimed at Dot. 

AI Pac opens the song by pleading for Kendrick to respond to “Push Ups” and implying that the lights might be too bright for Dot: “Kendrick we need ya, the West Coast savior/ Engraving your name in some hip-hop history/ If you deal with this viciously/ You seem a little nervous about all the publicity.” 

Then AI Pac gives Kendrick some advice for his impending response track to Drake: “Talk about him liking young girls as a gift from me/ Heard it on the Budden Podcast, it's gotta be true.” This is a reference to comments that Joe Budden made on a recent podcast where he called Drake out for predatory behavior and played an old clip of the Toronto rapper interacting with a 17-year-old fan at a show. This seems to be Drake’s way of getting ahead of whatever potential ammo Kendrick might try to use against him in a reply track.   

Drake then takes another jab at Kendrick’s stature through AI Pac with bars like, “ They told me the spirit of Makaveli is alive / In the nigga under five-foot-five, so it's gotta be you.” He goes on to reference Dot’s line about “burning tattoos” on “Like That” and says that Drake “is not amused,” before sarcastically questioning why Dot “asked for the smoke” but now seems “too busy for the smoke.” 

Through AI Pac, Drake says people are “confused” about why he hasn’t dropped a reply yet, and implies that Kendrick is being forced to wait because Taylor Swift (who is also signed under Universal Music Group) had already planned to release her big album this week: “'Bout to give this shit another week/ And fall back to homegirl who runnin' numbers up/ I woulda refused/ Fuck these industry relationships, she not in your shoes.”

Drake closes AI Pac’s verse by questioning Kendrick’s “boogeyman” persona (a reputation he’s earned for leaving other artists in fear of stepping to him) before passing the verse to AI Snoop. 

The Al Snoop Dogg verse:

AI Snoop Dogg opens his verse by rapping, “Nephew, what the fuck you really 'bout to do?/ We passed you the torch in the House of Blues,” which references the infamous moment in 2011 when Snoop, Dr. Dre, and The Game passed the symbolic west coast rap torch to Kendrick in front of a live audience. Drake then uses AI Snoop to imply that Kendrick isn’t capable of doing the “dirty work” of shooting back at him because he’s “never been to jail or wore jumpsuits and shower shoes/ Never shot nobody, never stabbed nobody/ Never did nothing violent and know when it's the homies that empower you.” AI Snoop (and Drake) are basically saying that Kendrick is not “like that,” despite all of his tough talk in verses.

After making some very basic owl analogies (probably on purpose), AI Snoop raps, “Now's a time to really make a power move/ 'Cause right now it's looking like you writing out the game plan on how to lose/ How to bark up the wrong tree and then get your head popped in a crowded room.” The tail-end of that bar is Drake’s way of calling back Kendrick’s canine/K-9 double entendre on “Like That” and using it against him, saying that he “[barked] up the wrong tree.” Later, AI Snoop raps that the “world is watching this chess game, but oh, you out of moves,” evoking imagery from the “First Person Shooter” music video where Drake and Cole recreated the photo of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo playing chess . Drake closes AI Snoop’s verse by poking fun at Kendrick’s status as a rappers’ rapper, saying, “Dot, you know that the OG never fucking doubted you/ But right now it seem like you posted up without a clue/ Of what the fuck you 'bout to do.” Then he passes the song back to himself.

The Drake verse:

On the third verse, Drake finally takes the AI effects off and raps in his own voice. After agreeing with AI Uncle Snoop’s lyrics, he raps, “I'm definitely about to come around the Lang gang and let my fucking bowel move/ Shitting on you niggas from a whole different altitude/ High up in the sky like I'm Howard Hughes.” This is a self-explanatory bar about Drake shitting on Kendrick’s pgLang label, as he compares himself to aerospace engineer, pilot, and business mogul Howard Hughes , who was known in his lifetime as being one of the richest people in the world. 

Drake goes on to say that “Push Ups” only took him “an hour or two” to make and hints that his next diss track will “bring out the coward” in Kendrick. Then Drake digs deeper into his belief that Dot didn’t drop his reply this weekend because he was forced to stay out of Taylor Swift’s way. “But now we gotta wait a fucking week 'cause Taylor Swift is your new Top/ And if you 'bout to drop, she gotta approve/ This girl really 'bout to make you act like you not in a feud/ She tailor-made your schedule with Ant, you out of the loop,” Drake raps, insinuating that Swift is Kendrick’s new boss. More specifically, he compares her to Kendrick’s old Top Dog Entertainment boss (Anthony “Top Dawg” Tiffith), who he also rapped about on “Push Ups,” and implies that she and Top dictate Dot’s release schedule.

After calling Kendrick a “corporate industry puppet” for getting out of the way of Taylor’s release, Drake questions why Dot hasn’t maintained the energy he had on “Like That” over these last few weeks, rapping, “Since ‘Like That’ your tone changed a little, you not as enthused/ How are you not in the booth?/ It feel like you kinda removed/You tryna let this shit die down/Nah, nah, nah, not this time nigga, you followin' through.” Drake is dead set on the idea that Dot is trying to duck him because he hasn’t responded within a week, despite the fact that it took him three weeks to respond to “Like That” with “Push Ups.” 

Drake closes his verse by continuing to taunt Kendrick about not responding immediately, rapping, “I guess you need another week to figure out how to improve/ What the fuck is taking so long? We waitin' on you.” Then he makes sure that the rest of his opposition know that he still has more bars for them whenever they decide to drop, too: “The rest of y'all are definitely involved, y'all gettin it too/ Soon as you get the courage to drop, I'm out on the loose.”

Then he sends even more shots in the outro, calling Taylor Swift the “biggest gangster in the music game right now” (possibly a sub at Rick Ross, who called her song titles “gangsta” on Friday), before referencing his own lyrics on “Red Button” about her being the only artist who can make him move his album release dates. Drake says Swift has pgLang “on mute,” like the viral Beyonce challenge , and calls out Kendrick one more time, saying he’s “in that NY apartment, you strugglin right now.” (Kendrick bought a penthouse in Brooklyn late last year.)

Was it effective?

Drake’s decision to use artificial intelligence in a diss track is a polarizing development in this feud. Assuming that Akademiks is correct and Drake did in fact write and rap the first two verses himself (before applying AI Tupac and Snoop filters to his voice), it was a very clever chess move to use Kendrick’s idols against him. It further dramatizes an already theatrical beef, and it’s a way for Drake to try and remove potential disses from the board that Kendrick could’ve used against him. After weeks of discussion about AI in rap, thanks to all of the fake diss tracks popping up, Drake leaned into his internet-savvy ways and figured out how to use the technology as a weapon in his own diss song. 

It was a clever move, but let’s not pretend it’s all positive, though. All is fair in love and rap war, so it’s hard to argue the moral permissibility of Drake evoking the voice of a deceased artist like Pac, especially when Dot also used deepfake AI technology in his “The Heart Part 5” music video to look like Kobe Bryant and Nipsey Hussle. But there’s a difference. Dot got the approval of Nip’s family and was using the tech to pay homage to the late icons, and Drake is using it in a much different context. We also have to take into account the potentially dangerous symbolism of a massive artist like Drake embracing AI technology, and he shouldn’t be lauded as a creative mastermind for it. 200 high-profile artists just signed a petition to protect music from shit like this. With disinformation already running rampant on the internet, the last thing rap needs is the voices of the dead popping up on diss tracks. 

Drake questioning Kendrick’s “boogeyman” persona through AI Tupac hit harder than if he had just rapped it himself, and there is something very Lex Luthor about him even thinking of this in the first place, but seeing the biggest artist in the genre championing this cheap gimmick (especially while evoking the voice of a deceased legend to get a one-up on someone in a petty diss track) is pretty lame to me. I don’t think it’s necessarily a precursor for things to come that aren’t already happening, but AI in hip-hop is too new (and the lines are still too muddy) for it to be used in this way without taking a minute to think of potentially nasty applications in the future.

What’s next?

“Taylor Made Freestyle” is no “Back to Back,” but Drake has made it clear that he desperately wants Kendrick to respond to his jabs and keep the rap war going. He isn’t ducking any smoke from the rest of his opposition, either, so it sounds like the ball is in everyone else’s court now. 

Make no mistake, Kendrick Lamar will respond to Drake—it’s just a matter of when. Drake is trying to rush him, but it took the OVO artist three weeks to “leak” his initial response to “Like That” on April 13, and Mal said on the New Rory and Mal podcast that he’s heard whispers of Kendrick preparing to drop an album in May, so that might be when we hear a response. It’s important to remember that good rap responses can take time. Nas waited three months after Jay-Z dropped “Takeover” in Sept. 2001 before he released “Ether” in December of that year. Let Dot cook.

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Drake Drops Official Kendrick Lamar Diss ‘Push Ups’ On Streaming Platforms

Whelp, it took about a week but Drizzy just dropped the studio version of his diss record “Push Ups” on all platforms as an official release. 

ICYMI or were under a rock, the 6 God first dropped the diss track as a leak last Saturday. Drake called out Lamar, and other major names, in a response to Kendrick Lamar’s verse on “Like That” a diss mostly aimed at Drake, on Future and Metro Boomin’s first collab project, “We Don’t Trust You.”

Drake included official cover art for “Push Ups”, which shows a shoe-size that aligns with a bar on the record “How the fuck you big steppin’ with a size-seven men’s on?” he spits, referencing Lamar’s 2022 album title “Mr. Morale and the Big Steppers” and what Drake says is K Dot’s shoe size.

Drake’s rollout of “Push Ups” on Saturday (April 13) was unconventional as it was calculating. The first “leak” sonically felt unfinished featuring a sample of “Get Money,” the classic song from Junior M.A.F.I.A. feat. The Notorious B.I.G. (RIP). But hours later, a higher-quality version “leaked” with a different beat; sampled from “Give Me Fifty” a track from Mike Jones.

Even though the A.I. conspiracies came into the chat, Drake confirmed them after posting an image from the Tarantino movie Kill Bill on his IG Story @ChampagnePapi.

Not to rehash the entire beef, but most of ya’ll know the chain of events leading up to “Push Ups” including J Cole’ response to Lamar, and his shocking public back pedaling, live on stage where he basically apologized for dropping “7 Minute Drill” on his surprise album release, then his appearance on Future and Metro Boomin’s second collaborative project last Friday “We Still Don’t Trust You.” All that went down and now here we are. Drake responded and released the diss officially. It’s funny to say but we wonder if this release will chart. That wouldn’t be surprising for Drake and not his first time a diss record held down a Billboard spot. 

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‘Push Ups’ — by Drake? — sparks AI speculation as more players join diss-track drama

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Drake has finally dropped his Kendrick Lamar diss track. Or has he?

Over the weekend, a track titled “Push Ups (Drop and Give Me 50)” sent rap fans into a frenzy, thinking that Drizzy had taken his alleged rap beef with Lamar and recent collaborator Metro Boomin into his own hands. The song was reportedly leaked Saturday but not announced on any of Drake’s own official platforms, including his Instagram and Spotify pages.

“Push Ups (Drop and Give Me 50)” quickly went vira l on X (formerly Twitter) as fans dissected lyrics seemingly about the “Like That” musicians. Over a freestyle trap beat, a voice that sounds like Drake‘s can be heard taking shots at Lamar’s exercise routine and his size (“How ... you big steppin’ with a Size 7 men’s on?”) and Metro Boomin (“Metro, shut your h— up and make some drums”). The track also took shots at the Weeknd, making mention of his birth name, which is Abel Tesfaye.

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As pointed as the disses are, some fans in the hip-hop sphere have voiced concern that the new track might be generated by artificial intelligence. Former “Pump It Up” rapper and podcaster Joe Budden said, “There is not a Drake fan out there that could tell me that y’all didn’t think that was AI,” according to a video shared on X.

Budden continued, noting that in the “AI version, the beat don’t drop out, and it’s a little slower,” before mocking the track’s cadence and lyrics.

“Drake fans there’s a reason you ... was on Twitter all day saying, ‘That ain’t him,’” Budden added.

“Push Ups (Drop and Give Me 50)” has sparked conversation on X about AI’s place in the music industry and concern over how difficult it might be for listeners to distinguish AI-generated music.

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“We’ve got a massive problem on our hands with music,” user @TheMSeries1 wrote.

Amid the AI speculation, Drake made it clear that he knew about the alleged diss track. In a Monday Instagram Story post, the Grammy winner, 37, shared a doctored snippet of the 2002 film “Drumline” The clip, a nod to the Metro Boomin lyric, saw the producer’s face superimposed on top of star Nick Cannon’s, as his character plays for a panel of judges.

As of Tuesday morning, “Push Ups (Drop and Give Me 50)” has yet to appear on Drake’s official streaming pages. A representative for Drake did not immediately confirm the track’s authenticity to The Times on Tuesday.

The “Certified Lover Boy” rapper allegedly released his diss track a week after his “First Person Shooter” collaborator J.Cole walked back his fiery “7 Minute Drill” against Lamar.

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“I tried to jab [Lamar] back, and I try to keep it friendly, but at the end of the day when I listen to it, and when it comes out and I see the talk, that ... don’t sit right with my spirit,” Cole said during a headlining set of his Dreamville Festival in North Carolina. “That... disrupts my ... peace.”

The weeks-long public beef seemingly began when Compton native Lamar denied that Drake and Cole were on his level. In Future and Metro Boomin’s March album, “We Don’t Trust You,” Lamar lends his talents to a verse on “Like That.”

“Yeah get up with me, f— sneak dissing ‘First Person Shooter,’ I hope they came with three switches,” Lamar, 36, raps before adding “m— the big three ... it’s just big me.”

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Since the March diss, multiple rappers have entered the fray. ASAP Rocky and Rick Ross are among the musicians who have most recently joined the mix with their own scathing lyrics against Drake.

On Monday, Ross announced his latest single, “ Champagne Moments. ” More than just a hint at Drake’s “champagnepapi” Instagram handle, Ross’ “Champagne Moments” finds material in Drake’s white heritage and rumors that he‘s undergone cosmetic surgery.

“Yeah, you had that surgery, that six-pack gone / That’s why you wearing that funny s— at your show,” Ross raps. “You can’t hide it.”

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Alexandra Del Rosario is an entertainment reporter on the Los Angeles Times Fast Break Desk. Before The Times, she was a television reporter at Deadline Hollywood, where she first served as an associate editor. She has written about a wide range of topics including TV ratings, casting and development, video games and AAPI representation. Del Rosario is a UCLA graduate and also worked at the Hollywood Reporter and TheWrap.

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J. Cole Removes Kendrick Lamar Diss ‘7 Minute Drill’ From Streaming Services

By Steven J. Horowitz

Steven J. Horowitz

Senior Music Writer

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J. Cole has removed his Kendrick Lamar diss “7 Minute Drill” from streaming services , less than a week after he told the crowd at his Dreamville Festival that he regretted releasing it and that he may take it off DSPs.

The rapper, who initially included “7 Minute Drill” on his surprise project “Might Delete Later,” was met with mixed reactions after announcing that he felt releasing the song was the “lamest shit I did in my fuckin’ life.” Some applauded his maturity for sharing that he had respect for Lamar and didn’t want to partake in a spat with the rapper; others claimed that it wasn’t in the spirit of hip-hop, which thrives on competition.

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On “First Person Shooter,” Cole included Kendrick in “the big three” alongside himself and Drake. “Love when they argue the hardest MC / Is it K. Dot? Is it Aubrey? Or me? / We the big three, like we started a league,” he rapped.

Lamar rebuffed the designation on “Like That,” stating, “Motherfuck the big three, n—a, it’s just big me.” While Cole has been vocal in his response to Lamar, Drake only vaguely referenced the verse during a show shortly after. “I got my head up high, my back straight, I’m 10 fucking toes down, and feeling like anywhere else I go,” he said. “And I know no matter what, there’s not a n—a on this Earth that can ever fuck with me in my life.”

Last night, though, the plot thickened after Cole made a surprise appearance on Future and Metro Boomin’s second album in three weeks, “We Still Don’t Trust You.” Cole appears on “Red Leather,” the final track on the first disc of the album, and while he doesn’t reference any of the issues with Lamar, many interpreted his cameo on the album as an affront to Drake.

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