Kendrick Lamar’s ‘The Pop Out: Ken & Friends’ concert lived up to its name on Wednesday night (June 19th). The show, celebrating Juneteenth, became a history-making night for West Coast hip-hop. Over 18,000 fans filled the Kia Forum in Inglewood, California, while millions more watched online on Amazon Music.

Kendrick Lamar
Kendrick Lamar in a still from Rich Spirit (Credits YouTube/Kendrick Lamar)

The concert featured over 25 legendary artists and rising stars. However, what surprised everyone was K-Dot’s performance of his song Not Like Us five times in a row—a move that some think was aimed as a clear jab at Champagne Papi.

Kendrick Lamar Dominates his Recent Concert with Not Like Us

Kendrick Lamar
Kendrick Lamar at Øyafestivalen 2013 (Credits: Wikimedia Commons/Jørund Føreland Pedersen)

‘The Pop Out: Ken & Friends’ concert featured a mix of Kendrick Lamar‘s greatest songs and exciting new tracks. He started with Euphoria, which had a new diss aimed at Drake. Later, Ab-Soul joined Lamar on stage to perform his verse on 6:16 in L.A., making the energy even higher.

A special moment was when the 37-year-old brought his mentor, Dr. Dre, on stage. Dre’s surprise appearance sent the crowd into a frenzy. Together, they performed some of the Xxplosive star’s classics. It showed the strong bond between different generations of West Coast hip-hop.

The true climax of the concert came with Lamar’s performance of Not Like Us, his diss track aimed at 6 God. The song, which hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100, became a West Coast anthem. King Kendrick shocked everyone by performing it not just once, but five times in a row. According to a fan’s comment on the full live set concert on YouTube , it wasn’t just Kendrick Lamar’s concert; “it was Drake’s eulogy.”

Fan comment on Kendrick Lamar's The Pop Out: Ken & Friends full concert video
Fan comment on Kendrick Lamar’s ‘The Pop Out: Ken & Friends’ full concert video

The crowd erupted every time the song began, rapping along to every word. Lamar even brought out various Los Angeles celebrities, including NBA stars DeMar DeRozan and Russell Westbrook, to celebrate the song’s message of West Coast unity. Other hip hop figures like G Perico, Hit-Boy, and Lamar’s Black Hippy crew also joined onstage.

Not Like Us – More Than Just a Diss Track

Kendrick Lamar
Kendrick Lamar in All The Stars (Credits: YouTube/Kendrick Lamar)

Despite fan interpretations, Kendrick Lamar made it clear the concert wasn’t just about stirring up his rivalry with Drizzy. He talked about how important it is for everyone to come together, especially after losing Nipsey Hussle and Kobe Bryant.

While Not Like Us may have been a diss track, Lamar stated that the concert was about bringing people together. As reported by Billboard, he declared, dismissing any Drake feud:

We been f—ked up since Nipsey died. We been f—ked up since Kobe [Bryant] died. This is unity at it’s finest. It ain’t got nothing to do with no back-and-forth records. It’s got everything to do with this moment right here. That’s what this s–t was about. To bring all of us together.

The concert ended with a sense of hope and optimism for the future of West Coast hip-hop.

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