Kendrick Lamar Juneteenth concert features Dr. Dre, Tyler the Creator, YG, and more
Courtesy: JASON KOERNER/GETTY IMAGES via Rolling Stone
Kendrick Lamar's Juneteenth concert at Los Angeles' Kia Forum was a celebration of West Coast rap, featuring a lineup of several renowned artists.
The concert, announced just two weeks prior, followed Lamar's nine-song rap battle victory over Drake. The event, titled "The Pop Out: Ken & Friends," was divided into three sections: the first curated by DJ Hed, the second by renowned producer Mustard, and the third headlined by Lamar himself.
DJ Hed kicked off the evening with performances by rising and established Los Angeles stars such as Ray Vaughn, Cuzzos, Blue Bucks Clan, and Westside Boogie. The legendary krump dancer Tommy the Clown also graced the stage with a crew of dancers, setting an energetic tone for the night.
Mustard took over next, playing a string of his hits, including Tyga’s “Rack City” and 2 Chainz’s “I’m Different.” He was joined on stage by Dom Kennedy, Ty Dolla $ign, Steve Lacy, Tyler the Creator, Roddy Ricch, and YG, who each performed their biggest hits.
Highlights included Tyler’s “Earthquake,” Lacy’s “Bad Habit,” YG’s “Toot It and Boot It,” and Roddy Ricch’s “The Box.” A special section was dedicated to Nipsey Hussle, with Mustard playing their collaboration “Perfect 10.”
When Kendrick Lamar took the stage, he delivered powerful performances of “Euphoria,” “DNA,” and “Alright.” He was later joined by his former TDE label mates and Black Hippy members Jay Rock, Ab-Soul, and ScHoolboy Q.
The group performed several hits, including “Money Trees,” “Win,” “King’s Dead,” and “Collard Greens.” Dr. Dre made a surprise appearance, performing “Still D.R.E.” with Lamar filling in for Snoop Dogg.
Lamar emphasized the concert's purpose beyond music, highlighting the unity among artists from various backgrounds and gang factions.
“We done lost a lot of homies to this music shit, a lot of homies to this street shit,” he said at the concert according to Rolling Stone, later promising more cross-city collaborations in the future.