Sometimes, you just need to Pop Out and Show people! That’s exactly what Kendrick Lamar did. Instead of a simple gesture, he organized a massive show in Los Angeles, gathering celebrity friends and thousands of fans to assert his dominance over his biggest rival. “The Pop Out: Ken & Friends” took place for one night only on Wednesday at the Kia Forum in Inglewood, California. This marked Lamar’s first performance since releasing a series of diss tracks against Drake, including the chart-topping “Not Like Us.”
The concert celebrated West Coast hip-hop and featured some of the biggest rappers and California-born NBA players. The event was a whirlwind, lasting over an hour and drawing in what appeared to be gang-affiliated fans. During the show, fans rapped along as Lamar performed “Not Like Us” five times consecutively.
On stage, people dressed in blue and red (representing the Crips and Bloods) danced alongside NBA stars DeMar DeRozan and Russell Westbrook. Even Lakers star LeBron James attended, though he stayed off the stage. Lamar also paid tribute to Los Angeles heroes Kobe Bryant and Nipsey Hussle, both of whom passed away in recent years. “This makes me emotional,” Lamar said. “We’ve been messed up since Nipsey died. We’ve been messed up since Kobe died. Let the world see this.”
Tyler, the Creator, echoed this sentiment in a post on X, writing, “It was beautiful to see the whole city come together last night.” Dr. Dre joined Lamar to perform “California Love” and “Still D.R.E.” He also introduced the first rendition of “Not Like Us” with the line, “I see dead people.”
Lamar’s five performances of “Not Like Us” underscored his lingering grudge against Drake. He sometimes shortened the verses, allowing the crowd to sing the lyrics, and interacted with DeRozan and Westbrook onstage. The night culminated in a massive photo with everyone who joined him on stage. One X user described the event as “Kendrick’s own Hatechella,” referencing Mary J. Blige’s song “Family Affair.”
Throughout the night, Lamar performed over a dozen tracks, with artists like Schoolboy Q, Jay Rock, Tyler, the Creator, and Dr. Dre joining him. The concert was a major talking point on social media, with seats selling out quickly after the announcement two weeks prior.
The show’s focus on the feud was clear from the start. The title “The Pop Out” came from a line in “Not Like Us,” and merchandise at the show referenced the beef. Lamar opened with “Euphoria,” a nearly seven-minute diss track against Drake, and also performed other anti-Drake tracks like “6:16 in LA” and “Like That.”
Drake faced considerable social media criticism, with some speculating that his team was trying to downplay the show’s impact. Representatives for Drake declined to comment, but some felt that Lamar owed Drake for the renewed interest in his music.
While it’s unclear if the concert, live-streamed on Amazon Prime and Twitch, will be available on Amazon, recordings were circulating on social media the following day. The concert ultimately served as a celebration of “Not Like Us,” delivering a decisive blow in Lamar’s long-standing feud with Drake.
