Kendrick Lamar pulled a Jay-Z and performed his new hit, “Not Like Us,” five consecutive times to conclude his sold-out Ken & Friends: The Pop Out concert on Wednesday (June 19) at The Forum in Inglewood, California. This was the first time Kendrick performed the song live.
Kendrick’s mentor and music mogul, Dr. Dre, kicked off the performance, during which Lamar performed the Drake diss track five times consecutively. The audience joined Lamar in consecutively reciting the song lyrics. Fans on social media highly anticipated the performance of “Not Like Us” in the lead-up to the concert.
Kendrick began his set with chart-topping Drake diss track, “Euphoria,” which also included a new verse. The set included a mixture of classics such as “Swimming Pool,” “Alright,” and “DNA.” He reunited with Black Hippy, a group including Jay Rock, Schoolboy Q, and Ab-Soul, and performed their fan favorites, like “Collard Greens” and “Money Trees.” Before “Not Like Us,” Kendrick performed other Drake diss tracks such as “Like That” and “Humble.”
Dr. Dre popped out to perform his classics “Still D.R.E.” and “California Love.” Dre’s new spirit brand, Gin & Juice by Dre & Snoop was an official concert sponsor. The Forum erupted when Dr. Dre kicked off the “Not Like Us” run, reciting the opening line, “I see dead people.”
Kendrick Lamar would invite various celebrities and L.A. rap stars to join him on stage to perform the hit several times. Celebrities to pop out at during the consecutive performances include Big Boy, DJ Mustard, YG, Roddy Richh, Dom Kennedy, NBA stars Russell Westbrook and DeMar DeRozan, and more.
Kendrick united L.A. hip-hop for a single photo before performing a final time to close out the concert. Prime Video livestreamed the concert. Other performers included Tyler, The Creator, Blxst, Roddy Richh, Dom Kennedy, and YG.