Kendrick Lamar's 'Ken & Friends' Juneteenth concert united over 25 West Coast acts like Tyler, Dr. Dre. While dissing Drake, it celebrated LA hip-hop.
Kendrick Lamar headlined an all-star Juneteenth celebration concert called "Ken & Friends - The Pop Out" on Wednesday night at the Kia Forum in Inglewood. The show aimed to showcase unity among West Coast artists, featuring over 25 performers from across Los Angeles.
Lamar kicked things off with "Euphoria," one of his diss tracks aimed at Drake amidst their ongoing rap beef. But the focus quickly shifted to bringing the LA music scene together, with Lamar proclaiming "This is unity, y'all just don't know man" as the performers joined him on stage for a group photo chanting "One West."
The stacked lineup included Tyler, the Creator, YG, Roddy Ricch, Ty Dolla $ign, Dom Kennedy, Steve Lacy, and a reunited Black Hippy with Schoolboy Q, Ab-Soul, and Jay Rock. Dr. Dre also made a surprise appearance before Lamar closed with multiple fiery renditions of his viral Drake diss "Not Like Us."
Fans were in awe of the monumental display of West Coast talent, with one tweeting "This Kendrick Lamar show is iconic, bringing together so many LA legends." Another wrote, "The energy at this concert must have been insane, a true celebration of the West Coast hip-hop scene."
However, some criticized Lamar for seemingly prioritizing his feud with Drake over the unity message, with a fan commenting "Kendrick should have left the disses out of what was supposed to be a night of togetherness."
Overall, the concert served as a powerful showcase of LA's immense hip-hop legacy and influence.
