{"id":1542,"date":"2025-05-27T15:18:43","date_gmt":"2025-05-27T15:18:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/musictechohio.online\/site\/kendrick-lamar-and-szas-grand-national-tour-drives-into-l-a\/"},"modified":"2025-05-27T15:18:43","modified_gmt":"2025-05-27T15:18:43","slug":"kendrick-lamar-and-szas-grand-national-tour-drives-into-l-a","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/musictechohio.online\/site\/kendrick-lamar-and-szas-grand-national-tour-drives-into-l-a\/","title":{"rendered":"Kendrick Lamar and SZA\u2019s Grand National Tour drives into L.A."},"content":{"rendered":"<div>\n<figure><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.spin.com\/files\/2025\/04\/LEADPhoto-credit-Greg-Noire_pgLang-.jpg\" width=\"1290\" height=\"860\" alt=\"Kendrick Lamar and Sza\u2019s Grand National Tour at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles (Credit: Greg Noire)\"><\/figure>\n<p><strong>\u201cLos Angeles, Cali-motherfucking-fornia!\u201d\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>With this intro, followed by a roll call of local neighborhoods, Kendrick Lamar let everyone know just how happy he was to be back in L.A. And he should be. After weeks on the road, Lamar and friend\/frequent collaborator SZA\u2019s co-headlining Grand National Tour was rolling into the biggest venue their hometown has to offer, SoFi Stadium, for three nights of sold-out shows. After the wildly successful year they\u2019ve both had\u2014<em>Billboard<\/em> hits! Grammys! Movies! Decisive feud wins! The Super Bowl!\u2014this homecoming show could\u2019ve been nothing more than a victory lap. But it wasn\u2019t. Instead, these two artists commanded the stage for nearly three hours as if they still had everything to prove.<\/p>\n<p>More from Spin:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.spin.com\/2025\/05\/who-is-willoh\/\">WHO IS <span style=\"color: red\">WILLOH<\/span><\/a>\n\t\t<\/li>\n<li>\n\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.spin.com\/2025\/05\/grizzly-bear-awaken-for-first-shows-since-2019\/\">Grizzly Bear Awaken For First Shows Since 2019<\/a>\n\t\t<\/li>\n<li>\n\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.spin.com\/2025\/05\/the-supersonic-rise-of-j-j-fad\/\">The \u2018Supersonic\u2019 Rise of J.J. Fad<\/a>\n\t\t<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>As holographic graffiti cut into a \u201cconcrete wall\u201d on stage, Kendrick kicked off the night by rising up inside his recent album\u2019s title object, a Buick Grand National. He opened with \u201cwacced out murals\u201d (from 2024\u2019s <em>GNX<\/em>) and by the second verse, doused the stage in verbal and actual flames. He never lost this initial intensity at any point, delivering one blistering verse after another from almost every song on the album plus many hits off his earlier albums. Kendrick\u2019s ferocious energy, fueled by dramatic lighting design, gave the night a furious start.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1280\" height=\"1920\" src=\"https:\/\/static.spin.com\/files\/2025\/04\/Photo-credit-Brandon-Xay-.jpeg\" alt=\"(Credit: Brandon Xay)\" class=\"wp-image-465030\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static.spin.com\/files\/2025\/04\/Photo-credit-Brandon-Xay-.jpeg 1280w, https:\/\/static.spin.com\/files\/2025\/04\/Photo-credit-Brandon-Xay--340x510.jpeg 340w, https:\/\/static.spin.com\/files\/2025\/04\/Photo-credit-Brandon-Xay--768x1152.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/static.spin.com\/files\/2025\/04\/Photo-credit-Brandon-Xay--1024x1536.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/static.spin.com\/files\/2025\/04\/Photo-credit-Brandon-Xay--498x747.jpeg 498w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1280px) 100vw, 1280px\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">(Credit: Brandon Xay)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Initially, SZA came out to perform \u201c30 for 30\u201d with Lamar, but once he left, his wall on the video screen began cracking, then crumbling, to reveal gloriously warm and colorful scenes of nature. The stadium\u2019s mood shifted as her video displays became more and more fantastical takes on a garden, as if shrinking the audience down to the size of an ant. And just to take that idea further, SZA later rode a mechanical ant, too. SZA\u2019s chill grooves calmed the audience, but without ever lowering the energy. She always remained joyously light on her feet; metaphorically during a particularly infectious \u201cWhat Do I Do\u201d and literally when flying via butterfly wings and a harness for \u201cNobody Gets Me.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>This back and forth formed the shape of the concert: Lamar performed six or so songs, then tagged out with SZA for six or so songs. I\u2019ve never seen a co-headlining show where the two superstars intertwined their sets like this, let alone where two major artists shared the spotlight without ego. It worked out great, creating a refueling flow for all. For an epically long show, you never felt it because this was one of the best sequenced setlists I\u2019ve seen.\u00a0<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" src=\"https:\/\/static.spin.com\/files\/2025\/04\/Photo-credit-Cassidy-Meyers-.jpg\" alt=\"(Credit: Cassidy Meyers)\" class=\"wp-image-465031\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static.spin.com\/files\/2025\/04\/Photo-credit-Cassidy-Meyers-.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/static.spin.com\/files\/2025\/04\/Photo-credit-Cassidy-Meyers--340x227.jpg 340w, https:\/\/static.spin.com\/files\/2025\/04\/Photo-credit-Cassidy-Meyers--240x160.jpg 240w, https:\/\/static.spin.com\/files\/2025\/04\/Photo-credit-Cassidy-Meyers--768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/static.spin.com\/files\/2025\/04\/Photo-credit-Cassidy-Meyers--498x332.jpg 498w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">(Credit: Cassidy Meyers)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>As the night went on, Lamar and SZA exchanged vibes, too. Following one of SZA\u2019s mini-sets, Kendrick brought bright colors and a playful troupe of back-up dancers into \u201cHUMBLE.\u201d Likewise, SZA swapped her soft greens and browns for a deep red to accompany the powerful sensuality of \u201cConsideration.\u201d And Lamar and SZA used the night\u2019s structure for clever set-ups and pay-offs too. SZA\u2019s ongoing praying mantis imagery took on a darkly funny context during a soaring take on her hit \u201cKill Bill,\u201d while Kendrick turned his \u201ctv off\u201d into pre and post \u201cMUSTARD!\u201d bookends for the entire concert. In case these two artists weren\u2019t enough for you, SZA also brought out a special guest, her \u201cbest friend for energy and positivity,\u201d Lizzo, to perform her song \u201cSpecial\u201d together.<\/p>\n<p>Recounting it here, this all sounds massive. And it was. But it never became overwhelming or impersonal. Rather, Lamar and SZA came off as alive and in the moment, never too practiced (even though, realistically, they must\u2019ve been). Even better, the two artists had genuine chemistry every time they shared the stage. Whether for their Oscar-nominated duet \u201cAll the Stars\u201d\u2014which used lights and rising platforms to create a vertical performance up through the giant space\u2014or the soft and sweet \u201cLOVE,\u201d the duo created a sense of intimacy despite the venue\u2019s size. You felt their friendship, particularly in the short videos between songs. One that played huge with the L.A. audience found the two of them playfully bickering over what gas station snacks to get, ending with SZA teasing Lamar for not knowing how to pronounce \u201cchamoy\u201d with, \u201cYour fans are Mexican!\u201d<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1290\" height=\"1934\" src=\"https:\/\/static.spin.com\/files\/2025\/04\/Photo-credit-Cassidy-Meyers-1-1290x1934.jpg\" alt=\"(Credit: Cassidy Meyers)\" class=\"wp-image-465029\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static.spin.com\/files\/2025\/04\/Photo-credit-Cassidy-Meyers-1-1290x1934.jpg 1290w, https:\/\/static.spin.com\/files\/2025\/04\/Photo-credit-Cassidy-Meyers-1-340x510.jpg 340w, https:\/\/static.spin.com\/files\/2025\/04\/Photo-credit-Cassidy-Meyers-1-768x1151.jpg 768w, https:\/\/static.spin.com\/files\/2025\/04\/Photo-credit-Cassidy-Meyers-1-1025x1536.jpg 1025w, https:\/\/static.spin.com\/files\/2025\/04\/Photo-credit-Cassidy-Meyers-1-498x747.jpg 498w, https:\/\/static.spin.com\/files\/2025\/04\/Photo-credit-Cassidy-Meyers-1.jpg 1296w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1290px) 100vw, 1290px\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">(Credit: Cassidy Meyers)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Lamar and SZA ended the evening on this collaborative note, closing out with \u201cluther\u201d and \u201cgloria.\u201d Before that, though, Kendrick gave the crowd a blistering, stadium-shaking \u201cNot Like Us.\u201d It was almost 11 p.m., but everyone was up and shouting along to every knockout lyric with joy. Okay, this moment? This was a victory lap. But Kendrick Lamar has earned it, and both he and SZA showed that they will keep giving music their all no matter how much they win.<\/p>\n<p>To see our running list of the top 100 greatest rock stars of all time, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.spin.com\/2021\/07\/the-greatest-rock-stars-of-all-time\/?utm_source=yahoo&amp;utm_medium=bottomlink&amp;utm_campaign=yahoolink\">click here<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;\" class=\"sharethis-inline-share-buttons\" ><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>\u201cLos Angeles, Cali-motherfucking-fornia!\u201d\u00a0 With this intro, followed by a roll call of local neighborhoods, Kendrick Lamar let everyone know just how happy he was to be back in L.A. And&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[31,223,435,24,868],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1542","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-features","category-kendrick-lamar","category-live-reviews","category-pushly","category-sza"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/musictechohio.online\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1542","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/musictechohio.online\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/musictechohio.online\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/musictechohio.online\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/musictechohio.online\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1542"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/musictechohio.online\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1542\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/musictechohio.online\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1542"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/musictechohio.online\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1542"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/musictechohio.online\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1542"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}