Kendrick Lamar and SZA crammed the AT&T Stadium on Saturday, April 26 on the third cease of their joint “Grand Nationwide Tour” (get tickets right here). One of many yr’s most anticipated live shows, the tour served as each act’s first ever stadium tour. As each Lamar and SZA are identified to inform vivid tales by means of their respective poetic bars and painfully relatable music lyrics, the “Grand Nationwide Tour” provides followers the total image, combining their music with cinematic visuals and theatrical storytelling.
The live performance opened with the GNX intro “wacced out murals,” which noticed Lamar rising from the bottom, rapping the primary verse from the within of the titular 1987 Buick Grand Nationwide Experimental. Lamar stepped out of the automobile, and as he rapped “I believe my onerous work let Lil Wayne down,” flames burst from both facet of him. Such pyrotechnics continued as he carried out “squabble up” and the primary half of “television off” with dancers transferring in sync.
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Quickly after, SZA emerged from the bottom in the identical GNX automobile, however this time it was coated in greenery. SZA and Lamar set excessive expectations for the blended night as they carried out their collaboration “30 for 30” from LANA, a deluxe version of SZA’s SOS album. This easily transitioned into “Love Galore” from her 2017 debut CTRL. As she revisited the fan-favorites from that period, together with “Damaged Clocks” and “The Weekend,” the stage remodeled into an ethereal forest with ivy and flowers. Visible touches like this continued to raise the dual catalogs, including as much as a night that didn’t simply sound nice, however appeared actually spectacular.
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The Drake diss monitor “euphoria” got here early within the night, adopted by a gaggle of dancers c-walking to “Hey Now.” Shortly after, a sketch during which Lamar is deposed by an officer performed onscreen. The faceless officer addressed Lamar’s penchant for laying low in between album cycles, insinuating that “disappearing” is definitely a type of consideration searching for.
However longtime followers know that when Lamar is out of the general public eye, he’s locked into his artwork, and the “Grand Nationwide Tour” proved that as he carried out 2017’s “Humble,” throughout which, the highlight shined totally on the group of Black girls dancers. He additionally revisted the moment basic 2012 songs “Backseat Freestyle,” “Swimming Swimming pools” — which he carried out stripped again, and a medley of “M.A.A.d Metropolis” and Anita Baker’s “Candy Love.”
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SZA, photograph by Cassidy Meyers
Whereas SZA’s 2023 “SOS Tour” proved to be a success amongst followers, she’s vastly improved upon her stage presence within the two years since. Followers might really feel her crestfallen, forlorn heartache as she carried out “Backyard (Say it Like Dat)” on her knees. After all, she additionally displayed her quirky facet as she sang “Kitchen” whereas sitting on prime of a large ant.
Maybe some of the memorable factors of the live performance was when Lamar and SZA carried out “Love” from Lamar’s 2017 album DAMN., swapping out Zacari’s refrain and ad-libs for these of SZA. Whereas the music isn’t initially a collab between the 2 of them, their musical chemistry was evident of their efficiency as they sweetly embraced their yin and yang dynamic.
A lot of the Drake disses didn’t arrive till later within the present. However by the point Lamar performs his scathing verse from Metro Boomin’ and Future’s “Like That” — which is believed to have catalyzed their public feud — not a single particular person remained of their seats. The vitality felt nearly overwhelming because the viewers had arrived to a easy conclusion — it truly is simply huge Kendrick.
However the rush didn’t peak right here. Followers maintained their gusto as Lamar carried out “DNA,” with house movies of himself taking part in within the background — displaying that he’s and all the time has been loyal to the West Coast.
The calm earlier than the storm got here as SZA floated within the air dressed as a fairy performing “Saturn,” channeling a sleek backyard nymph. Listening to 48,000 individuals sing “Good Days” proved therapeutic — because it did throughout the “SOS Tour” — however this time, her vocals had been sharper than ever.
Close to the top of the live performance, issues picked again up, as Lamar carried out the second half of “TV Off.” The sound of the viewers shouting “Mustard!” might’ve damaged the sound barrier. When Lamar received to “Not Like Us,” the mixture of the viewers yelling “A-minor” mixed with each single particular person bopping to the beat rattling close to activated the Richter scale.
Over the course of the previous decade, the 2 Grammy-winning artists have constructed fairly a powerful catalog. Although they might’ve chosen any variety of songs from their discography because the closers, they selected to experience the present highs of GNX’s “Luther” and “Gloria,” reasonably than relaxation on their laurels. On the time of writing, “Luther” has been on prime of the Billboard Scorching 100 for 9 consecutive weeks — the longest for both act.
The mixture of hits — each present and previous — with video montages of LA, deposition sketches, and a run to the comfort retailer for chamoy, breathed new life into each artists’ music. As two of the premier storytellers of our time, Lamar and SZA are prone to proceed touring for years to come back. However the “Grand Nationwide Tour” noticed two superstars on the peak of their powers. And moments like that don’t come round each lifetime.
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Kendrick Lamar and SZA, photograph by Cassidy Meyers
Kendrick Lamar and SZA’s “Grand Nationwide Tour” Setlist:
Act I: Kendrick Lamar
wacced out murals
squabble up
King Kunta
ELEMENT.
television off (half I)
Act II: SZA
30 for 30 (feat. Kendrick Lamar)
Love Galore
Damaged Clocks
The Weekend
Act III: Kendrick Lamar
euphoria
hey now
reincarnated
HUMBLE.
Backseat Freestyle
household ties (Child Keem cowl)
Swimming Swimming pools (Drank)
m.A.A.d metropolis
Alright
man on the backyard
Act IV: SZA
Scorsese Child Daddy
F2F
Backyard (Say It Like Dat)
Kitchen
Blind
Forgiveless
Low
Act V: Kendrick Lamar & SZA
Doves within the Wind
All of the Stars
LOVE.
Act VI: Kendrick Lamar
dodger blue
peekaboo
Like That (Future & Metro Boomin cowl)
DNA.
GOOD CREDIT (Playboi Carti cowl)
Rely Me Out (contained parts of “Bitch, Don’t Kill My Vibe”)
Cash Bushes
Poetic Justice
Act VII: SZA
I Hate U
Diamond Boy (DTM)
Kill Invoice
Snooze
Crybaby
Saturn
Good Days
Wealthy Child Daddy (Drake cowl)
BMF
Kiss Me Extra (Doja Cat cowl)
Act VIII: Kendrick Lamar
[unreleased]
television off (half II)
Not Like Us
Act IX: Kendrick Lamar & SZA
luther
gloria