Kendrick Lamar Debuts Drake Diss Track Five Times at Star-Studded Concert

Kendrick Lamar hosted a star-studded concert at Los Angeles’ Kia Forum on Wednesday, celebrating unity in the West Coast rap scene. Over 20 musicians, including Dr. Dre, Roddy Ricch, Ty Dolla $ign, Tyler The Creator, and Steve Lacy, made appearances. The highlight was Lamar’s live debut of “Not Like Us,” a scathing diss track targeting Drake, performed five times to an increasingly electrified crowd.

“Y’all ain’t gonna let nobody disrespect the West Coast, huh?” Lamar challenged the audience, referencing Drake’s use of AI-generated vocals from Tupac and Snoop Dogg in his song “Taylor Made Freestyle.”

Lamar and Drake’s feud reignited in April and May, with both artists exchanging insults through new songs. Drake mocked Lamar’s height and accused him of selling out, while Lamar criticized Drake’s music and behavior. “Not Like Us” intensified the conflict, with Lamar accusing Drake of exploiting Southern rap culture and making unproven allegations about his conduct with young women, which Drake denied. The song broke Spotify records and topped the US charts, becoming Lamar’s biggest solo hit.

Announced only two weeks prior, Lamar’s Juneteenth concert sold out instantly. Titled “The Pop Out: Ken And Friends,” it began with DJ sets honoring LA rapper Nipsey Hussle, murdered five years ago. Lamar opened his set around 6:30 pm with another Drake diss track, “Euphoria,” featuring a new line about a ring once owned by Tupac Shakur, bought at auction by Drake.

Throughout the night, Lamar performed hits like “DNA,” “Alright,” “Swimming Pools (Drank),” and “King Kunta,” joined by Schoolboy Q, Ab-Soul, and Jay Rock for “M.A.A.D City” and “That Part.” He also performed his verse from Future and Metro Boomin’s “Like That,” which sparked this year’s feud.

As the show streamed live on Amazon, Dr. Dre joined Lamar for “Still D.R.E.” and “California Love,” then introduced “Not Like Us” with its opening line, “I see dead people.” The crowd, already chanting its lyrics, grew more ecstatic with each repeat performance. By night’s end, nearly 30 guests, including YG, Steve Lacy, Schoolboy Q, Big Boy, G Perico, DJ Mustard, and basketball stars Russell Westbrook and Demar Derozan, filled the stage.

Lamar paused for a group photo, declaring, “This is unity, y’all just don’t know man,” dedicating the show to friends lost to violence and promising future unity. The night concluded with an instrumental version of “Not Like Us” as fans departed.