Jump to content

The Pop Out: Ken & Friends

Add links
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Pop Out: Ken & Friends
One-off concert by Kendrick Lamar
Arrangers
LocationInglewood, California, U.S.
VenueKia Forum
Date(s)June 19, 2024 (2024-06-19)
No. of shows1
Supporting acts
ProducerAEG Presents
Kendrick Lamar concert chronology

The Pop Out: Ken & Friends, or simply The Pop Out, was a one-off concert by American rapper Kendrick Lamar. It was held at the Kia Forum in Inglewood, California, on June 19, 2024. The Juneteenth and Black Music Month celebration marked Lamar's first major performance following his highly publicized feud with Canadian rapper Drake.

Lamar unexpectedly announced the Pop Out two weeks prior to the event. Its set list consisted of 60 songs predominantly conceived by musicians based in the Greater Los Angeles area. With DJ Hed and Mustard as opening acts, over 25 West Coast artists performed during the over three-hour concert, including Ty Dolla $ign, Dom Kennedy, Steve Lacy, Tyler, the Creator, Roddy Ricch, YG, Schoolboy Q, Jay Rock, Ab-Soul, and Dr. Dre. Lamar performed four of his five Drake-aimed diss tracks, "Like That", "Euphoria", "6:16 in LA" and "Not Like Us", for the first time during his headlining set.

The Pop Out was Lamar's second performance to be live-streamed on Amazon Prime Video and Twitch simultaneously, following Kendrick Lamar Live: The Big Steppers Tour (2022). Met with universal acclaim, critics and industry peers praised how Lamar used his historic victory lap to shine light on underground talent and promote unity amongst the West Coast hip hop scene.

Background[edit]

Further information: Drake–Kendrick Lamar feud

On March 22, 2024, American rapper Kendrick Lamar reignited his decade-long feud with Canadian rapper Drake.[1] Lamar unexpectedly appeared on Future and Metro Boomin's single "Like That" to diss Drake and J. Cole for their 2023 single "First Person Shooter".[2][3] A critical and commercial success, "Like That" topped the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart for three consecutive weeks.[4][5]

Throughout April and May, Lamar and Drake exchanged various diss tracks aimed at the opposing party and other artists who were involved in their conflict, such as Future, Metro, ASAP Rocky, Rick Ross, and The Weeknd.[6][7] Drake's arsenal included "Push Ups",[8] "Taylor Made Freestyle" (which has since been removed),[9] and "Family Matters",[10] while Lamar's featured "Euphoria",[11] "6:16 in LA",[12] and "Meet the Grahams".[10] As time passed, the allegations both rappers utilized against their opponent grew more severe.[13][14] After Lamar released "Not Like Us",[15] which marked his second Hot 100 chart-topper of 2024,[16] Drake reportedly conceded the feud with "The Heart Part 6".[17] Journalists who analyzed the feud reached a general verdict in Lamar's favor.[18][19]

The Pop Out: Ken & Friends was surprise announced by Lamar on June 5, 2024, as his first major performance following the feud.[20][21] Described by publications as a "victory lap" celebration, the concert is titled after a lyric from "Not Like Us" ("Sometimes you gotta pop out and show niggas") and coincides with Juneteenth. Its sponsors include Cash App, Gin & Juice, and Visa.[22] The promotional poster for the event, which premiered alongside the announcement, is a motor vehicle sporting an airbrushed mural depicting roses, a pair of dice, and praying hands; its license plate lists the show details.[23]

At the time the Pop Out was formally announced, no special guests were announced. It elicited a range of speculation amongst media outlets as to who would join Lamar during his performance.[24][25] On the eve of the concert, DJ Hed revealed on social media that he and Mustard would be the opening acts and shared the program itinerary.[26] Each opener was slated to follow the featured act's lead and be accompanied a group of special guests.[27]

Ticket sales[edit]

The Pop Out: Ken & Friends was held at the Kia Forum in Inglewood, California.

Ticket sales for the Pop Out were primarily handled by Ticketmaster, although some sales occurred on other ticketing agencies.[28] Cash App cardholders enjoyed presale access on June 6, due to Lamar's partnership with the payment service.[28] Met with a "staggering high" demand, tickets sold out instantly after they went on sale to the general public the following day.[29] Some social media users who waited in the queue area shared that they were in line behind over 100,000 prospective buyers.[29]

Confirmed prices were reportedly affordable; however, scalpers and bots purchased tickets in bulk and listed them on resale platforms, resulting in exacerbated fees. On Ticketmaster, resale options ranged between $350 to $1,500 for a single seat.[29] Observers such as Complex's Jordan Rose grew skeptical about how the concert's intentions would be accurately translated on-air. He assumed that the majority of attendees would be White Americans, instead of Black Americans or other persons of color, but found that at least two-thirds of the actual audience were Black or Brown.[30]

Broadcasting[edit]

Hours after the general sale commenced, Amazon Music announced that the Pop Out will be live-streamed on Prime Video and the music streaming platform's Twitch channel from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. PT. The livestream was part of the streaming service's "Forever the Influence" initiative, which celebrates the contributions of Black artists, producers, and songwriters who have "shaped cultural landscapes" throughout Black Music Month.[31] Power 106, the premier hip hop and rhythmic contemporary radio station in Greater Los Angeles, temporarily rebranded as "Kendrick 106" and exclusively played Lamar's discography from 6 a.m. to midnight on Juneteenth in commemoration of the concert.[32]

Production[edit]

The Pop Out was presented by PGLang—Lamar's creative company—and Free Lunch.[33] Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG) promoted the event under their AEG Presents banner.[33] Lamar previously worked with Tim Hinshaw, the founder and chief executive officer of Free Lunch, on the concert film Kendrick Lamar Live: The Big Steppers Tour (2022) during Hinshaw's tenure as Amazon Music's head executive of hip hop and R&B.[34][35] The broadcast was directed by Damien Gravois and Mike Carson, while Lamar, Dave Free and Hank Neuberger executive produced through PGLang and Springboard Productions.[30] Creative direction was handled by Carson, Free and Lamar.[30]

An anonymous source close to PGLang told Rose that Lamar wanted the impromptu event to feel like "some real hood shit."[30] Rose was able to witness several intimate and "energizing" moments backstage, such as Tommy the Clown practicing his routine side-by-side with YG and Dom Kennedy, or artists and their crew enjoying each other's company outside of the arena instead of staying siloed in their trailers.[30] "I've never seen something like this in my lifetime, especially in the music space," Kennedy told him. "It just shows the power of being an artist."[30] Merchandise referencing the Pop Out and the feud were made available for purchase before the show commenced.[36]

A litany of celebrities attended the Pop Out, including Rick Ross, The Weeknd, LeBron James, Russell Westbrook, DeMar DeRozan, LaKeith Stanfield, James Harden, Rapsody, Chloe Bailey, and North West.[37] Instead of installing elevated risers on the general admission floor, special guests and artists who were not performing either sat in the arena seats or stood with each other on the floor.[30]

Set list[edit]

Set list adapted from The Hollywood Reporter and Diario AS.[38][39]

Notes[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Lamarre, Carl (May 13, 2024). "Drake & Kendrick Lamar's Rocky Relationship Explained". Billboard. Retrieved June 5, 2024.
  2. ^ Perry, Kevin E. G. (March 22, 2024). "Kendrick Lamar disses Drake and J Cole on new song: 'It's just big me'". The Independent. Retrieved June 5, 2024.
  3. ^ Gomez, Jade (October 6, 2023). "J. Cole Calls Drake, Kendrick Lamar, and Himself Rap's "Big Three" on For All the Dogs Track "First Person Shooter"". Complex. Retrieved June 5, 2024.
  4. ^ Denis, Kyle; Lipshutz, Jason; Unterberger, Andrew (March 27, 2024). "Future & Metro's Streams Are Boomin With Viral Kendrick Lamar-Featuring 'Like That'". Billboard. Retrieved June 5, 2024.
  5. ^ Molanphy, Chris (April 5, 2024). "Why Is Future, Metro Boomin, and Kendrick Lamar's "Like That" No. 1?". Slate. ISSN 1091-2339. Retrieved June 5, 2024.
  6. ^ Ihaza, Jeff (April 30, 2024). "Why Is Everyone Beefing With Drake?". Rolling Stone. Retrieved June 5, 2024.
  7. ^ Griffin, Marc (April 15, 2024). "Drake Vs. Everybody: A Timeline Of The Massive Feud". Vibe. Retrieved June 5, 2024.
  8. ^ Rose, Jordan (April 13, 2024). "Breaking Down All of Drake's Shots at Kendrick (and Half the Rap Game)". Complex. Retrieved June 5, 2024.
  9. ^ Yang, Angela; Hamedy, Saba (April 26, 2024). "Drake pulls 'Taylor Made Freestyle' after Tupac estate threatens action for apparent use of AI voice". NBC News. Retrieved June 5, 2024.
  10. ^ a b Horowitz, Steven J. (April 4, 2024). "Drake and Kendrick Lamar Get Personal on Simultaneously Released Diss Tracks 'Family Matters' and 'Meet the Grahams'". Variety. Retrieved June 6, 2024.
  11. ^ Okon, Wongo (April 30, 2024). "Kendrick Lamar's 'Euphoria' And All The Drake Disses: An Explanation". Uproxx. Retrieved June 5, 2024.
  12. ^ Paul, Larisha (May 3, 2024). "Kendrick Lamar Comes Back for More on His Second Drake Diss Track This Week '6:16 in LA'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved June 5, 2024.
  13. ^ Rose, Jordan (May 4, 2024). "Breaking Down All of Drake's Shots at Kendrick (and Half the Rap Game) on "Family Matters"". Complex. Retrieved June 5, 2024.
  14. ^ Bradley, Laura; Frank, Allegra (May 10, 2024). "Drake and Kendrick Lamar's Beef Has Dragged Us All to Meme Hell". The Daily Beast. Retrieved June 5, 2024.
  15. ^ Tharpe, Frazier (May 13, 2024). "In the Midst of War, Kendrick Lamar Delivered the Song of the Summer". GQ. Retrieved June 5, 2024.
  16. ^ Denis, Kyle; Diaz, Angel; Unterberger, Andrew; Lamarre, Carl; Lipshutz, Jason (May 14, 2024). "What Will the Commercial Success of 'Not Like Us' Mean for Kendrick Lamar's Career — Or Drake's?". Billboard. Retrieved June 5, 2024.
  17. ^ Pearce, Sheldon (May 8, 2024). "Taking the toll of Drake and Kendrick Lamar's vicious, gripping psychological warfare". NPR Music. Retrieved June 5, 2024.
  18. ^ Ralph, Laurence (May 11, 2024). "Opinion | And the Winner Is: Kendrick Lamar. And Old-School Hip-Hop". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on May 11, 2024. Retrieved June 5, 2024.
  19. ^ Holmes, Charles (May 4, 2024). "Drake and Kendrick Lamar Is the Last Great Rap Beef. Thank God". The Ringer. Retrieved June 6, 2024.
  20. ^ Diaz, Angel (June 5, 2024). "Kendrick Lamar to Perform at 'The Pop Out: Ken & Friends' Show in Los Angeles". Billboard. Retrieved June 5, 2024.
  21. ^ Medina, Gabriella (June 5, 2024). "Kendrick Lamar Announces First L.A. Show Since Drake Beef". Los Angeles. Retrieved June 5, 2024.
  22. ^ Brown, August (June 5, 2024). "Kendrick Lamar sets a victory-lap show for Juneteenth: Forum gig is first since Drake feud". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved June 5, 2024.
  23. ^ Inman, DeMicia (June 6, 2024). "Kendrick Lamar Announces 'The Pop Out: Ken And Friends' Juneteenth Concert". Vibe. Retrieved June 10, 2024.
  24. ^ Berry, Peter A. (June 18, 2024). "Here's Five Things to Expect at Kendrick Lamar's Juneteenth Concert". Okayplayer. Archived from the original on June 18, 2024. Retrieved June 18, 2024.
  25. ^ Genai, Shanelle (June 18, 2024). "Artists Who Could Pop Up at Kendrick Lamar's Juneteenth Show in L.A." The Root. Retrieved June 18, 2024.
  26. ^ Nevares, Gabriel (June 8, 2024). "Mustard Will Join Kendrick Lamar For "Pop Out" Show With Friends". HotNewHipHop. Retrieved June 8, 2024.
  27. ^ Cummings-Grady, Mackenzie (June 18, 2024). "Kendrick Lamar's Lineup for The Pop Out — Ken & Friends Concert Revealed". XXL. Retrieved June 18, 2024.
  28. ^ a b Cowen, Trace William (June 5, 2024). "Kendrick Lamar to Perform at 'Pop Out Ken & Friends' Show in Los Angeles". Complex. Retrieved June 5, 2024.
  29. ^ a b c Horowitz, Steven J. (June 7, 2024). "Kendrick Lamar's 'The Pop Out — Ken and Friends' Concert in Los Angeles to Stream Live on Amazon Music". Variety. Retrieved June 8, 2024.
  30. ^ a b c d e f g Rose, Jordan (June 20, 2024). "Inside Kendrick Lamar's Historic 'Pop Out' Show in LA". Complex. Retrieved June 20, 2024.
  31. ^ Grant, Shawn (June 7, 2024). "Kendrick Lamar's Sold-Out Juneteenth Concert to be Streamed by Amazon Music". The Source. Retrieved June 8, 2024.
  32. ^ Tardio, Andrés [@AndresWrites] (June 19, 2024). "🏆 Los Angeles radio station Power 106 is playing nothing but Kendrick Lamar songs and features from 6am Wednesday through Midnight in celebration of The Pop Out w/ Ken & Friends" (Tweet). Retrieved June 19, 2024 – via Twitter.
  33. ^ a b "KENDRICK'S "POP OUT" LANDS AT THE FORUM". Hits. June 5, 2024. Retrieved June 18, 2024.
  34. ^ "Kendrick Lamar's The Big Steppers Tour Streaming Live From Paris on October 22 Presented by Amazon Music" (Press release). Amazon Studios. October 18, 2022. Retrieved June 19, 2024.
  35. ^ Mitchell, Gail (August 18, 2023). "Amazon Music's Tim Hinshaw Launches Own Free Lunch Agency". Billboard. Retrieved June 18, 2024.
  36. ^ Martinez, Jose (June 19, 2024). "Merch Seemingly Referencing Drake Beef and New Ho King Restaurant Spotted at Kendrick Lamar Concert". Complex. Retrieved June 20, 2024.
  37. ^ Bennett, Jessica (June 20, 2024). "Every Performer And Celebrity Guest Who Attended Kendrick Lamar's 'The Pop-Out: Ken and Friends' Show". Vibe. Retrieved June 20, 2024.
  38. ^ Victorian, Brande (June 19, 2024). "Kendrick Lamar Brings 25 L.A. Artists Together for Juneteenth Show, Playing Drake Diss Track "Not Like Us" Five Times". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved June 20, 2024.
  39. ^ Alikpala, Gidget (June 19, 2024). "Who performed with Kendrick Lamar in 'The Pop Out: Ken and Friends'? Complete list of guest artists and setlist". Diario AS. Retrieved June 20, 2024.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_Pop_Out:_Ken_%26_Friends&oldid=1230176215"