Kendrick Lamar’s The Pop Out — Ken & Friends Juneteenth concert marks his first public appearance since he and Drake exchanged several vicious diss tracks. DJ Hed and Mustard delivered stacked opening sets featuring guest performances from the likes of Westside Boogie, BlueBucksClan, Tommy The Clown, Blxst, Ty Dolla Sign, Dom Kennedy, Steve Lacy, Tyler The Creator, Roddy Ricch, and YG.
Lamar immediately reminded everyone that he is and forever will be the main attraction when he began his set with the live debut of “Euphoria,” one of the aforementioned Drake diss tracks.
Kendrick Lamar opens his Pop Out set with “Euphoria”
pic.twitter.com/16MV6avlOJ
— Complex Music (@ComplexMusic) June 20, 2024
Kendrick Lamar started his set with “Euphoria” at The Pop Out.
pic.twitter.com/ZtQlwZzYf7
— XXL Magazine (@XXL) June 20, 2024
Lamar additionally proved that he still disdains Drake by adding a new bar to “Euphoria,” according to various publications like Complex and XXL Magazine. The line is, “Give me Tupac’s ring back, and I might give you a little respect.”
Kendrick Lamar sends a message to Drake with a new line during his performance of “Euphoria” at The Pop Out.
“Give me Tupac’s ring back and I might give you a little respect” pic.twitter.com/zhSKxu2mAk
— XXL Magazine (@XXL) June 20, 2024
Seen Kenny a million times, but this opening is def his hardest #thepopout pic.twitter.com/uDljv6WyKH
— Gerrick Kennedy (@GerrickKennedy) June 20, 2024
Kendrick with a new bar for Drake
“Give me Tupac ring back and I might give you a lil’ respect” pic.twitter.com/BmH6mCD751
— Complex Music (@ComplexMusic) June 20, 2024
Akademiks was about to cry when he heard Kendrick change the lyrics in Euphoria
“Give me Tupac ring back and maybe i’ll give you a little respect” pic.twitter.com/6L3uDXHUKA
— FearBuck (@FearedBuck) June 20, 2024
“Give me Tupac’s ring back and I might give you a little respect.”
– Kendrick Lamar Duckworth to Drake at his ‘Ken & Friends’ concert pic.twitter.com/NRLCeOAEQt
— Okayplayer (@okayplayer) June 20, 2024
Kendrick Lamar kicked off his ‘Ken & Friends’ Juneteenth concert with ‘Euphoria’
He ain’t ever coming up off Drake’s neck. pic.twitter.com/jMVckuPzxR
— Okayplayer (@okayplayer) June 20, 2024
To make matters worse for Drake, the Kia Forum crowd chanted “OV-Hoe” before Lamar took the stage for his set.
The crowd at The Pop Out shouted “OV-Hoe” before Kendrick took the stage.
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— XXL Magazine (@XXL) June 20, 2024
Lamar released “Euphoria” on April 30. The six-plus-minute diss track is a total evisceration. “Don’t tell no lies about me, and I won’t tell no truths ’bout you” is a self-explanatory bar, but Lamar’s attacks throughout the song are nuanced — the embodiment of “it’s levels to this,” as explained by Uproxx’s Wongo Okon.