After battle with Drake, Kendrick Lamar turns victory concert into celebration of Los Angeles unity

INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) – Not content merely to take a victory lap after winning a fight against fellow rap star Drake, he turned his June “Pop Out” concert on the Forum into a cathartic, live-streamed celebration of Los Angeles unity.

Lamar curated the three-hour concert that featured emerging Los Angeles rappers and stars including Tyler, the Creator, Steve Lacy and YG. When it was his turn to take the stage, the 37-year-old rapper, performing in a set with Black Hippy collaborators Schoolboy Q, Ab-Soul and Jay Rock, performed his songs “Euphoria” and “6:16 in LA” on Drake ” after which Dr. joined on stage. Dre.

The two West Coast titans performed “Still DRE” and “California Love,” before Dre silenced the roaring crowd by calling for a moment of silence. It was a misdirection. He then delivered a quote from “The Sixth Sense,” which opens Lamar’s hit song “Not Like Us”: “I see dead people.”

The 17,000-strong crowd, including The Weeknd, LeBron James, Ayo Edebiri and Rick Ross, rapped along to each word of DJ Mustard’s shrill yet joyful production, which Lamar resumed twice after the primary verse and performed 4 times in its entirety.

Dancing, dancing and twirling around him as Lamar took the stage in a red hoodie: NBA stars Russell Westbrook and DeMar DeRozan, Mustard, rapper Roddy Ricch and even a teenage dance troupe led by krumping innovator Tommy the Clown.

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Lamar reveled within the moment: “You won’t let anyone disrespect the West Coast. You won’t let anyone imitate our legends, will you,” he said, referring to Drake’s use of a synthetic intelligence tool to mimic 2Pac’s voice on one of his diss records.

But Lamar had more on his mind, calling on specific men and ladies to hitch him on stage for a bunch photo.

“Let the world see it,” he said. “For all of us to be on this stage together, in unity, from the east side… LA, Crips, Bloods, Piru – this… is special, man. We put it together… especially for you.

“It… has nothing to do with any song right now, has nothing to do with any back-and-forth, has everything to do with this moment right here. That’s what it was all about… uniting us all.”

After the last song, Lamar left saying, “I promise this won’t be the last of us.” The piercing sounds of the instrumental “Not Like Us” rang out once more, and the group rapped the words without Lamar as they moved through the halls toward the car parking zone.