Loaded with commercial hits, sleeper tracks, and elements of various sub-genres, the Grand National Tour illustrates the natural connection between RnB and Rap, featuring the two artists most closely associated with its current progression.
On stage, Kendrick Lamar emerges in a black GNX, a tangible representation of his latest album titled the same. He is unfazed during the initial moments of his co-headlining performance alongside SZA. With monochromatic screens flanking a center display bathed in muted colors, Kendrick stands before the audience, absorbing the electrifying atmosphere. Tracks like ‘Wacced Out Murals’, ‘Squabble Up’, and a shortened version of ‘King Kunta’ resonate through the stadium as fireworks and bursts of flame rise into the air. The ensuing performance showcases a mix of California pride and a simmering frustration with a certain Toronto rapper and the modern rap industry. This is Kendrick Lamar, irritated and ready to unleash his thoughts.
The Grand National Tour arrives in the capital for the first of two sold-out nights at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, marking a record-breaking moment as the largest co-headlining tour in history. Both Kendrick and SZA are currently on their respective triumphs; for Kendrick, this tour signifies his shift from a provocative rapper to a highly cited and popular hitmaker, while SZA’s candid songwriting has propelled her from regional fame to international streaming dominance.
Throughout the nearly three-hour, nine-act performance, the duo’s shared background is seamlessly integrated. Their enduring friendship and mutual respect are evident during the cosmic ‘All The Stars’—an astonishing highlight of the second hour—along with the empowering ‘Doves In The Wind’ and their sentimental hit ‘Luther’. These collaborative moments inject vitality into a performance marked by stark contrasts: Kendrick’s segments feel chilly and mechanized, while SZA introduces a whimsical charm, creating a vibrant atmosphere with her sensuous slow jams and reverb-heavy punk-pop.
SZA's stage design, reflecting the ‘Lana’-era aesthetic of meadows and wildlife, serves as a loose metaphor for her personal evolution. A warm ambiance envelops her performances of ‘The Weekend’ and the alt-rock anthem ‘F2F’. Accompanied by dancers dressed as ants, SZA confidently commands the stage, a stark contrast to her earlier performances. The energetic ‘Kill Bill’ invites the audience to sing along, amplifying the original’s breezy, doo-wop vibe to match the stadium's lively energy. While some mid-tempo tracks from ‘SOS’ feel a bit lackluster, SZA revitalizes the pace with her sultry take on ‘Low’ and the Miami bass hit ‘Rich Baby Daddy’.
Kendrick ranks among the few rappers skilled at emphasizing the spectacle of his songs. Performances of hits like ‘Alright’, ‘DNA’, and ‘Poetic Justice’ are marked by synchronized dancers performing drill-like formations as Kendrick smoothly navigates through his prophetic narratives. Tension escalates to an electrifying peak with the Drake diss track ‘Not Like Us’. In this segment, the grayscale backdrop transforms into a vibrant montage celebrating Black art throughout history. In that instant, the significance of the event is palpable. Attendees witness a fervent cultural critique transform into a rallying cry for hip-hop preservation, recited in unison with the engrossed audience.
Shifting between disdain and tenderness, harsh reality and elevated fantasy, Kendrick Lamar and SZA present a gritty yet impactful RnB-rap manifesto. Brimming with hits, sleeper tracks, and sub-genre nuances, the Grand National Tour exemplifies the harmonious relationship between RnB and Rap, alongside the two artists driving its contemporary evolution.
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Stepping onto the stage from the driver's seat of a black GNX, which symbolizes his latest album bearing the same title, Kendrick Lamar exudes an icy demeanor in the...