Kendrick Lamar’s “Pop Out” in Los Angeles on Juneteenth was many things: a victory lap of sorts for the Drake beef, a celebration of many of the West Coast’s best current artists, and a thankful message and tribute to those who paved the way. In this last regard, eagle-eyed hip-hop fans drew a particular connection between K.Dot’s outfit for the occasion and that of a California legend for an iconic event. Moreover, the Compton lyricist donned a red hoodie and hat with baggy jeans and light-colored sneakers, mirroring the style that Tupac Shakur rocked at the 1994 Source Awards. Perhaps it seems like a reach at face value, but we all know how much Mr. Morale loves ‘Pac, so it’s not an impossibility.
Furthermore, another heartening tribute at the Kendrick Lamar show was to the late great Nipsey Hussle. Mustard honored the L.A. rapper by playing some of his big hits and collaborations during his set, including a special performance from Roddy Ricch that included a rendition of “Racks In The Middle.” It was probably the most special moment at the concert when it comes to explicitly honoring the West Coast’s hip-hop history, and definitely the most emotively resonant. It’s been five years since we lost Nipsey, and folks seem no less committed to keeping his legacy alive and well.
Kendrick Lamar Might’ve Emulated Tupac Shakir With “The Pop Out” Fit
Back to Tupac, though, Kendrick Lamar issued a new “olive branch” to Drake with his “Euphoria” performance: give Ken ‘Pac’s ring back, and he might give The Boy a little respect. Of course, this seems like an unlikely reconciliation, and Drizzy might just take it to the grave at this point out of spite. A lot of fans are buzzing about what his reaction to all this is, and whether or not we’ll get some subliminal bars about “Not Like Us” playing five times because Kendrick is scared of the 6ix or something along those lines. Either way, this feels like an easy thing to ignore from the Toronto superstar’s perspective, as well.
Meanwhile, there are still some questions about why other West Coast artists didn’t attend the Kendrick Lamar show. The Game is suspect number one in this regard, and while his relationship with Dot isn’t combative in the public eye, it does appear strained. After all, he dissed Rick Ross amid this whole feud and seemingly took Drake’s side, which led many to speculate. Nevertheless, seeing Kendrick rock a similar fit to Tupac makes Aubrey’s use of his A.I. vocals on “Taylor Made Freestyle” all the more ironic.
About The Author
Gabriel Bras Nevares is a music and pop culture news writer for HotNewHipHop. He started in 2022 as a weekend writer and, since joining the team full-time, has developed a strong knowledge in hip-hop news and releases. Whether it’s regular coverage or occasional interviews and album reviews, he continues to search for the most relevant news for his audience and find the best new releases in the genre. What excites him the most is finding pop culture stories of interest, as well as a deeper passion for the art form of hip-hop and its contemporary output.
Specifically, Gabriel enjoys the fringes of rap music: the experimental, boundary-pushing, and raw alternatives to the mainstream sound. As a proud native of San Juan, Puerto Rico, he also stays up-to-date with the archipelago’s local scene and its biggest musical exponents in reggaetón, salsa, indie, and beyond.
Before working at HotNewHipHop, Gabriel produced multiple short documentaries, artist interviews, venue spotlights, and audio podcasts on a variety of genres and musical figures. Hardcore punk and Go-go music defined much of his coverage during his time at the George Washington University in D.C.
His favorite hip-hop artists working today are Tyler, The Creator, Boldy James, JPEGMAFIA, and Earl Sweatshirt.
