If you’re a hip hop and R&B fan, here’s some news that will make you feel “Alright” and certainly won’t “kill your vibe.” Though you may get the sudden urge to “Kill Bill.”
Superstar rapper Kendrick Lamar and superstar singer SZA announced their North American stadium tour on Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024. The “Grand National Tour” will include performances at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia and Hersheypark Stadium in Hershey, Pennsylvania.
Kendrick Lamar
Here’s everything you need to know:
Get top local stories in Philly delivered to you every morning. Sign up for NBC Philadelphia's News Headlines newsletter.
When will Kendrick Lamar and SZA perform in Philly?
Kendrick Lamar and SZA will perform at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia on May 5, 2025.
When will Kendrick Lamar and SZA perform at Hersheypark Stadium?
Kendrick Lamar and SZA will perform at Hersheypark Stadium in Hershey, Pennsylvania, on June 16, 2025.
When and where can you buy tickets for Kendrick Lamar and SZA?
Tickets for the “Grand National Tour” go on sale on Friday, Dec. 6, 2024, at 10 a.m. local time while an exclusive Cash App Visa Card pre-sale begins on Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2024, at 10 a.m. You can buy tickets here and you can access the Cash App pre-sale here.
Who is Kendrick Lamar?
Kendrick Lamar – born Kendrick Lamar Duckworth in Compton, California, -- is a Grammy award and Pulitzer Prize-winning hip-hop artist. Lamar has released six studio albums, five of which have been certified multiplatinum or platinum, and four of which reached number one on the US Billboard 200.
Throughout his career, Lamar has won 17 Grammy Awards, four American Music Awards, 37 BET Hip Hop Awards, 11 MTV Video Music Awards and six Billboard Music Awards.
His 2017 album “Damn” also won the 2018 Pulitzer Price for Music and is the first non-classical and non-jazz album to receive the honor.
This year was a particularly memorable one for Lamar. He was involved in a highly publicized feud with fellow hip hop artist Drake which spawned multiple diss tracks between the two rappers, including Lamar’s hit song “Not Like Us” which broke several records on the streaming platform Spotify and reached number one on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100.
Lamar was also named the headliner of the Super Bowl LIX halftime show after co-headlining the halftime show of Super Bowl LVI in 2022.
On Nov. 22, 2024, Lamar released his surprise album “GNX.” The album received critical acclaim, debuted on top of the Billboard 200 with 319,000 album-equivalent units and currently features seven songs in the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100. Lamar joined his rival Drake, Taylor Swift and the Beatles as the only artists to occupy the Hot 100’s entire top five at the same time.
Known for his lyricism and storytelling ability, Lamar is considered by many to be one of the greatest rappers of all time and one of the most influential artists of his generation.
Who is SZA?
SZA -- born Solána Imani Rowe in St. Louis, Missouri – is a grammy-award winning R&B artist who grew up in Maplewood, New Jersey. She has released two studio albums, three extended plays and one live album. Both her 2017 album “Ctrl” and her 2022 album “SOS” were certified triple platinum, with the latter debuting at number one on the Billboard 200. “SOS” also broke the record for the largest streaming week for an R&B album in the U.S. and spent ten non-consecutive weeks on top of the Billboard 200.
She is expected to release her third studio album “Lana” at some point in 2024.
Known for her vulnerable and thought-provoking lyrics, SZA’s music features elements of R&B, hip hop, pop and rock music. She has received critical acclaim and has won four Grammy Awards, an American Music Award and two Billboard Women in Music awards, including Woman of the Year.
SZA has worked closely with Lamar throughout their careers. They were both labelmates on the independent record label Top Dawg Entertainment (TDE) and have collaborated on several songs, including “All the Stars,” the 2018 lead single off the “Black Panther” soundtrack that was nominated for Best Original Song at the 76th Golden Globe Awards and 91st Academy Awards as well as Record of the Year and Song of the Year at the 61st Grammy Awards.