Kendrick Lamar, SZA wrap up U.S. tour by flourishing in DC

USA Today

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Kendrick Lamar, SZA wrap up U.S. tour by flourishing in DC
SZA With The Mexican And American Flag On The Final Night Of The U.S Leg Of The GNX Grand National Tour In Landover, Maryland Sold Out Northwest Stadium pic.twitter.com/9lQ4Itj8mN — Kendrick Lamar & SZA Grand National Tour (@kdotszagnxeraa) June 19, 2025
LANDOVER, Md. -- By the time Kendrick Lamar played Alright, a feeling that things might actually be OK had long permeated the packed crowd at Northwest Stadium. That wasn't the case about an hour earlier, when cloudy skies continued to give way to scattered showers that just wouldn't shut off in an almost ominous nod to what was taking place just 10 miles east, where President Donald Trump had teased a possible strike on Iran.
But just as DJ Mustard wrapped his nearly hour-long opening set Wednesday evening, giving way to Lamar and co-headliner SZA, the rain just... stopped -- replaced by literal rainbows and good vibes. And as he so often does in times of uncertainty, Lamar delivered. SZA too. Giving those in attendance a brief musical reprieve from any troubles they might have as the night sky removed any trace of the bad weather from earlier in the day. Then, waking their fans back up to the real world on the way out.
"Love to all my immigrants," SZA said while holding Mexican and American flags after the duo performed gloria to close the show.
On the eve of Juneteenth, it was a fitting way for the Grand National Tour to wrap its U.S. leg before taking to Europe on July 2. It wouldn't be Kendrick Lamar and SZA without that human element, especially after protests in Lamar's hometown of Los Angeles became a flashpoint for resistance against Trump's ICE deportations.
Grand National Tour was a no-frills good time
On the Venn Diagram of Kendrick Lamar and SZA fans, I would imagine there's a fairly large cross of people who enjoy both because of the duo's parallel rise and close ties through Top Dawg Entertainment. I don't know what the percentage is, but I know they exist because I know some personally.
On Wednesday, I got to witness just how many of those fans exist, as the packed arena around me seemingly stayed on their feet the entire night. Even as Lamar and SZA took turns gracing the stage through about seven alternating acts, connected through the few songs they performed together, there was never really a drop-off in the energy of a crowd ready to sing along to the biggest hits of both artists.
However, the longer I stood there myself, the more I realized that cross-section of fans probably wasn't who this tour was intended for. Sure, they were more than welcomed -- and surely enjoyed the show more than anyone -- but K. Dot and SZA's chemistry, and ability to put on a great show, inevitably lended itself to grabbing each other's fans. To me, that was the genius in this pairing, the grand point of the Grand National Tour, to grab fans like myself, familiar with Kendrick's catalog while only a casual fan of SZA. Or vice-versa. Or couples, who came with split interests and left with a better appreciation for their significant other's tastes.
It worked. By the end of the show, this Kendrick Lamar fan didn't leave a bigger fan of Kendrick. I left as a bigger fan of SZA, who thanked Lamar for what she called the biggest moment of her life.
SZA thanks Kendrick Lamar, she gets emotional then they hug each other.🥹♥️
That concludes North American leg of Grand National Tour pic.twitter.com/FVATTf5jyw — Hiiipower - TDE News (@hiiipowers) June 19, 2025
Admittedly, I did my best to avoid reviews of the show leading up to this final stop, so as not to spoil any surprises knowing an opportunity to attend might present itself. So, I had absolutely no clue what to expect as someone who doesn't frequent live shows and had only previously seen Lamar perform virtually, first for the Pop Out concert last year and then for halftime of the Super Bowl in February.
Those shows had very different vibes, as the Pop Out felt like a victory lap in Lamar's feud with Drake, while the Super Bowl had a larger underlying message for people to dissect. While the Grand National Tour certainly had elements of each -- euphoria, Like That and Not Like Us all still crank -- it was mostly just a good time without much of an agenda. Dot and SZA simply took turns exchanging bangers, and let me tell you, it worked. The set was simple yet effective, with large screens to add complimentary visuals, a couple floating platforms, a live band, background dancers and of course the Buick GNX for which Lamar's latest album is named after.
The weather wasn't ideal, but people showed up. Kendrick Lamar and SZA did too. And I'd venture to say they gave people a good time, which seems to be harder to come by these days. That's all you can ask for.