Kendrick Lamar smashes touring records with 'Grand National Tour'
Kendrick Lamar has done it again. The Compton-born rapper, already a legend, just made history with his 'Grand National Tour'.
Kendrick has become the first rapper to have multiple tours in the top five highest-grossing hip-hop tours of all time.
'The Grand National Tour' has already grossed over R2.19 billion, overtaking his own 'Big Steppers Tour', which earned R2.16 billion in 2023.
Industry experts now predict it will rake in over R6.8 billion by the end, smashing Drake's previous record and setting a new bar for the genre.
Kendrick Lamar kicked off the tour in Minneapolis, where he and SZA pulled in a record R177 million from just one night.
Houston saw another record: R184 million in a single show. Seattle? An eye-watering R288 million, with nearly 61,000 fans in attendance. It was the the largest crowd yet, according to Hot New HipHop.
The tour isn't just about Kendrick, as SZA, his co-headliner, also brings her own magic. Their chemistry on stage is electric, and together, they've dominated the charts.
SZA's SOS album even dethroned Michael Jackson's record for the longest-running #1 album in Billboard history.
Fans have been treated to unforgettable duets, including 30 for 30 and Luther , as well as Kendrick's viral diss tracks Euphoria and Not Like Us .
Kendrick Lamar enjoys immense popularity in South Africa, consistently ranking among the country's most-streamed international artists.
According to Spotify's 2024 data, Kendrick was one of the top-streamed artists in South Africa.
Kendrick Lamar's influence is further underscored by his streaming dominance. He surpassed 5 billion Spotify streams globally in just the first four months of 2025.
This demonstrated his enduring relevance and reach among South African listeners and beyond.
At SoFi Stadium, Kendrick reflected on the journey. 'They always claim you're the most subdued audience across the globe. I swear they say that,' he told the crowd.
'But for the last two nights, I believe we have transformed their entire viewpoint worldwide.'
With the tour's momentum, the world is watching. Kendrick Lamar makes history, one sold-out stadium at a time.
Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1.
Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
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