Kendrick & SZA's Grand National Tour Cements How They're Two Sides Of The Same Coin
Kendrick Lamar and SZA just make sense.
It all started in 2014 with 'Babylon' off SZA's Z EP. Since then, we've been blessed with 'untitled 04 | 08.14.2014' from his untitled unmastered., 'Doves In The Wind' from her CTRL, 'All The Stars' from the Black Panther soundtrack, '30 For 30' from SOS Deluxe: LANA, and of course, gnx's 'gloria,' and chart-dominating 'luther.'
Aptly, their musical and poetic relationship was commemorated with their Grand National Tour. Complete with an opening DJ set by Mustard, fans piled into the SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles for the second of a three-night stint to honor their hometown hero and his ethereal work wife.
The entire show played out like a movie. The on-screen opening credits showed Kendrick and SZA under an abandoned overpass, as a script typography style commonly associated with Mexican culture wrote out certain phrases and symbols while drawing out the Grand National. It was a true work of art. It was theatrical.
K. Dot kicked off the main event with 'wacced out murals' in the black Buick Grand National he once dreamed of owning. The interludes featured SZA and himself in an interrogation room.
'Were you being metaphorical or should we take it as a threat?' an off-screen narrator asked Kendrick at one point. He curtly replied, 'It's whatever you wanna take it' before diving into the explosive 'squabble up.' His transition from 2015's 'King Kunta' into 2017's 'ELEMENT.' and 2025's 'tv off' was a symbolic trifecta of who the rapper is— a Pulitzer Prize winner who's arguably the greatest lyricist of the 21st century and by his own definition: 'the alpha and omega, b***h.'
He and SZA combined their sets to give ample time for their respective solo catalogs and join forces when needed. Like when she slid in afterward to perform '30 For 30.' Pulling from dreamy themes from her own musical trinity— CTRL, SOS, and LANA— the singer serenaded the crowd with 'What Do I Do,' 'The Weekend,' and 'Love Galore.'
Following the romantic tune, the emcee was cuddled up in the car discussing lies versus the truth, which served as a segue for 'euphoria.' The heat that permeated from the literal fiery explosion was felt throughout the stadium, but we were all too busy rapping along to the diss track and 'hey now' to notice.
One highlight of the emcee's set was the interpolation of Anita Baker's 'Angel' serving as the official interlude. This subtle hint of softness was further proof that Kendrick is the masculine equivalent to SZA's divine feminine. As a Gemini man, many are drawn to his wit, intellect, and intuitive curiosity. With her being a Scorpio woman, people gravitate towards her irresistible mystique, emotional awareness, and passionate tenacity. There's a permissive balance with these two that works as collaborators and friends.
All in all? They get each other, and in turn, we understand them more.
Some fans in the crowd went bar-for-bar with his hits including 'HUMBLE.,' 'Swimming Pools (Drank),' 'm.A.A.d city,' 'Alright,' 'dodger blue,' and 'Poetic Justice.' Others felt seen through her classics like 'F2F,' 'Garden (Say It Like Dat),' 'Blind,' 'I Hate U,' 'Kill Bill,' 'Good Days,' and 'Snooze' featuring surprise guest Justin Bieber.
Even while performing records that don't belong to these two like 'LOVE.,' that magnetic pull was still felt. The best example of their platonic soul tie was during their performance of 'luther.' It was endearing and mesmerizing, as though you're witnessing two people who really just want to see the other win. Truthfully, the show could've ended right there.
However, there was something so tender about ending with 'gloria.' It served as a soothing wind-down. He opened the car door for her before entering the driver's side, and they faded to black. It was a fitting end to the magic we'd witnessed from a gentle beast and nurturing beauty.
All Kendrick ever wanted was a Black Grand National, but all we ever wanted was this: an audacious reminder that this level of rapport can exist without romantic ties.
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