Kendrick Lamar unified Los Angeles on Wednesday when he hosted "The Pop Out: Ken & Friends" concert at the Kia Forum in Inglewood, Calif.
In front of a sold-out crowd and millions of viewers who streamed the show on Amazon, KDot orchestrated an iconic show that featured countless stars with ties to the West Coast. In addition to the stars that took the stage to perform, LeBron James, James Harden, Russell Westbrook and DeMar DeRozan were among the NBA stars in attendance.
Westbrook and DeRozan weren't just on hand at the Kia Forum, the two also took the stage with Lamar as he closed the show with five consecutive performances of "Not Like Us," the hit record created as part of a rap feud with Drake.
Russell Westbrook and DeMar DeRozan joins Kendrick Lamar on stage 🔥 pic.twitter.com/UkhvQJZKm4
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) June 20, 2024
Why were these NBA stars in attendance and why did Westbrook and DeRozan take the stage? Here is more on their role in the production.
MORE: How Kendrick Lamar's 'Not Like Us' took over sporting events
Why Russell Westbrook, other NBA stars attended Kendrick Lamar's 'Pop Out'
Each of the biggest NBA stars in attendance has major ties to Los Angeles. While DeRozan, Harden and Westbrook are all natives of Los Angeles County, James just concluded his sixth season with the Lakers.
As expected, "The Pop Out" was a momentous occasion for Los Angeles. As Lamar said on stage, it was much deeper than the concert itself.
"This s— making me emotional, man," Lamar said as he was joined on stage by some of LA's most notable names. "We've been f—ed up since Nipsey (Hussle) died, hold up. We've been f—ed up since Kobe died."
In a span of 10 months, LA lost two idols in Crenshaw's Nipsey Hussle and Lakers legend Kobe Bryant, losses that they haven't fully recovered from. And while the Lakers and Dodgers would win championships months after Bryant's death, the COVID-19 pandemic prevented a proper celebration.
Four years later, Lamar provided LA with a platform to celebrate itself, its legends and the city's impact on the globe.
Warning: The following videos contain NSFW language.
History in the making. They not like us @kendricklamar pic.twitter.com/tMhNw94UVI
— Amazon Music (@amazonmusic) June 20, 2024
LEBRON JAMES AT KENDRICK LAMAR’S POP OUT CONCERT 👀🔥 pic.twitter.com/bI0Th7zkZz
— NFR Podcast (@nfr_podcast) June 20, 2024
Rick Ross and James Harden at the Kendrick and Friends concert pic.twitter.com/ObTk2wd8QF
— Ahmed/The Ears/IG: BigBizTheGod 🇸🇴 (@big_business_) June 20, 2024
MORE: How Kendrick Lamar paid homage to Kobe Bryant with 2022 music video
Where is Russell Westbrook from?
Westbrook was born in Long Beach, Calif. and raised in Hawthorne, Calif, two cities in Los Angeles County.
When Westbrook represented the United States at the 2012 Olympics, he listed Long Beach as his hometown. Westbrook also considers South Los Angeles home and makes a point to give back to the South LA Community, including a recent court dedication at Jesse Owens Park.
A late bloomer at Lawndale, Calif.'s Leuzinger HS, Westbrook stayed home and played collegiately at UCLA. After 13 seasons in the NBA, Westbrook returned home to play for the Lakers in 2021 and has been a member of the Clippers since 2023.
Where is DeMar DeRozan from?
DeRozan was born and raised in Compton, Calif., a part of the South Los Angeles region of Los Angeles County. Kendrick Lamar also hails from Compton.
DeRozan rose to prominence at Compton HS, where he led the Tarbabes to a 26-6 record as a senior. A consensus five-star recruit in the class of 2008, DeRozan was a McDonald's All-American and decided to stay home and attend USC.
Like Westbrook, DeRozan has continuously contributed to the enrichment of his community. In 2016, the gymnasium at Compton's Lueders Park was renamed in DeRozan's honor.
DeMar DeRozan-Drake relationship
DeRozan was selected ninth overall by the Raptors in the 2009 NBA Draft. Following the 2010 departure of Chris Bosh, DeRozan quickly rose to prominence as a fan favorite in Toronto at the same time that Drake, a Toronto native, was rising to prominence as a global star in the music realm.
Drake's lifetime fanhood of his hometown team helped foster a relationship with DeRozan. In 2013, Drake became the franchise's global ambassador, adding a formal element to his relationship with the franchise.
During DeRozan's Raptors tenure, he and Drake did a skit with Will Ferrell and shared the cover of SLAM Magazine with Kyle Lowry among many other moments. After DeRozan was traded to the Spurs in 2018, Drake penned an Instagram farewell in which he called DeRozan his brother.
On Drake's 2021 "Lemon Pepper Freestyle," he paid homage by saying, "And my city love me like DeMar DeRozan," a reminder of Toronto's enduring adulation for the Compton native.
Three years later, Kendrick Lamar left no stone unturned with his tracks toward Drake, saying, "I'm glad DeRoz' (DeRozan) came home, y'all didn't deserve him neither," adding a layer to the feud by insinuating that DeRozan was better off stateside than with Canada's team.
