Kendrick Lamar launched his Grand National Tour alongside SZA in Minneapolis this past weekend and wasted no time addressing his ongoing feud with Drake. He openly referenced the Canadian rapper’s recent lawsuit against Universal Music Group, which alleges defamation surrounding the release of Kendrick’s viral diss track “Not Like Us”.
Before performing the chart-dominating single, Kendrick played a skit that featured him in a mock deposition with a lawyer — a clear jab at Drake’s legal maneuvering. The segment starts with the lawyer referencing February 9, the date Kendrick performed at the Super Bowl, which Drake highlighted in his updated complaint against UMG. Kendrick coolly replies: “I don’t keep up with dates.”
Later in the skit, the attorney asks: “Does this ring a bell? Drop, drop, drop, drop,” calling back to a lyric from Drake’s own diss track “Family Matters.” Kendrick simply smiles, and the show transitions into his explosive performance of “Not Like Us.”
the petty war continues, Kendrick Lamar just mocked Drake’s “drop drop” lyric and UMG lawsuit with a deposition cross examination interview skit during his concert to intro Not Like Us
Deposition attorney: “Sunday February 9th…”
Kendrick: “I don’t keep up with dates…”… pic.twitter.com/tD5XEZ24l6
— SOUND | Victor Baez (@itsavibe) April 20, 2025
Many fans and critics believe the deposition sketch was a nod to Lil Wayne’s notoriously bizarre deposition video from 2012, adding another layer of humor and cultural reference to the show.
During the concert at U.S. Bank Stadium, Kendrick also surprised fans with a fresh verse over “Family Ties”, performing it solo without Baby Keem. He even tweaked his classic track “m.A.A.d. City” by blending in a portion of Anita Baker’s hit “Sweet Love” — a song he referenced in “wacced out murals,” the opening track of his GNX set. Baker later responded online, saying she was “blown away” by Kendrick’s tribute.
Kendrick Lamar ‘FAMILY TIES’ New Verse
– Grand National Tour pic.twitter.com/H9bp75kJY9— kendrick Lyrics (@WordFromKdot) April 21, 2025
This nigga Kendrick. Rapping m.A.A.d city to Sweet Love by Anita Baker . Grand National Tour. pic.twitter.com/adVDRHI7Qs
— (@Augors) April 20, 2025
His performance included a range of fan favorites like “Squabble Up,” “Alright,” “HUMBLE.,” “Swimming Pools,” and “Money Trees.” Alongside “Not Like Us,” he also delivered another hard-hitting Drake diss, “Euphoria.”
SZA, his co-headliner, didn’t disappoint either — running through crowd-pleasers like “Kill Bill,” “Snooze,” and “Love Galore,” as well as “Rich Baby Daddy,” her recent collaboration with Drake and Sexyy Red.
Rather than performing separate sets, the former TDE labelmates blended their stage time, sharing the spotlight on several duets including “30 For 30,” “Doves in the Wind,” and their chart-topping joint track “Luther.”
The next stop on the tour is Houston on Wednesday, April 23, at NRG Stadium, with upcoming shows scheduled in Atlanta and cities along the East Coast. The North American leg of the Grand National Tour wraps in June, before Kendrick and SZA head to Europe for a summer tour from July to August.
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