Road To The Grammys: Top 5 Cultural Moments from Kendrick Lamar’s GNX
Even though “GNX” dropped in 2024, it’s still doing numbers and is the topic of conversation. This album gave us moments that hip hop heads and LA will never forget. With nine Grammy nominations — including Best Rap Album and Song and Record of the Year (Luther) — the accolades speak for themselves. Let’s celebrate Kendrick’s groundbreaking run by highlighting the best cultural moments from the “GNX” era.
Super Bowl LIX Halftime Show
Before K. Dot hit the stage for the NFL halftime show, everyone was wondering two things: would he soften his messaging for the crowd, and would “Not Like Us” make the set list? In true Kendrick fashion, the messaging was next level — from Samuel L. Jackson as Uncle Sam to the intentionality of the set design. Then he performed the diss track staring straight into the camera on the line, “Say Drake, I heard you like them young.” Legendary.
The Pop Out
The Pop Out was Kendrick’s first major performance after the Drake feud, and it was a historic moment for LA. He brought together Pirus, Bloods, and Crips for a peaceful event, turning the stage into a space for unity and love. Several of LA's heavyweights hit the stage, including Dr. Dre, YG, Tyler, the Creator, Ty Dolla $ign, Roddy Ricch, Steve Lacy, Jay Rock, ScHoolboy Q, Ab-Soul, DJ Mustard, Blxst, Dom Kennedy, BlueBucksClan, and OhGeesy.
Grand National Tour
SZA and Kendrick hit the road for the “Grand National Tour,” and the fans ate it up. The 23-show run sold 1.1 million tickets and grossed over $332 million, breaking records as the highest-grossing hip-hop tour ever and the highest-grossing co-headlining tour, surpassing Beyoncé & Jay-Z’s “On the Run II.”
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LA Rising Artist Features
Aside from SZA, all of the features you heard on the album are some of California’s favorite local and rising stars. His decision to share his platform with them and allow them to shine in a moment that was truly his says a lot about his character. He deserves all the flowers.
“Not Like Us” Music Video
When he dropped the “Not Like Us” video, everyone realized that what we were witnessing was more than a good song but an entire movement of West Coast pride. You see prominent LA figures making cameos, such as Tommy the Clown, DJ Mustard, DeMar DeRozan, Top Dawg, and more.
