Kendrick Lamar and SZA have always worked well together – artists at the top of their respective fields, the rap wordsmith and R&B queen have recorded together, and support one another in interviews. The Grand National tour, then, feels natural – each granted co-headline status, it’s a run that has delighted fans, and lit up social media.

Making our way across London, Clash is left to muse on the curious turns in Kendrick Lamar’s career. As it happens, the 33 1/3 series has hit audiobook, so – firing up Spotify – we soak up Sequioa Maner’s excellent tome on ‘To Pimp A Butterfly’, a work of daring complexity and societal thrust that arguably cemented Kendrick Lamar’s position as the pre-eminent lyricist of his generation. Equally, his beef with Drake plumbed the depths, producing an electrifying international hit that might just contain some of his most near-the-knuckle rhymes.

If that contradiction feels hard to maintain, tonight shows all the different sides of Kendrick’s persona. The LA rapper opens from a GNX car, the crowd rev’d up before he even ventures on to the stage. Placing ‘King Kunta’ early on is the first of a number of masterstrokes, the pacing of this dual-headline extravaganza proving to be breathless.

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SZA then takes charge. The Maplewood singer is on supreme form, the diaristic appeal of her lyrics clearing etching their way into the hearts of just about everyone present. 

It’s not simply fans service, however. SZA in particular likes to challenge her audience – how else do you explain the R&B chanteuse riding an animatronic ant during one of her soulful reveries?

In a summer dominated by huge tours, the stadium feels busy, but the energy exceeds the crowd. It’s a set driven forwards by the passion of both artists – SZA can create entire worlds with her mellifluous voice, and the over-arching narrative pulls you along in its wake. Kendrick is a focussed, intentional performer – he’s not a showman, but equally you struggle to take your eyes off him, the punchy set unfolding with alacrity.

Ultimately, this is a performance framed by big moments. Kendrick’s catalogue shines – ‘Swimming Pools (drank)’, ‘HUMBLE’, ‘Money Trees’ and beyond all feel like components of a masterclass – while SZA is able to command songwriting is such potency as ‘Kill Bill’, ‘Scorcese Baby Daddy’, and ‘Broken Clocks’. Put simply, these are artists at the top of their craft.

Undoubtedly the biggest moment was – perhaps – also the most predictable. ‘Not Like Us’ bulldozed Drake and scorched charts in just about every country on the planet, and it’s instantly recognisable DJ Mustard beat lifted every single person in the stadium off their seat. A matter of weeks before, Drake headlined all three nights of Wireless – complete with illustrious guests – but the visceral thrill of ‘Not Like Us’ feels like it exists above and beyond that achievement, with thousands upon thousands of people shrilling “A Minorrrrrr” in North London.

The duo close with ‘Luther’ and ‘Gloria’, ending a concert that leans on their strengths. While the dual-headline format is hard to manage – and the tonal shifts between their music was, at points, whiplash-inducing – Kendrick Lamar and SZA reinforced their respective positions as modern greats.

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Words: Robin Murray

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