Kendrick Lamar is preparing to resume his grand national world tour in Mexico City on September 23, turning his leading streak and Grammy Award-winning momentum into a global stage takeover.
Compton rapper’s collaboration with SZA, Luther spent 13 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 for 13 weeks, marking the longest dominance of hip-hop in ranking history. The duo also became the first solo match for men and women to rank first in 11 weeks. Their second joint effort in SZA’s deluxe version of SOS “30” is still on the rankings, helping to expand Lamar’s unprecedented run.
Lamar is the only rapper in 2025 to appear on the Hot 100 almost every week of the year, according to data shared by Bars. “Luther” accounts for about a quarter of his presence, and other tracks from his GNX project, such as “Don’t Like Us”, “Television Off” and “Peekaboo” also contributed to his ranking domination.
Lamar’s business success has been criticized. At the 2025 Grammy Awards in February, he swept the main category with “Don’t Like Us”, a sharp Diss track for Drake, which he also performed on the Apple Music Super Bowl Hemftime performance. The performance marks a rare moment for the artists who are usually retained.
The beef between Drake and Kendrick Lamar began in 2013 when Kendrick announced his verse in Big Sean’s “Control,” announcing his intention to lyrically surpass his peers. Both artists have publicly announced the hatred over the years, but continue to send subconscious photos in music, Lamar rejected the future of the concept of the Big Three (Drake, J. Cole and Lamar) and Metro Boomin’s “like this” in 2024 and announced himself as the stadium leader in Rap.
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The track sparked anger throughout spring 2024, with highly public Diss tracks – Drake responding with “Pushups” and “Taylor Made Freestyle” while Kendrick took 6:16 shots from “Euphoria,” “Euphoria,” “La In La,” and the explosive “Don’t Like Us,” each track is increasingly personal and controversial. The exchange has become so intense that Drake is currently suing his own record label for alleged promotions and the tactics behind Kendrick’s diss track.
The dispute has attracted public attention for its lyrical intensity, personal allegations and influence on hip-hop culture, with some critics likening its influence to the most legendary battle of the genre.
Despite keeping a low profile in terms of separate releases, Lamar made an unexpected appearance in Los Angeles earlier this month, joining the stage on stage for a joint track “Chains & Whips” with Let God Sorress Out Out Out Let toss. The Great Power World Tour has spanned multiple continents and will reach its penultimate thigh in performances in South America and Mexico.
