Shaheem Reid The fans congregating outside of the Kia Forum in Inglewood, CA on Wednesday afternoon before Kendrick Lamar’s Juneteenth concert — dubbed “The Pop Out” and headlined by “Ken & Friends” — seemed more like they were waiting for the 1985 NBA Finals game between the Lakers and Celtics than a hip-hop concert.
While Lamar was obviously getting the overwhelming support from his home city, like Magic Johnson did during the “Showtime” Lakers’ run, Drake was getting Larry Bird-levels of disdain, and he wasn’t even in the building.
Spectators were ready to rumble: Some fans were sporting apparel that was downright brutal towards K. Dot’s rap nemesis. There were tees being sold on the street by bootleggers that depicted Lamar as a slave leading an uprising and whipping Drake, who was depicted as a “colonizer.” A few fans rocked bootlegged tees where Kendrick held a baby in his arms like on the cover of his “Mr.
Moral & the Big Steppers” album — but instead of an infant, the fan’s tee had Drake’s face imposed on the youngster’s body, inferring that the Canadian superstar had gotten “sonned” in their contentious musical beef earlier this year.
Read more on variety.com