Kendrick Lamar’s Juneteenth celebration at the Kia Forum, “The Pop Out: Ken & Friends” served as a victory lap for two things.
- Kendrick’s dominance in his rap beef with Drake, which gave the world “Not Like Us,” one of the most infectious Kendrick rap tracks… really ever.
- A celebration of Los Angeles itself, as Kendrick rallied several LA artists together on stage, including Ty Dolla $ign, Dom Kennedy, Steve Lacy, Roddy Ricch, YG, Tyler the Creator, Mustard (the producer of “Not Like Us”), and “The Bigger Picture” co-star DJ Hed.
With alleged gang members, artists, and ball players all joining the stage, Kendrick dubbed the night “unity at its finest.” It’s something we haven’t seen in hip-hop in a while, especially as regional borders erode with the way the internet has fundamentally transformed the genre.
And none other than Dr. Dre — arguably the most important architect of West Coast Hip Hop — introduced Kendrick’s five-in-a-row performance of “Not Like Us.”
To solidify the LA-ness of the event, a cheesier artist would’ve brought out a Tupac hologram to sing California Love (let’s face it… Drake probably would’ve done this) but that’s not Kendrick’s style, and the show is better for it. But that’s not to say Kendrick didn’t pay tribute to Pac’s influence, he just did it in a nuanced way that only jumped out to the heads that noticed.
Rocking a red hoodie, jeans, a pair of Nike SHOX, and a giant Ben Baller diamond cross, Kendrick’s fit served as an echo of Pac’s 1994 Source Awards look. The outfit isn’t a 1:1 replica but it’s a clear nod to an iconic look of Tupac’s.
Pac’s outfit is a bit different, rather than a hoodie he wore a red crew neck Georgia Bulldogs sweater, blue jeans, a pair of Filas, a backward cap, and a much more modest (in comparison) diamond-encrusted cross necklace.
The two outfits might have the same vibe, but each is very of its era and that’s what helps this subtle tribute to not look like Kendrick is straight-up cosplaying.
Aside from the diamond-encrusted necklaces, both fits aren’t flashy or boisterous, they’re very attainable and I think that speaks to Kendrick and Tupac’s temperament.
If you did, however, want to capture some of the magic of Kendrick’s look, buy yourself a pair of Nike Shox R4 Retro in “Comet Red,” from StockX or GOAT, but be warned, the reprice has doubled since Kendrick’s performance.
Pair that with your favorite jeans and hoodie, and you’ve pretty much got the look, but we’d advise you find some way to make it your own.
As for the Ben Baller diamond cross, good luck with all of that! Famed LA jeweler Ben Baller confirmed that Kendrick’s cross was worth a jaw-dropping $600K. If you like the look, you probably don’t need quite as many diamonds, but hey, no judgement if you’ve got that kind of money to spend.