SZA Looked Unrecognizable At Kendrick Lamar’s “Pop Out” Show

BYGabriel Bras Nevares7.3K Views
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2018 Coachella Valley Music And Arts Festival - Weekend 1 - Day 1
INDIO, CA - APRIL 13: SZA and Kendrick Lamar perform onstage during the 2018 Coachella Valley Music And Arts Festival at the Empire Polo Field on April 13, 2018 in Indio, California. (Photo by Larry Busacca/Getty Images for Coachella)
We can't help but recall the SZA bar on Drake's "Push Ups" diss against Kendrick Lamar, and how she didn't want to be involved.

Even though he's no longer on the label, Kendrick Lamar's "Pop Out" concert on Juneteenth in Los Angeles was still very much a TDE affair. Black Hippy treated fans to a long-awaited reunion, and SZA donned a convincing disguise to attend the show in peace and turn up with the rest of the crowd. Moreover, new clips emerges on social media of the St. Louis superstar posing for the camera while showing off her fit, which included a cloth wrapped around her head, baggy jeans, and a green shirt. Also, some footage shows her in the crowd during the show itself, and we can only assume she had a great time.

Furthermore, it seems almost corny to tie everything about "The Pop Out" to the Kendrick Lamar and Drake beef, but... I mean, the madman opened with "Euphoria." As such, SZA's appearance can't help but evoke a particular line on Drizzy's "Push Ups" for many fans, in which he says that she "wipes down" K.Dot. This mention was also notable due to her collaborations with the Toronto superstar last year, and their previous romantic relationship. However, the "Doves In The Wind" singer made it clear via an Instagram Story that she wanted no part in that feud, and it looks like now she's the one sliming Aubrey out.

SZA Pops Out At The Kendrick Lamar Show

Jokes aside, SZA's also got a lot more stuff to focus on and spend her energies living with, such as her Songwriters Hall Of Fame honors. "As an artist, I’ve been a lot of different people," she said of her Hal David Starlight award. "I’ve been 200 pounds; I’ve been 130 pounds. I’ve been someone who doesn’t dance at all on stage… to someone who is dancing and trying their best and I think, ‘Oh man, I struggle with the artist thing,’ but writing was where I felt like a person, and I had value and showed that I was smart.

"It was beyond ‘Am I pretty?'" SZA continued. "'Am I liked?’ And that meant everything to me. It made me feel like a person that was doing something worth something. Basically, receiving this award validates my entire career… Thank you for seeing me." We might not have seen you this time, Solana (at least, not immediately), but no matter what disguise you don, your talents shine through.

About The Author
Gabriel Bras Nevares is a staff writer for HotNewHipHop. He joined HNHH while completing his B.A. in Journalism & Mass Communication at The George Washington University in the summer of 2022. Born and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Gabriel treasures the crossover between his native reggaetón and hip-hop news coverage, such as his review for Bad Bunny’s hometown concert in 2024. But more specifically, he digs for the deeper side of hip-hop conversations, whether that’s the “death” of the genre in 2023, the lyrical and parasocial intricacies of the Kendrick Lamar and Drake battle, or the many moving parts of the Young Thug and YSL RICO case. Beyond engaging and breaking news coverage, Gabriel makes the most out of his concert obsessions, reviewing and recapping festivals like Rolling Loud Miami and Camp Flog Gnaw. He’s also developed a strong editorial voice through album reviews, think-pieces, and interviews with some of the genre’s brightest upstarts and most enduring obscured gems like Homeboy Sandman, Bktherula, Bas, and Devin Malik.
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