Sometimes You Gotta Pop Out and Show Niggas On Juneteenth
As we reflect on that legendary night, the inspiration continues to flow. The Pop Out was a movement, one that’s still pushing West Coast hip-hop forward today.
On Juneteenth one year ago, Kendrick Lamar staged The Pop Out: Ken & Friends concert in Inglewood, an event now regarded as a landmark celebration of West Coast hip-hop. With only two weeks’ notice, Lamar sold out the 16,000-seat Kia Forum and assembled over 25 artists, all hailing from Los Angeles and Southern California. It was more than a concert. It felt like a West Coast family reunion on a day symbolic of freedom and Black resilience. “Sometimes you gotta pop out and show niggas,” Lamar rapped on his diss track “Not Like Us,” and true to those words, he popped out on Juneteenth to show the world the strength, unity, and talent of his home turf.
In context, this one-off show came on the heels of Lamar’s high-profile rap feud with Drake. Rather than simply basking in his “victory lap” after releasing multiple diss tracks, Kendrick turned the moment into a showcase for community and culture. Announced as a Juneteenth and Black Music Month celebration, the Pop Out featured a staggering 60-song set list spanning Lamar’s catalog and classics by local artists. It was his first major performance since the feud, and he made it count, delivering four of his Drake-directed tracks live for the first time, including a five-time performance of “Not Like Us” with unapologetic bravado. Yet beyond the competitive fire, the prevailing tone was one of pride and appreciation for West Coast hip-hop’s legacy and future.
What truly set The Pop Out apart was its unprecedented display of unity among Los Angeles artists. Kendrick brought out an array of guests spanning generations and styles, from 90s icons like Dr. Dre (whose past yielded mixed results), to his fellow TDE alumni/Black Hippy reunion (Schoolboy Q, Jay Rock, Ab-Soul), to new wave L.A. rappers such as AzChike, Remble, and Ray Vaughn. The show was structured into three segments (DJ Hed’s set, DJ Mustard’s set, and Kendrick’s own set), each packed with appearances by local talent. For many in the audience and watching online, it was astonishing to see such a comprehensive roll call of West Coast hip-hop in one night. Rising acts like Remble kicked off the evening with street hits like “Touchable,” while veterans like YG, Ty Dolla $ign, and Dom Kennedy later performed crowd favorites. Even Tommy the Clown, a beloved L.A. krump dancer, got a moment on stage, underscoring that this was about the entire culture, not just the headliner.
As the night built towards its climax, Lamar gradually invited everyone back on stage. The final moments saw a crowded stage of rappers, singers, dancers, and even athletes who had come out to witness the spectacle, before performing “Not Like Us” one last time, Kendrick paused to acknowledge what was happening. “Let the world see this!” he shouted, overwhelmed by emotion. “You ain’t seen this many sections on one stage keeping it together and having peace… this is unity at its finest." The sight was genuinely moving – artists from different neighborhoods, cliques, and even rival gang affiliations were standing shoulder to shoulder, arms around each other, basking in a shared moment of triumph. “We done lost a lot of homies… but we right here, right now, celebrating all of them,” Kendrick told the crowd, referencing how Los Angeles had been grieving the losses of local heroes like Nipsey Hussle and Kobe Bryant in recent years. By bringing together Crips, Bloods, and Pirus—all sides of L.A.—on one stage, Lamar was, in the words of one astonished fan, “unifying real-life gang members” through music. On Juneteenth, a day commemorating Black liberation, this gathering felt profoundly symbolic: a demonstration of strength in unity and healing through hip-hop.
The impromptu group photograph taken that night captured this spirit. As photographer Armen Keleshian snapped a now-famous wide shot of the stage packed with smiling artists, Lamar declared, “This shit is special, man.” He likened the moment to a long-awaited family portrait for Los Angeles hip-hop. Indeed, observers compared the image to historic moments, such as “A Great Day in Harlem,” a 1958 photograph of jazz legends, underscoring how rare and meaningful it was to see so many West Coast figures together in harmony. The photo was instantly hailed as a cultural milestone and even blown up on billboards around the city, accompanied by the simple caption “Us.” For anyone who grew up amid L.A.’s often fragmented rap scene, plagued by beefs and neighborhood divisions, The Pop Out was a dream come true. It showcased an alternative narrative that of a united West Coast celebrating itself. In commentary afterwards, many noted that Lamar had turned a moment of hate (his feud-fueled “haters’ ball” concert) into an outpouring of love. As one writer put it, Juneteenth 2024 became a “cultural reunion” for West Coast hip-hop, reminding the world why Los Angeles rap is so essential to music and culture.
Perhaps the most concrete legacy of The Pop Out show is how it directly inspired Kendrick Lamar’s next musical project. Only five months after that concert, Lamar surprise-released his sixth album, titled GNX (a nod to the Buick Grand National Experimental car)—an album widely seen as born from the Pop Out’s spirit. In fact, DJ Hed (who helped host the Juneteenth event) explicitly described GNX as a continuation of The Pop Out. The album feels like an extension of that night’s celebration, as it’s a love letter to Los Angeles, prominently featuring the voices and styles of the city’s new generation. Kendrick clearly carried forward the mission of uplifting West Coast talent—this time from the stage into the recording booth.
On GNX, Lamar gave direct shine to several artists who had “popped out” at the Juneteenth show. For instance, the track “Peekaboo” not only features Inglewood rapper AzChike, but its very existence can be traced back to their meeting at The Pop Out. AzChike performed during DJ Hed’s set that night (doing his song “Light It Up” with Rucci) and had never even met Kendrick in person before. Months later, he got a call to join Lamar in the studio, resulting in a high-energy collaboration where Kendrick pushed the young rapper to enunciate every word and match his intensity. “I couldn’t do [the hook] by myself… I had to hear him say it,” AzChike recalled about recording “Peekaboo,” describing the surreal experience of Kendrick coaching him through a tongue-twisting hook. The inclusion of AzChike on a Kendrick Lamar album was a huge look for an underground L.A. artist—a direct outcome of that Juneteenth connection.
GNX, in fact, is filled with features from local West Coast acts, making it feel like a studio version of the “Ken & Friends” lineup. Compton’s Wallie the Sensei, who also rocked The Pop Out stage, appears on the g-funk flavored track “Dodger Blue.” The song “Hey Now” boasts a contribution from Dody6, and “TV Off” includes vocals by Lefty Gunplay—both emerging L.A. artists. Meanwhile, the album’s title track “GNX” rounds up rising rappers Hitta J3, YoungThreat, and Peysoh, further cementing Lamar’s commitment to shining a light on his city’s talent. Kendrick even managed to bridge eras by featuring a superstar like Roddy Ricch alongside newer names on “Dodger Blue.” The result was an album deeply rooted in West Coast sound and lore, heavy in G-funk vibes, LA slang, and regional pride. As Rolling Stone noted in their review, GNX felt like a tribute to Los Angeles, both classic and contemporary.
went so far as to call the album “an album-length representation of the unity photo” from The Pop Out show—meaning that Kendrick essentially tried to bottle the magic of that night into 12 tracks of music.
It’s also worth noting how the theme of unity and continuity carries through GNX. The album’s content doesn’t include the diss tracks themselves (those were left to live in the moment of the show), but the defiant, celebratory energy of “Not Like Us” permeates the record. Lamar still asserts West Coast excellence, but he does so by uplifting peers and honoring influences (there are lyrical nods to legends like Snoop Dogg, Tupac, and even a feature from jazz titan Kamasi Washington in the production credits). In spirit, GNX is very much a product of The Pop Out, a project that might not exist in its current form without that historic gathering. DJ Hed, who helped orchestrate the concert, saw GNX as the next chapter of what they started on Juneteenth. And Mustard, the famed L.A. producer who DJ’d the second act of the show, ended up co-producing on GNX and even became a viral talking point thanks to Kendrick playfully shouting his name on the track “TV Off.” The synergy between the live event and the album was clear. GNX was an artistic statement that the West Coast was unified and on top of its game.
Beyond the album, The Pop Out had a tangible impact on the careers of many artists who participated in it. The immediate aftermath of the concert saw an explosion in streaming numbers for everyone involved. For a lot of the up-and-coming rappers, this exposure introduced them to a national (even global) audience tuning in via Amazon’s livestream. According to industry data in the days following the show, Kendrick’s own catalog enjoyed a 31% overall streaming increase, and the effect trickled down to his collaborators. The classic Black Hippy tracks performed that night surged in popularity: streams of Ab-Soul’s music jumped by 44%, Jay Rock’s by 45%, and Schoolboy Q’s by 31% shortly after the event. Lamar’s Juneteenth anthem, “Not Like Us,” itself saw a whopping 62% spike in streams within three days—impressive for a song already dominating the airwaves. This data confirmed what many felt anecdotally, where The Pop Out had re-energized interest in West Coast hip-hop across the board.
Crucially, the lesser-known artists also benefited from the spotlight. In the streaming era, curiosity about a high-profile event can translate into listeners checking out opening acts they've seen for the first time. That appears to be exactly what happened. Billboard reported significant on-demand streaming gains for all the participating performers in the wake of the show. A local rapper like Remble, who opened the night with his viral hit “Touchable,” saw new listeners discover his witty wordplay. TDE’s newcomer Ray Vaughn, who had the platform of a lifetime performing his song “Problems” without its Pusha T feature, rode the momentum to increase his buzz (he even dropped a fiery freestyle and engaged in a bit of inter-coastal beef afterwards, confidently carrying the West’s flag). Fans online noted that Kendrick gave Ray Vaughn a priceless cosign by including him in the event. “It’s history!” Ray exclaimed in one interview when asked about performing at The Pop Out, clearly recognizing the gravity of the moment. Being anointed as “next up” by Kendrick in front of his hometown put a new level of attention on Ray Vaughn as he moves forward with TDE.
Meanwhile, artists like AzChike converted their Pop Out appearance into new opportunities, as evidenced by his collaboration on GNX. Others, such as Compton’s Westside Boogie or Kalan.FrFr, got to share billing with legends and likely saw upticks in their streaming and social media following too. It’s one thing to have regional popularity, but appearing on a stage (and livestream) curated by Kendrick Lamar gives an artist national visibility in a single night. Even the veteran acts reaped rewards: for example, the concert’s hype rekindled interest in YG’s and Roddy Ricch’s back catalogs (many viewers jumped back into hits like “The Box” and “Big Bank” after seeing them performed live). By uniting big names and rising stars, The Pop Out created a rising tide that lifted all West Coast ships.
Importantly, the event’s influence wasn’t just measured in numbers, but also in its narrative. In hip-hop, momentum and perception can be game-changers. The Pop Out show sent a message that the West Coast was strong and unified, which helps artists from the region collectively. After years of the spotlight often being elsewhere, L.A. had a cultural moment that reminded the industry of its depth. Veteran journalist Shaheem Reid speculated that this concert could spark a “major resurgence” of West Coast hip-hop under Lamar’s leadership. And indeed, in the year since, there’s been a sense of renewal – with collaborations happening across crews, and a new generation feeling empowered to carry the torch. Kendrick’s effort to bridge gaps (even between gang-affiliated artists) demonstrated to younger rappers that unity can be more fruitful than rivalry. The concert also inspired conversations about mentorship, as seen when Kendrick shared the platform with newcomers, exemplifying the bridging of the old school and new school.
Now, one year removed from that Juneteenth extravaganza, the impact of Kendrick Lamar’s Pop Out is still reverberating through West Coast hip-hop. In Los Angeles, you can sense a lasting camaraderie among artists who were there that night. Many of them have continued to collaborate or at least publicly support each other’s releases, reflecting the show’s spirit of togetherness. Kendrick himself has continued to amplify local voices – during his subsequent Grand National Tour supporting GNX, he even brought out AzChike as a surprise guest in L.A., giving the young rapper a taste of a major tour stage. Moves like that reinforce that The Pop Out wasn’t a one-off anomaly, but rather a new template. It showed that a superstar can share their platform without diminishing their own shine—in fact, Lamar’s reputation only grew as someone who elevates their community.
Critically, the Pop Out also stands as a cultural touchstone. People still talk about it with a kind of reverence—“Were you there? Did you see it live?” It’s the kind of event that, in hindsight, feels like a turning point. Kendrick turned what could have been just a personal victory show into something much larger: a statement that West Coast hip-hop’s strength lies in its unity and diversity. On a day meant to commemorate Black freedom and joy, he orchestrated an experience that embodied those ideals in the realm of music. A year later, that experience continues to inspire. Up-and-coming West Coast artists reference The Pop Out as motivation, knowing that if they grind, they too could get “the call” to share a stage with the greats. Established artists, in turn, have been reminded that the next generation deserves the spotlight too. As Snoop Dogg, an O.G. of L.A. rap, reportedly said after watching the show, Kendrick truly earned the crown of “King of the West” by uniting the hip-hop community in a way few ever have .
In the end, the phrase Kendrick coined in battle—“Sometimes you gotta pop out and show niggas”—took on a broader meaning through this concert. It wasn’t just about showing up an opponent; it was about showing up for your people. On Juneteenth, Kendrick Lamar showed everyone what the West Coast was all about. Fragility, creativity, and solidarity. The Pop Out proved that when West Coast artists stand together, their impact amplifies tremendously, whether on stage, on record, or in the charts. One year later, that lesson hasn’t been forgotten. Kendrick’s Pop Out Juneteenth show lives on as a high-water mark for the culture, a night when competition yielded to collaboration and an entire region got its flowers. It set a new standard for how a superstar can use his moment to lift others up, and in doing so, lift the whole scene up. As we reflect on that legendary night, the inspiration continues to flow.