Compton rapper Kendrick Lamar sent shockwaves through the music world on Wednesday, hosting a one-night-only concert called “The Pop Out: Ken & Friends” at the Kia Forum in Inglewood, Calif., that widely aimed to diss Toronto rapper Drake, as well as celebrate West Coast music and culture.
Lamar gathered the likes of several prominent West Coast figures, including Dr. Dre, Schoolboy Q, Jay Rock, and Tyler the Creator. He also paid homage to Nipsey Hussle and Kobe Bryant, two prominent LA figures who died in recent years.
Los Angeles-based athletes Russell Westbrook and Bulls forward DeMar DeRozan also joined Lamar on stage while the Compton rapper played "Not Like Us," the marquee anti-Drake diss track of his discography; that song he played not once, but five times during the concert.
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The song mentions DeRozan, saying "I'm glad DeRoz' came home, y'all didn't deserve him neither" referring to DeRozan's return to the United States after nine years playing in Toronto, Drake's hometown.
The lyric was in response to Drake's admiration of the once Raptors forward in "Lemon Pepper Freestyle" when he rapped "They love me in my city like DeMar DeRozan," an ode to him after being traded to the Spurs for Kawhi Leonard, who ultimately brought Toronto the championship DeRozan couldn't.
DeRozan's appearance at Lamar's concert is quite the message to Drake and Toronto. The Raptors drafted him out of USC with the No. 9 pick in the 2009 NBA Draft. He played the first nine seasons of his career in Toronto, earning four All-Star nods and two All-NBA selections there.
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However, it's widely known DeRozan is a major advocate for his hometown, training there every summer and having played in Compton Drew League games in recent summers. He also expressed strong interest in playing for his hometown Lakers before they abruptly traded for Westbrook during the summer of 2021.
That summer, instead of signing with the Lakers, DeRozan inked a three-year deal with the Bulls, rejuvenating his career in Chicago. With the Bulls over the last three years, he's earned two All-Star nods, two finalist appearances for the NBA's Clutch Player of the Year Award, and top-10 MVP voting in 2021.
The tides could turn this offseason, however, as DeRozan could potentially become an unrestricted free agent in July. According to NBC Sports Chicago's K.C. Johnson, the Bulls have offered DeRozan a two-year deal with a high annual salary of $40 million.
Whether or not DeRozan remains in Chicago will soon be answered in the next couple of weeks as the NBA Draft and free agency are nearing. But it's clear his heart will always remain in Compton after showing out with Lamar and company on Wednesday.