Timothy Norris
Audio By Carbonatix
The Championship Tour isn’t so much a tour as it is a victory lap for the folks at Top Dawg Entertainment. The L.A. label’s flagship star, Kendrick Lamar, just won a Pulitzer Prize for his multiplatinum 2017 record DAMN.
R&B singer SZA’s Ctrl has made her one of the most talked-about and hyped new artists in her genre, and Lamar’s fellow Black Hippy posse members Schoolboy Q, Jay Rock, and Ab-Soul have been dropping fire songs left and right. No wonder TDE is calling a tour putting all these artists together a championship.
Kendrick alone is worth the price of admission. Touring solo last year, his stadium shows used video projections and acrobatic ninja dancers to create a jaw-dropping spectacle. And while Kung-Fu Kenny is definitely the star attraction of this 2018 tour, it’s a testament to how stacked the TDE roster is that rappers like Schoolboy could give him a run for his money.
Considering how often the Top Dawg artists collaborate together on record, it’s a strong possibility that we’ll see them guesting on each other’s songs throughout the night. So if you’ve ever wanted to see Q and Kenny spit on “Collard Greens,” this is your night.
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The Championship Tour is Monday, May 14, at Ak-Chin Pavilion. Tickets are $35 and up via ticketmaster.com.
