On May 8 and 9, Kendrick Lamar and SZA fans from New York and New Jersey packed the seats of the Metlife Stadium in Rutherford, New Jersey. The crowd was lively for the entirety of the three-hour set which showcased individual songs from the artists, as well as songs they produced together.
The Grand National Tour consists of 39 shows across Europe and North America from April 19 to Aug. 9, 2025. The tour, named after Lamar’s album GNX, is a tribute to the 1987 Buick Grand National Experimental (GNX). This car has significance for Lamar because it was created the year he was born; his father drove him home in the car after he was born and it is known for its speed and resilience. During the tour, SZA performed songs mainly from her deluxe version of one of her previous albums SOS called SOS Deluxe: Lana.
With the concert beginning at 8 p.m., there were numerous things to do around the stadium before it officially began. At the American Dream Mall, just right across the street from the stadium, SZA could be seen having a meet and greet with fans, taking pictures and singing songs at the center of the mall. SZA announced on her Instagram beforehand, “JERSEY and NEW YORK WE DOING IT MAJORRR. MEET ME AT AMERICAN DREAM MALL TOMORROW AND FRIDAY!! (there’s a pathway that connects to the stadium). So excited to see you at our first mall pop up!!” Lamar, who is practically known for his lack of social media presence, arrived at the mall which came as a surprise to both SZA and fans gathered there.
SZA recently announced a new makeup line of hers called “Not Beauty” which is exclusively sold at her pop-ups outside her concerts. From the hours of 1 to 8 p.m., there was a truck selling “Not Beauty” products at the American Dream Mall. The beauty line consists of three lip glosses with shades, “In The Flesh,” “Strawberry Jelly,” and “Quartz.” This exclusive pop-up garners lots of attention outside of all her shows.
As an opener for the show, DJ Mustard played a set from 7:00 p.m. to around 8:00 p.m when Lamar came on stage. Mustard has gained more attention recently due to his tag line that Lamar included in his song “tv off,” which many people were excited to hear during the show.
The show was three hours long, including back and forth performances between Lamar and SZA. After performing many of their individual songs, like “Alright” by Lamar and “Good Days” by SZA, the two came together and sang their popular songs they’ve created together such as “All The Stars,” “Doves In The Wind,” “30 for 30,” and “luther.”
All in all, the entire concert was extremely interactive and catered to both Kendrick Lamar and SZA fans from the Tri-State area.
