Dot rapper makes history with record-breaking concert grosses and chart longevity
Kendrick Lamar’s Grand National Tour with SZA is setting unprecedented milestones in both live performance revenue and chart success. Following their May 17 show at Seattle’s Lumen Field, Lamar made history by grossing an astonishing $14.8 million—making him the first rapper ever to generate over $14 million from a single concert.
The Seattle gig attracted nearly 61,000 fans, marking the highest attendance and earnings of the tour so far. This achievement surpassed Lamar’s own record from a previous performance at Dallas’ AT&T Stadium, which grossed $11.822 million. That Dallas show had already earned Lamar the title of highest-grossing Black male artist for a single live performance, breaking The Weeknd’s 2022 record of $9.8 million.
The tour’s opening night in Minneapolis also set a new rap concert revenue record with a $9.1 million haul, surpassing Eminem’s previous mark from his 2019 Australian stadium show.
Beyond the stage, Lamar continues to dominate charts. His diss track “Not Like Us” has become the first rap song ever to spend a full year on the Billboard Hot 100, still holding strong at No. 22. Meanwhile, the SZA collaboration “Luther” reigns at No. 1 for 13 consecutive weeks, making it one of only 15 songs to reach such a feat—and the longest-running Hip Hop No. 1 in history.
With these accomplishments, Kendrick Lamar solidifies his position as a generational icon in hip-hop.
