Kendrick Lamar has officially rewritten the record books. The opening night of his Grand National Tour with SZA has become the highest-grossing rap concert of all time, breaking a long-held record previously set by Eminem.
According to data published by Touring Data, the April 2025 kickoff show at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis earned a staggering $9,124,989, with over 47,000 fans in attendance. That figure beats Eminem’s 2019 Melbourne show, which brought in just over $8.7 million, making Kendrick the first Hip Hop artist to cross the $9 million mark for a single concert.
This show also marks the largest crowd ever for both Kendrick and SZA outside of a festival setting — a clear sign of the duo’s global influence and unstoppable demand.
The night wasn’t just historic on paper — it was filled with real-world energy and a bit of lyrical fire. During the set, Kendrick appeared to throw subtle shade at Drake, referencing the rapper’s recent defamation lawsuit against Universal Music Group over the controversial rollout of “Not Like Us.” With thinly veiled sarcasm, Kendrick mocked his rival for taking their feud from the mic to the courtroom, keeping their long-simmering beef in the headlines.
The Grand National Tour is set to continue its North American run through June before heading to Europe and the U.K. this summer. With the bar set this high on night one, expectations for the rest of the tour are now sky-high.
One thing is clear: Kendrick Lamar is not just pushing Hip Hop forward — he’s shattering ceilings while doing it.