Kendrick Lamar’s live performances have been drawing headlines—particularly as Bronx rapper Kemba and others got the chance to display their own bars at Kendrick’s recent show in Brooklyn. Similarly, The Weeknd has parlayed the momentum of Starboy’s chart-topping debut into a string of pre-Christmas show dates. Both converged as The Weeknd played at a Vevo Presents show at LA Hangar Studios Saturday.
As Weeknd performed “Sidewalks,” Kendrick emerged from stage left to rhyme his verse on the duet. As expected, the hometown crowd erupted in cheers for the Compton, California native. Weeknd rhymed along, and the pair exchanged dap and a hug. Kendrick even briefly assumed hype man duties and sang along with Weeknd’s vocals, further showcasing why Weeknd has such a high level of respect for his musical peer.
“He’s a genius,” Weeknd told Zane Lowe during a November interview. “He is really a genius. He’d walk around. He’d play the record over and over again. I played him songs, the Starboy theme of course, which he incorporated into his verse. He would just walk around. We had food. He’s writing his verse in his head.”
The rest of the Vevo Presents concert included stellar performances of tracks like "Party Monster, "Reminder," "False Alarm," as well as his 2015 hit single "The Hills." You can check out the set in the videos below.
The Weeknd’s Legend of the Fall tour continues into 2017 through June. While fans shouldn’t expect spoilers on potential surprise guests, dates and purchase information are available at The Weeknd’s official website.
