Kendrick Lamar & SZA Did What?! Grand National Tour Dethrones The Carters with $256.4M

Ladies and gentlemen, greatness is unfolding before our very eyes. Billboard officially confirmed what we already knew in our hearts: Kendrick Lamar and SZA have achieved history. With over $256.4 million in revenue from just 23 shows and 1.1 million tickets sold, the tour ended up being the highest-grossing co-headline tour in history, displacing Beyoncé and Jay-Z’s On the Run II Tour, which had held the record until then at $253.5 million.

Yes, you heard that right. K-Dot and SZA didn’t just break records, they broke our own expectations of what is possible from hip-hop and R&B musicians on the world stage. This is not a win for TDE, it’s a win for the culture overall.

A Moment for the Books

The Grand National Tour was more than a concert. It was a cultural phenomenon. Merging Kendrick’s searing lyrical genius with SZA’s ethereal, soul-baring vocals created an unforgettable collaboration that drew music fans from all corners of the world. From LA to Oakland, New York to Toronto, the arenas were packed to the gills, the merch line circled blocks, and the atmosphere? Electric. Life-altering.

This kind of synergy does not come along often. It’s a wispy atmosphere. We’re talking about two of the most consciousness-having, genre-bending artists of our time teaming up and executing a concert that equates to church, therapy, protest, and celebration all in one.

Kendrick Lamar: The Tour Titan

Let’s take a moment to give Kendrick Lamar his flowers once more. With this new milestone, Kung Fu Kenny is the first hip-hop artist of all time to have three distinct tours, each selling more than 800,000 tickets:

• The DAMN. Tour
• The Big Steppers Tour
• The Grand National Tour

That’s not consistency. That’s domination. That’s storytelling that crosses generations, borders, and languages. That’s what happens when an artist remains grounded in truth, Black brilliance, and radical authenticity.

While others evolve with the trends, Kendrick creates the trends, and the fans keep on pouring, night after night, city after city, decade after decade.

SZA: The Soul of the Stage

And don’t act like SZA didn’t play it straight. She glided up and down that stage like a divine presence on jams that left the people in the crowd crying, healing, and blending. With the global success of SOS, her appearance on this tour elevated it to an entirely new plane. Her openness, resilience, and unfiltered artistry made every performance a meditation. She is not just a co-headliner. She’s a phenomenon.

What This Means for the Culture

This matters. Hip-hop and R&B, born of struggle, of insurrection, of party in Black America, still show they’re more than music. They’re global forces. To see Kendrick and SZA hand a record from Beyoncé and Jay-Z? That’s next level. That’s greatness stacked upon greatness.

The Grand National Tour is not about grand amounts (though that $256.4M payday is immaculate). It’s a testament to the fact that artists can speak truth to power, share intimately revealing narratives, and sell out an arena.

A toast to Kendrick. A toast to SZA. A toast to the fans who were present. A toast to the culture that brought them into existence. And a toast to a new standard being raised in the world of live music.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go listen to “Alright” and “Snooze” on repeat and remind myself that we actually survived this moment.