Kendrick Lamar may carry a fearsome reputation in hip-hop, often referred to as a “Boogeyman,” but he showed a softer side during his headline performance at the Split Milk festival in Canberra, Australia, on Saturday, December 13.
In a heartwarming moment, the rapper paused his set to sing happy birthday to a nine-year-old fan named Kalina who was in the crowd.
Lamar went a step further by gifting the young fan a signed pgLang hat dedicated to her, drawing cheers and applause from festivalgoers. The gesture stood out as a touching highlight of the night and quickly resonated with fans online.
The Canberra performance marked one of the final stops on Kendrick Lamar’s “Grand National” tour, which has served as a major victory lap following a series of high-profile achievements. These include his much-discussed Drake battle, the release of GNX, major Grammy wins, and his Super Bowl halftime show appearance.
During the Australian leg of the tour, Lamar was also joined on stage by longtime collaborator and TDE labelmate ScHoolboy Q, who appeared for a special performance of “Collard Greens,” adding to the excitement for fans in attendance.
While the tour has been widely regarded as a huge success, its conclusion has left fans speculating about what comes next. Questions remain over whether Kendrick Lamar will release new music soon, take another extended break, or shift focus to other creative projects, including his reported film venture with the South Park creators.
