Newsflash: Kendrick Lamar isn’t from Canada.
Kendrick Lamar continues to rewrite the record books. The Pulitzer Prize-winning rapper has officially set a new benchmark in Canadian music history by pulling in a staggering $15.4 million from two back-to-back, sold-out shows at Toronto’s Rogers Centre, making it the highest-grossing rap concert in Canadian history.
The concerts, co-headlined by Top Dawg Entertainment labelmate SZA, drew over 72,000 attendees across two electric nights. With Kendrick delivering a masterclass in lyrical performance and SZA providing her signature ethereal energy, the shows felt less like concerts and more like cultural moments.
The unspoken headline here? Kendrick Lamar just broke a record in Drake’s own backyard. In the aftermath of last year’s high-profile lyrical war between the two rap giants—one that split fans and even nations—Kendrick arriving in Toronto and delivering the highest-grossing rap concert in Canadian history feels like the ultimate full-circle flex. It’s a power move that he can keep in his back pocket for years.
But drama aside, Canada showed up, and Kendrick delivered. The milestone only adds to an already monumental 2025 for the Compton native—complete with Grammy wins, a Super Bowl halftime performance, and multiple records shattered. At this point, even Kendrick’s critics have to give him his flowers. Sometimes, you just have to shake the man’s hand and admit greatness when you see it.
Quincy is the creator of Ratings Game Music. He loves writing about music, taking long walks on beaches, and spaghetti that fights him back.
