Kendrick’s 2024 album GNX certainly has a larger influence on the grayscale aesthetic of this show (though SZA appeared to clear him on the merch-sales front based on the gear fans were sporting at the concert), and that’s evident from the get-go. The Compton-born star arrived on stage in the same Buick vehicle seen on the album artwork, poised calmly in the driver’s seat as he delivered the opening bars of “Wacced Out Murals.” It was “TV Off,” however, that brought the show’s first big banger — even if he cut the song before the playful “Mustaaaaard” chant. He would revisit it later with devastating impact.

For a co-headline show like this to truly soar, there needs to be an element of fluidity between the distinct acts. “30 for 30” from SZA’s Lana was the first opportunity to see the pair together on stage, trading vocals even from platforms hundreds of feet away from each other. More than 40 shows in the tour, they’re evidently in perfect sync with each other.

SZA’s imperial phase kicked off in earnest with “Kill Bill” in 2022, but stans know that 2016 LP Ctrl was her first sign of greatness. She rewarded them in her first stint on stage with “Love Galore,” “Broken Clocks” and “The Weekend” coming in quick succession, even if they were somewhat drowned out by a typically chatty London audience.

The energy swung wildly between the two acts. For SZA, there was a blend of swaying admirers and the occasional screaming superfan. With Kendrick, it was pure energy from start to finish. It was felt keenly in his second act, particularly as he raced through Drake diss track “Euphoria” and his verse on Baby Keem’s “Family Ties.” Lamar challenged the crowd to up the rowdiness from Tuesday’s crowd, and he appeared satisfied as the bouncing mosh pits took it to the next level.

Not to be outdone by Lamar’s staging, SZA upped her production as the show went on. A costume and vibe change preceded a shift into more current material from SOS and LANA. Adopting the insect aesthetic seen on the latter’s album cover (she previously said on Hot Ones it stems from the fact that “being a person is daunting”), an animatronic ant rose onto the stage for SZA to ride and writhe on during “Kitchen” as her dancing troupe surrounded her.

In the show’s fifth act, Kendrick took it all the way back with material from his second album, 2012’s good kid, mA.A.d city, and he asked if there were any “day ones” in the house. There were, of course. The three-song run of “Bitch Don’t Kill My Vibe,” “Money Trees” and “Poetic Justice” were among the concert’s strongest moments – just Kendrick, his pen and his flow captivating an entire stadium. Top class.

More than a year on from its release, “Not Like Us” — the vicious knockout blow in his feud with Drake — has transcended into something bigger. While the crowd relished in singing some of the song’s more brutal allegations of pedophilia – something which Drake strenuously denies – its now been adopted by disparate communities as a rallying cry for individuality. “They not like us,” the crowd screamed, thinking as much as Kendrick’s celebration of his hometown of Compton and their own London borough.