SZA and Kendrick Lamar's first collaboration was a smash no one saw coming, including SZA herself.
"Kendrick did that on his own," SZA said about Lamar's verse on her 2014 song "Babylon," according to Genius. "He surprised me. He just did it and they sent it to me. He was like, 'I love this beat. I love where she took it' and I was like really? It was totally unbeknownst to me. It was just random."
Since then, not only have they become frequent collaborators, but they're now music's hottest singer-rapper pair. And on April 19, SZA and K-Dot will kick off their biggest team-up to date: a joint stadium tour.
The Grand National Tour will hit over 30 cities across North America and Europe through Aug. 9. While the tour is in support of their latest albums (Lamar's GNX and SZA's SOS deluxe edition, LANA), it will also serve as a celebration of their decade-plus friendship that has spawned chart-topping hits and unforgettable performances.
Between SZA's distinct voice and K-Dot's socially conscious lyrics, the superstar duo bring out the best in each other musically. The Grand National Tour will be further proof of that, and SZA has hinted that one day their fruitful partnership may also result in a joint album: "I think that would be amazing."
As the tour kicks off, revisit all of SZA and Lamar's unforgettable collaborations, from the feel-good "All the Stars" to the unstoppable "Luther."
"Babylon," SZA's 'Z' (2014)
Each one of SZA and K-Dot's collabs proves to be greater than the last, but it all started with "Babylon." SZA originally dropped the trippy song as a solo track off her third EP, 2014's Z. The self-loathing tune sees SZA lamenting over a toxic relationship: "I know you hate me now/ I bet you hate me now/ Bring on the thorny crown/ Crucify me," she sings.
A month later, SZA reintroduced "Babylon" as a collab with Lamar — a fitting choice as they had recently become labelmates at Top Dawg Entertainment. Lamar's verse leans into his dark side with clever word play: "I'm dead to the world like I popped me a couple downers/ Down & Out on my luck/ Salt water all on my tux and I call, she don't pick up/ Then I fall when summer is ending."
SZA and Lamar's musical chemistry is so undeniable that TDE-signed rapper Jay Rock tapped the pair for his song "Easy Bake," with each artist bringing their own flair to the production. Rock and Lamar dominate the song's first half by trading bars over a West Coast-tinged beat. "Ridin' by you, swervin' at the intersection/ Baby come and get your blessin,'" Rock spits. Lamar's response? "And she gon' f— with this erection."
But it's SZA's 45-second verse in the second half that completely steals the show. SZA holds her own with lyrics like, "Itchin' for a climax lasting past 11:30," but it's the way the then-rising star's raspy voice rides the groovy beat that leaves listeners wanting more.
Featured as a leftover track from Lamar's To Pimp a Butterfly, "untitled 04 I 08.14.2014." is more of an interlude but a gem nonetheless. In two minutes, K-Dot and SZA tackle self-doubt, societal issues and religious skepticism. SZA's gospel-inspired vocals drive the song's message further home, while Lamar's whispers add a haunting element.
On a larger scale, it's yet another example of Lamar's support of SZA early in her career as his was taking off. While the track was released in 2016, it was recorded in 2014 — three years before SZA's breakthrough CTRL album thrusted her into the spotlight.
By the time "Doves In the Wind" made waves, SZA was a certified star thanks to her five-times-platinum debut studio album, CTRL. At first listen, it's easy to slap a NSFW label on "Doves In the Wind" due to its overtly sexual lyrics. But SZA still delivers a sincere feminist message about how women deserve to be adored instead of lusted after by men. Offering a male perspective, Lamar's verse points out just how far some will go for sex.
Despite not having been released as an official single, "Doves" cracked the Top 15 on Billboard's Hot R&B Songs chart while earning SZA one of her first platinum records.
Chosen by Black Panther director Ryan Coogler to produce the once-in-a-lifetime soundtrack album, Lamar recruited an all-star list of collaborators — including his go-to girl.
At the forefront of Lamar and SZA's dreamy, radio-friendly single "All the Stars" is a celebration of Black beauty, pride and humanity. A defiant K-Dot spits verses about chasing success without selling out, while SZA brings it home with the powerful "All the stars are closer" refrain (a nod to the film's ancestral theme) over thumping, euphoric production.
Solidifying SZA and Lamar's power as a duo, "All the Stars" remains their biggest duet to date in both accolades and streaming success. Along with earning four nominations at the 2019 GRAMMYs — including Record Of The Year and Song Of The Year — "All the Stars" scored nods for Best Original Song at the Golden Globes and the Oscars that same year. And as of press time, it has more than 2.2 billion streams on Spotify alone.
Based around Luther Vandross and Cheryl Lynn's ethereal "If This World Were Mine" duet from 1982, Lamar's "Luther" is a far cry from the overall aggressive tone of his GNX album.
"Luther" tells a modern-day love story in which Lamar raps about his desire to create the best world imaginable for his lady. Meanwhile, SZA's soaring vocals bring levity to lyrics that otherwise convey a sense of lost hope.
While "All the Stars" may win in streaming numbers (for now), "Luther" achieved yet another feat for the winning pair: their first No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. Reigning for eight weeks as of press time — the longest run for both artists — "Luther" proves that their synergy is only continuing to grow and flourish.
Closing out Lamar's GNX album, "Gloria" encapsulates the rapper's dedication to his penmanship. SZA's vocal contributions add an extra layer of depth with her interlude acting as a metaphor for Lamar's pen.
"Gloria" is also on the same album as the massive hit "Luther," marking the first time Lamar and SZA had two tracks together on the same project — and hinting that they're far from through with making music together.
SZA's GRAMMY-winning SOS album didn't feature Lamar across its 23 tracks, but she reconnected with the rapper on its deluxe edition, LANA. Seemingly a continuation of the SOS track "Smoking on My Ex Pack," the braggadocious "30 for 30" takes a similar approach — armed with assertive lyrics and a sample of Switch's classic "I Call Your Name" for good measure. "Ain't crackin' a smile for none of these b—es," she declares in the chorus.
K-Dot goes even harder on his verse: "You f— with n— that's thinkin' they cuter than you, oh/ Say you on your cycle, but he on his period too, oh," he raps. "The tables been turnin' so much, I was thinkin' it's foosball/ The tenderness of 'em, mistakin' 'em for some wagyu, oh."
While "Babylon" signaled the start of a longstanding musical relationship between SZA and Lamar, the first time fans ever heard their worlds collide was at the 2013 American Music Awards. The rapper performed "Poetic Justice" and "Swimming Pools (Drank)" off his Good Kid, M.A.A.D City album with SZA — who had signed with Top Dawg Entertainment three months earlier — lending her background vocals.
Before SZA took off on her own, Lamar also brought her out at MetLife Stadium where they performed "Bitch, Don't Kill My Vibe" as part of his headlining set at Hot 97's Summer Jam in June 2015. And just as her star was beginning to rise, SZA popped up at the last L.A. show on Lamar's 2017 DAMN. Tour, where they sang her first hit with Travis Scott, "Love Galore."
SZA returned the favor by having Lamar as a guest during her Coachella debut in 2016. Two years later, they hit the Coachella stage again for a stellar rendition of "Doves in the Wind" followed by their first performance of "All the Stars." That same year, they toured together as part of TDE's The Championship Tour, where they performed "All the Stars" every night.
In early December, SZA and Lamar announced their joint stadium tour and then two months later, they joined forces on their biggest stage yet at the Super Bowl. Delivering snippets of "All the Stars" and "Luther," they hinted what's to come with their joint tour: awe-inspiring performances accented by a mutual love and respect, all of which has made them one of music's most beloved pairs.