Kendrick Lamar adds ScHoolboy Q to Grand National Tour Australian dates

Kendrick Lamar adds ScHoolboy Q to Grand National Tour

Kendrick Lamar and SZA have created one of the most historic live music events in recent memory. The Grand National Tour kicked off earlier this year and has already rewritten the record books across North America and Europe. Packed stadiums, sky-high grosses, and critical acclaim make this tour not just a musical event — but a defining cultural moment.

Now, as the tour prepares to close out the year in Australia, anticipation is building with the announcement that Kendrick will be joined by longtime collaborator and fellow TDE heavyweight, ScHoolboy Q, for several key performances.

Minneapolis Launch Sets the Tone

It all began in April, when Kendrick and SZA opened the Grand National Tour in Minneapolis. That show grossed a staggering $9.125 million and drew 47,354 attendees, making Kendrick the first rapper in history to gross over $9 million in a single performance. This shattered Eminem’s prior record and became the most-attended concert either artist had ever performed.

New Records in Texas

In Houston, the duo outdid themselves with a $9.4 million gross. Days later in Dallas, they broke their own record again, pulling in $11.822 million — a new high-water mark that made Kendrick Lamar the highest-grossing Black male artist for a single live performance.

These monumental numbers reflected more than hype — they showed the demand for high-concept, emotionally intelligent hip-hop and R&B. Fans weren’t just showing up; they were showing out.

SZA’s Solo Milestone in Seattle

While Kendrick has grabbed most of the headlines, SZA had a major record of her own in Seattle. Her set there was officially named the highest-grossing concert by a female artist who debuted in the 2010s. With her SOS and Ctrl albums resonating across generations, her rise to live performance royalty is now fully cemented.

Taking It Global: Europe and Beyond

By July, the tour went international, with stops in Germany, France, England, and other European hot spots. Each show blended cinematic visuals, introspective storytelling, and massive crowd engagement. Reviews praised not just the music, but the tour’s ability to feel personal even in a stadium setting.

Australia Gets a Double Dose of Greatness: Kendrick + ScHoolboy Q

As the tour heads to Australia in December, the momentum continues — and fans there are in for something extra special. While Kendrick Lamar will headline two stadium shows in Melbourne (Dec 3) and Sydney (Dec 10), he’ll also appear at multiple Spilt Milk Festival dates across the country. And joining him for those festival performances? ScHoolboy Q.

This marks ScHoolboy Q’s first major appearance in Australia in years, and his involvement adds a whole new layer of excitement to the Grand National Tour’s final leg.

ScHoolboy Q: A Welcome Addition to the Tour

ScHoolboy Q’s participation is more than just a supporting slot — it’s a reunion of one of hip-hop’s most respected partnerships. Q and Kendrick are both founding members of the Top Dawg Entertainment (TDE) collective, and their chemistry goes back more than a decade.

While Q won’t be featured in Kendrick’s two standalone stadium dates, he will perform at the Spilt Milk Festival dates across Ballarat, Perth, Canberra, and the Gold Coast, where Kendrick is also headlining.

This unique scheduling gives fans multiple chances to catch both artists — Kendrick commanding the main stage and Q igniting the crowd with his hard-hitting catalog of tracks like THat Part, Collard Greens, Numb Numb Juice, and Man of the Year.

Why This Duo Still Works

Fans of the early 2010s remember how Kendrick and Q balanced each other musically: Kendrick with razor-sharp storytelling and social critique, and Q with blunt force energy and relentless hooks. Seeing both artists back-to-back in the same festival setting is a rare opportunity, especially outside of North America.

ScHoolboy Q’s inclusion brings three big benefits:

1. Nostalgia for TDE fans – For those who followed Black Hippy and early TDE releases, this is a full-circle moment.
2. Genre diversity – Q’s rugged, high-octane presence provides a powerful counterweight to Kendrick’s theatrical approach.
3. Fresh material – Q is rumored to be working on new music, and Australian fans might be among the first to hear it live.

Australia Dates Breakdown

For fans in Melbourne and Sydney, Kendrick’s stadium shows will offer the full cinematic experience. For those attending Spilt Milk, expect a high-powered hip-hop combo — Kendrick and Q back-to-back in a festival setting.

What to Expect from ScHoolboy Q Live

ScHoolboy Q’s stage presence is all about impact. Expect:

• Aggressive, bass-heavy bangers that energize festival crowds
• Gritty, no-frills stage production with raw charisma
• Crowd interaction and high tempo delivery
• A tracklist covering his best-known albums: Oxymoron, Blank Face LP, and CrasH Talk

He doesn’t need lasers or backup dancers to leave an impression — just a mic and a crowd that knows every word.

What This Tour Teaches the Industry

The Grand National Tour is a masterclass in modern touring:

• High production meets deep meaning – The shows look amazing, but the messages hit even harder.
• Multi-format strategy – Stadiums for spectacle, festivals for connection. Artists benefit from reaching audiences in different ways.
• Legacy collaboration – Kendrick, SZA, and ScHoolboy Q show that staying connected to your creative roots pays dividends for fan loyalty.

The Grand National Tour has become a blueprint for how live music can be meaningful, lucrative, and unforgettable. With record-setting grosses in cities like Minneapolis, Houston, and Dallas, plus emotional highs in Seattle and Europe, Kendrick Lamar and SZA have reminded the world that artistry and ambition can co-exist.

Now, as Australia prepares for the tour’s final stretch, the addition of ScHoolboy Q gives fans another reason to celebrate. Whether you’re catching a cinematic Kendrick performance in Melbourne or losing your mind in a mosh pit with Q at Spilt Milk, you’re part of a tour that’s making history.