NEWS
Even StubHub wants to get in on the Kendrick Lamar and Drake beef. StubHub revealed that ticket spiked on Thursday afternoon (June 12) for Kendrick Lamar's Grand National Tour at Toronto's Rogers Centre. In a X post, the company announced that Kendrick's tour has made Toronto one of the top five best-selling cities. The new record was based on total ticket sold.
The Toronto stop was always an anticipated show because of Kendrick Lamar's 2024 rap battle with hometown hero Drake. The two exchanged chart-topping diss tracks towards each other, including "Euphoria," "Family Matters," and "Not Like Us." Lamar would release the GNX album at the end of the year.
Kendrick's Toronto stop on the tour includes a two-night event co-headlined by SZA. The new Toronto record follows Wednesday's announcement of the Grand National Tour headed to Australia this summer. Kendrick Lamar has broken concert attendance records cities across the nation, including Dallas, Los Angeles, and Seattle.
Kendrick Lamar’s Grand National Tour has shattered several historic records, solidifying his status as a dominant force in hip-hop and live music. The tour’s Minneapolis opener set a new benchmark as the highest-grossing hip-hop concert of all time, pulling in over $9 million from more than 47,000 fans. In Atlanta, he and SZA drew a massive 45,000 attendees at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, setting a single-night hip-hop stadium attendance record, even as Pearl Jam played across town.
Streaming numbers mirrored the tour’s explosive impact. Lamar became the first rapper in history to surpass 100 million monthly Spotify listeners, joining the elite ranks of global pop icons. His album GNX also broke records, debuting with over 44 million first-day streams on Spotify and notching the largest opening streaming week for a hip-hop or R&B release in 2024.
Spanning 21 stadiums across North America between April and June 2025, the tour added extra shows in Los Angeles and Toronto due to overwhelming demand. The Grand National Tour isn’t just a concert series—it’s a cultural moment. With unmatched scale and reach, it redefines what's possible for hip-hop artists on a global stage.
NEWS
Zayn Malik said he truly enjoyed returning to a “pop” sound for his collaboration with BLACKPINK member Jisoo on their track “Eyes Closed.”
The former One Direction singer recently joined her on the ballad and called it a major “honour” to work with someone he considers one of the leading voices “owning that genre” right now.
Speaking while hosting a special hour on BBC Radio 1, he said, “I have drifted away from the pop sound for a bit, so coming back to it with the people who are basically owning that genre at the minute was an honour.”
He added, “If I can say thanks to Jisoo, I am really happy with the way it turned out.”
Zayn also shared that his “cool collaborator” helped him score some serious dad points with his five year old daughter Khai, whom he shares with his former partner, Gigi Hadid.
He wrote on Instagram while posting promo photos from the release, “@sooyaaa__ Jisoo.. you’re an absolute legend, loved every part of this collaboration, thank you for making me the coolest dad around.”
Jisoo replied, “You already are.”
Although he stepped back into pop for “Eyes Closed,” Zayn recently revealed that his next album incorporates influences from Indian music.
The “Pillowtalk” singer confirmed that his fifth studio album will arrive next year and hinted that it will carry a similar spirit to his chart topping 2016 solo debut Mind of Mine.
Zayn was quoted by The Sun’s Bizarre column during a livestream saying, “The next album is soon.”
“I have been working on some cool s*** in South Asian music and bringing those influences into my music as well.”
“It is like pop, R+B, and a lot of Indian influences. The record is like a continuation of Mind of Mine in that sense. I might have some songs coming out in Urdu, too.”
