Kendrick Lamar swapped microphones for mountain air Friday morning (December 5) as he trekked the 1000 Steps Trail in Victoria’s Dandenong Ranges, pausing his high-profile Australian tour for a quiet second in nature after a relentless 12 months that redefined his place in Hip-Hop.

The rapper, wearing understated athletic gear, appeared comfortable as he ready for the steep rainforest climb alongside his crew. The outing marked a uncommon public second of calm for Lamar, who spent the previous 12 months on the heart of music’s most talked-about rivalry.

In 2024, Lamar’s lyrical warfare with Drake dominated headlines, culminating within the Grammy-winning diss monitor “Not Like Us,” which shortly turned a cultural flashpoint.

That feud spilled into his shock November album GNX, the place Kendrick Lamar addressed each the Drake battle and the backlash surrounding his Super Bowl halftime choice over Louisiana native Lil Wayne.

By February 2025, tensions escalated once more when Lamar used his Super Bowl efficiency to ship one other blow, performing “Not Like Us,” as Drake filed authorized complaints towards Universal music Group, which have been finally dismissed.

Drake is at the moment interesting.

According to Google Trends, Kendrick Lamar ranked second globally in 2025, forward of all Hip-Hop artists. His producers revealed he recorded practically 100 tracks for GNX, a testomony to the extreme artistic tempo he’s maintained.

Outside the sales space, Lamar has been increasing his artistic attain by means of pgLang, the corporate he co-founded with longtime collaborator Dave Free.

Their upcoming comedy movie Whitney Springs, developed with South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone, was not too long ago delayed from July 2025 to March 2026, has additionally been pushed again indefinitely.

Friday’s hike provided a uncommon breather. Kendrick Lamar smiled and chatted together with his entourage and even took a second to greet a fan who approached him on the path.

Kendrick Lamar’s Australian tour continues with back-to-back exhibits in Sydney on December 10 and 11, adopted by appearances on the Spilt Milk Festival by means of December 14.

Related