Kendrick Lamar Channels Tupac During iHeart Radio Performance

Kendrick Lamar paid tribute to Tupac Shakur last night (May 1) at NBC’s first iHeartMusic Awards when he performed West Coast classic “California Love.” The Compton rapper opened up his performance with a short video that reflected on time he and his father witnessed the “legendary” song’s video shoot.

“It just inspired me,” said Lamar of the experience he had at 8 years old. “That’s moment I’d never forget…It began with ‘California Love.’”

With live band behind him, K. Dot revved up the crowd shouting in the memory of Tupac Shakur, "I need everybody to put one hand up right now; I need everybody to put two hands up right now." After capturing every line of Tupac’s verse with procession, he burst right into “m.A.A.d. city.”

He closed the performance by paying tribute to some of the West Coast’s other fallen artists, Easy E and Nate Dogg.

The event also featured a tribute to another music icon, Michael Jackson.

Watch Performance Below:

[via Rollingstone]