Black Friday Festival features Kendrick Lamar on Nov. 23

By Michael Hamersly 11/9/2012

It seems like there’s always some up-and-coming rapper who’s the “next Tupac” or the “new Snoop.” But this time the hype is for real: Kendrick Lamar, a member of the hip-hop supergroup Black Hippy, seems to represent the natural evolution of Tupac’s soul. And it feels like destiny: When he was 8, he watched his idols Tupac and super-producer Dr. Dre film the video for their hit “California Love.”

Eight years later, the Compton MC dropped his first mixtape, “Youngest Head N---- in Charge,” which landed him a record deal with Top Dawg. Lamar’s star was rising such that even before he released his major-label debut on Interscope Records last month (“good kid, m.A.A.d. City,” which hit No. 2 on the Billboard charts in its first week), he had already worked with heavyweights including Dr. Dre, Drake, The Game, Rick Ross, Pharrell Williams, Young Jeezy, Lil Wayne – even Lady Gaga.

Catch Lamar’s unique style (his voice sounds as though he’s just inhaled a massive lungful of smoke, and XXL Magazine called him “fearless and brilliant”) as he headlines the inaugural Black Friday Festival kicking off at 5 p.m. Nov. 23 at Sunset Cove Amphitheater in Boca Raton (12551 Glades Road). Miami Heat DJ Irie will host; other acts include Kanye West’s latest project, Pusha T; Kid Ink, making his South Florida debut; singer-songwriter Makayla Duvall; electro-pop singer Ty Sade; and many more.

The concert also represents the premiere of T-Ticket by KottonZoo, which allows people to actually wear their tickets – each T-Ticket shirt is printed with a unique ink code that’s scanned at the gate. (Very cool!)

Tickets ($30 general admission, $125 VIP) are available at www.blackfridayfestival.net; for T-Tickets ($39.99), visit www.kottonzoo.com.