Kendrick Lamar Reflects On SZA’s Journey: “She Always Had It”

Kendrick Lamar couldn’t be more proud of SZA. The 37-year-old rapper, who is set to perform at the Super Bowl LIX halftime show on February 9, spoke about his longtime collaborator during a press conference on February 6.

Despite their busy schedules, Kendrick shared that he and SZA hadn’t had much time to reflect on their recent successes. “Everything [has] been moving fast like far as production and rehearsals and stuff, so we speak, [but] we haven’t really got a chance to settle into the moment,” he stated.

But that hasn’t stopped him from appreciating how far SZA has come. “For me personally, watching her, you know, her career and where she’s come from, it’s amazing to see,” Kendrick said. 

The Squabble Up  rapper recalled seeing her in the studio early in her career, writing song after song, sometimes throwing them away and starting over. “…She always had it, man. She always had it. And I’m just honored to be next to her talent.”

The Super Bowl performance comes just days after Kendrick’s big night at the 2025 Grammy Awards, where he took home five Grammys, including Record of the Year and Song of the Year for Not Like Us. In his acceptance speech, he gave credit to the West Coast artists who inspired him. “This is what it’s about, man,” he said, “because at the end of the day, nothing more powerful than rap music. We are the culture that’s gonna always stay here and live forever.”

Kendrick and SZA have collaborated several times before, including on All the Stars from the Black Panther soundtrack and more recently on Gloria and Luther from Kendrick’s 2024 album GNX.