Kendrick Lamar recently shared insights into his concert film, Live from Paris: The Big Steppers Tour, highlighting the unique significance of filming in the French capital. The acclaimed rapper live-streamed his October 2022 tour stop in Paris on Twitch, later releasing the director’s cut on Amazon Prime Video in the subsequent month.
The sold-out Paris concert, a part of his extensive Big Steppers world tour, coincided with the 10-year anniversary of his major label debut, “good kid, m.A.A.d city.” During a recent discussion with Brandon “Jinx” Jenkins at an intimate screening and Q&A session in New York City on December 12, Kendrick explained the choice of filming in Paris over his hometown of L.A. with a humorous touch, stating, “N-ggas was just copying JAY-Z and Kanye [West].”
He went on to share a more sentimental reason, saying, “Nah, like Dave [Free] said, that shit holds a special place for us ’cause me and the boy who’s thuggin,’ we were on a little boat or something shooting ‘Backseat Freestyle’ and the ‘God Is Gangsta’ video.” Kendrick added a humorous note, reminiscing, “The difference for me was, I was shaking major ass, man. I ain’t never shaken that much ass, bro! But at the same time, it’s freeing, though, ’cause that’s who I am.”
Directed by Mike Carson, Dave Free, and Mark A. Ritchie, Live from Paris: The Big Steppers Tour has been nominated for Best Music Film at the 66th Annual Grammy Awards scheduled for February 4, 2024. The film faces stiff competition from 2Pac’s “Dear Mama” docuseries, David Bowie’s “Moonage Daydream,” Little Richard’s “I Am Everything,” and Lewis Capaldi’s “How I’m Feeling Now.”
Kendrick Lamar is also in contention for two additional Grammy Awards: Best Rap Performance for “The Hillbillies” with Baby Keem and Best Music Video for “Count Me Out.” Reflecting on the Paris experience, Kendrick fondly recalled, “We was thuggin’ around that muthafucka like 2012, 2014. That was like a second home, just shooting shit, just getting material. So to go back and shoot on the anniversary of ‘good kid,’ that’s special.” Additionally, he jokingly admitted to “shaking ass” more than usual during the Paris concert, aware that he was entertaining not only the live audience but also viewers at home.
