KENDRICK Lamar was allegedly blocked from performing at the FireAid concert that took place just before the Super Bowl due to his contract with the NFL, The U.S. Sun can exclusively reveal.
On Thursday, FireAid put on a star-studded benefit concert at venues just down the street from where the rapper was born and raised to raise money for the victims of the Los Angeles wildfires.
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Some of the top musicians in the world – many from the LA area – joined forces to raise millions of dollars for those impacted by the devastating infernos.
The music gathering took place at two venues in Inglewood, CA – the Intuit Dome and the Kia Forum.
Many were hoping that Kendrick, 37, would have joined the lineup as he is considered a “hometown hero” growing up just down the street from the concert in Compton, CA.
According to an insider, the Not Like Us lyricist was one of the “first names that came to mind” when putting together the lineup – noting he was even “perhaps the top name most people wanted.”
READ MORE ON FIREAID CONCERT
“He grew up a stone’s throw from this venue, literally right down the street, so everyone knows his presence would have made a big impact to those here.
“Everyone wanted him to be a part of tonight, he didn’t say no though. He also wanted to be included.
“His Super Bowl contract doesn’t allow him to play a show this close to the game, they essentially have him on lockdown until that Sunday.
“Not only that but he needs to rehearse and keep his focus so everyone understands and he sends his love and we send it back.
“But it is disappointing to not have the hometown hero here,” the source claimed.
The U.S. Sun has reached out to reps for the NFL for comment.
On Sunday, February 9th, Kendrick will be performing the prestigious Super Bowl Halftime show in New Orleans, LA as the Kansas City Chiefs take on the Philadelphia Eagles.
Though Kendrick wasn’t able to attend the benefit show, the NFL announced an exclusive Halftime Collection that will help those impacted by the California fires.
Alongside photos from the drop, they wrote: “From the big stage to you. The @kendricklamar Halftime Collection is available now on nflshop.com and fanatics.com.
“The NFL does not retain any profits from the sale of the Kendrick Lamar Super Bowl LIX Products. Charitable contributions are awarded by the NFL Foundation to the American Red Cross to support those impacted by the California wildfires.”
Among the items included in the collection are t-shirts, basketball shorts, and hoodies that say “Foot Up On The Gas But Somebody Gotta Do It,” a lyric from his song TV Off.
Last night, many of the biggest stars in music joined together to put on a night of showstopping entertainment and raising money for a good cause.
Some of the A-listers that performed included: Gwen Stefani, Lady Gaga, Stevie Nicks, Katy Perry, Billie Eillish, Dr. Dre, Olivia Rodrigo, Green Day, Earth, Wind and Fire, Joni Mitchell and the Red Hot Chili Peppers.
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Some of the musicians performed at the Intuit Dome, the home of the Los Angeles Clippers, while others sang at the Kia Forum just down the street.
In between acts, victims of the tragic fires and first responders who worked tirelessly to put out the flames went on stage to share their stories.
The concert was live-streamed around the world, racking in millions of dollars of donations which are being matched by Steve Ballmer – owner of the Los Angeles Clippers and their venue The Intuit Dome.
According to event organizers, over $60m was raised before the day of the show with millions more expected to trickle in following the concert.
The first big personal contribution of the night came from U2 – who pledged $1m towards wildfire relief.
If you would like to donate to those impacted by the California wildfires, both short-term and long-term, you can do so by clicking here to be directed to the FireAid site.
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