Rap superstar Kendrick Lamar has pulled of Manchester’s Parklife festival due to a ‘scheduling conflict’.
The Good Kid, M.A.A.D City rapper was one of the support acts to headliner and fellow Los Angeles hip-hop mogul Snoop Dogg.
Today, Parklife announced Kendrick Lamar, from Compton, would no longer be in attendance, though New York rapper A$AP Rocky has kindly offered to step in.
A statement from Parklife said: “Unfortunately due to a scheduling conflict with Kendrick’s tour, he will not be able to appear at next months Parklife.
“However, the Parklife team are very excited to announce that A$AP Rocky has now confirmed to play the festival as one of only two UK festival appearances for 2014.
“We have been trying to get A$AP to play Parklife for a long long time so are made up that he’ll be joining the party on Saturday 7th June.”
Lamar has built a huge world-wide following over the last several years, and bagging ‘King Kendrick’ for Parklife was a huge coup for the festivals organisers.
Since releasing his breakthrough album Good Kid, M.A.A.D City, the 26-year-old has firmly established himself and his label stable-mates, Top Dawg Entertainment (TDE), as one of the biggest forces in hip-hop.
In August last year, Lamar made waves in the rap world with his verse on Detroit rapper, Big Sean’s track, Control.
Lamar used the song and his increased exposure to call out some of the biggest rappers in the industry, including the artist whose song he was appearing on.
In the verse Lamar proclaims himself to be ‘the king of New York’ and ‘the king of the coast’, despite coming from the West Coast – the historic rival of New York and the East Coast.
On the track he calls out several rappers including J Cole, Big KRIT, Wale, Pusha T, Meek Millz, A$AP Rocky, Drake, Big Sean, Jay Electron’, Tyler the Creator and Mac Miller.
He raps: “I got love for you all but I’m tryin’ to murder you niggas. Trying to make sure your core fans never heard of you niggas.
“They don’t want to hear not one more noun or verb from you niggas.”
The song caused a tidle-wave of retorts from a host of rappers, including Drake, who made remarks about the so-called ‘diss’ in several proceeding interviews.
Drake even made a subliminal diss to Lamar in the track, The Language, on the Toronto superstar’s third studio album, Nothing Was the Same.
Lamar hit back in October last year when he performed with on the BET Awards with his TDE stable-mates.
He rapped: “Yeah, and nothing’s been the same since they dropped Control and tucked a sensitive rapper back in his pajama clothes.
“Ha-ha, joke’s on you, high-five, I’m bulletproof. Your shots’ll never penetrate, pin a tail on a donkey, boy, you been a fake.”
2014 has been far less eventful so far for the Compton rapper as he has been hard at work on the follow up to Good Kid, M.A.A.D City, before heading out on tour.
After today’s announcement, Lamar’s fans took to Twitter to express their disappointment at ‘King Kendrick’s’ no show at Manchester Parklife festival.
Tezskii said: “Kendrick lamar won’t be at parklife due too conflicts with his tour. Hey Kendrick you’ve ruined my birthday @kendricklamar.”
Whalley said: “@kendricklamar gutted you’re not performing at #parklife. I was so hyped to see you!”
Nathan k said: “Gutted that Kendrick Lamar won’t make it to Parklife but A$AP Rocky is a good enough replacement, that Saturday line up looks brilliant!”
Disclosure, Bastille, London Grammar are also on the line-up for the popular festival, with the Foals closing the event.
Parklife takes place at Heaton Park on Saturday, June 7-8.
Image courtesy of KendrickLamarVEVO, via YouTube, with thanks.
