Kendrick Lamar swapped microphones for mountain air Friday morning (December 5) as he trekked the 1000 Steps Trail in Victoria’s Dandenong Ranges, pausing his high-profile Australian tour for a quiet moment in nature after a relentless year that redefined his place in Hip-Hop.

The rapper, dressed in understated athletic gear, appeared at ease as he prepared for the steep rainforest climb alongside his crew. The outing marked a rare public moment of calm for Lamar, who spent the past year at the center of music’s most talked-about rivalry.

In 2024, Lamar’s lyrical war with Drake dominated headlines, culminating in the Grammy-winning diss track “Not Like Us,” which quickly became a cultural flashpoint.

That feud spilled into his surprise November album GNX, where Kendrick Lamar addressed both the Drake conflict and the backlash surrounding his Super Bowl halftime selection over Louisiana native Lil Wayne.

By February 2025, tensions escalated again when Lamar used his Super Bowl performance to deliver another blow, performing “Not Like Us,” as Drake filed legal complaints against Universal Music Group, which were ultimately dismissed.

Drake is currently appealing.

According to Google Trends, Kendrick Lamar ranked second globally in 2025, ahead of all Hip-Hop artists. His producers revealed he recorded nearly 100 tracks for GNX, a testament to the intense creative pace he’s maintained.

Outside the booth, Lamar has been expanding his creative reach through pgLang, the company he co-founded with longtime collaborator Dave Free.

Their upcoming comedy film Whitney Springs, developed with South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone, was recently delayed from July 2025 to March 2026, has also been pushed back indefinitely.

Friday’s hike offered a rare breather. Kendrick Lamar smiled and chatted with his entourage and even took a moment to greet a fan who approached him on the trail.

Kendrick Lamar’s Australian tour continues with back-to-back shows in Sydney on December 10 and 11, followed by appearances at the Spilt Milk Festival through December 14.