Top Dawg Entertainment (TDE) hosted the 11th annual Christmas Concert and Toy Drive event this past week at the Nickerson Gardens in Los Angeles, California. The two-day event marked the 20th anniversary of the renowned hip hop record label, founded by Anthony “Top Dawg” Tiffith. The TDE Christmas concert brought the holiday cheer to the Watts community with appearances from special guests SZA, Doechii, Jay Rock, and local native Kendrick Lamar.

The two-day celebration kicked off on Thursday, December 12 with a star-studded charity concert. Those who attended were granted entry after donating a toy or clothing for local Watts families. Following the first portion of the concert, which included a lineup of local Los Angeles talent, Top Dawg was honored with the Key to the City of Watts.

Despite several delays, gloomy weather, and risks of cancelation, the concert carried on with the main performances kicking off with Devin Malik, Zacari, Ray Vaughn, SiR, and Isaiah Rashad with a surprise appearance from Lefty Gunplay. Just as the crowd grew tired of the constant delays, as security was repeatedly called to escort people off the stage, resulting in near unison grunts and chants of “get off the stage” from the audience, the DJ played a set to warm up the crowd for TDE’s headliners.

Photo Credit: Conny Chavez

The crowd erupted as SZA took the stage to perform “Snooze” and “Kill Bill.” The energy escalated as Kendrick Lamar walked on stage to perform his 2017 hit “Humble” and GNX favorite “Squabble Up.” This was the track’s live debut. The rapper spent most of his time on stage dancing with local children. Soon after special guest GloRilla made an appearance to perform “TGIF.”  Following her anthem, GloRilla introduced Grammy-nominee Doechii who performed “BOOM BAP,” “NISSAN ALTIMA,” and “What It Is.”

Jay Rock closed up the star-studded lineup with a homecoming performance. The hometown rapper opened his set with his verse on Kendrick Lamar’s “Money Trees.” The night officially closed out with everyone singing along to Kendrick Lamar’s chart-topping anthem “Not Like Us.”

Day two, Friday, December 13, focused on the Community Giveback Day. TDE continued the festivities with a small family-friendly fair that included toy giveaways, raffles, carnival attractions, and more. Adults also benefited from a job fair hosted in collaboration with the Los Angeles Rams and Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles.

The Christmas Concert held several hiccups and challenges throughout the day, but persisted in leaving a positive experience for the Watts community. It’s not everyday that Grammy-winning artists give free performances. TDE’s annual holiday tradition embodies their commitment to uplifting communities in Los Angeles.