Local News

Watts Christmas concert with Kendrick Lamar, SZA and more to benefit community

By Julie Sharp

Updated on: December 12, 2024 / 6:47 PM PST / CBS LA

Kendrick Lamar, Top Dawg Entertainment bring Nickerson Gardens together for benefit concert

Imagine seeing Kendrick Lamar and SZA for the price of a new toy. That possibility is a reality Thursday afternoon, as top hip-hop and R&B artists are set to perform at a Watts benefit concert.

Gates open for the "11th Annual TDE Christmas Concert & Toy Drive + Community Giveback" event at the Nickerson Gardens Housing Projects at 11 a.m., with the main show taking the stage at 2:30 p.m.

Top Dawg Entertainment is hosting the charitable concert, and entry requires donations of unwrapped toys, to benefit Nickerson Gardens.

The full list of TDE artists includes Ab-Soul, Kendrick Lamar, SZA, ScHoolboy Q, Jay Rock, Doechii, Isaiah Rashad, SiR, Ray Vaughn, Zacari, Kal Banx and special guests.

The concert as briefly delayed because of crowd control issues.

A line wraps around the Nickerson Gardens Housing Project ahead of the 11 a.m. opening for the "11th Annual TDE Christmas Concert & Toy Drive + Community Giveback." KCALNews

Kendrick Lamar has been tapped to perform at the halftime Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans.

Events in Watts continue on Friday with family-friendly activities from noon to 5 p.m., and a job fair from 1 to 4 p.m., taking place at 11241 Compton Avenue.

Julie Sharp

Julie Sharp is a digital producer at CBS Los Angeles. She is a South Bay native and majored in print journalism at Cal State University Long Beach. Julie previously reported for the Beach Reporter, contributed to the Palos Verdes Pulse and worked as a video journalist for CBS News before joining the CBS News Los Angeles website team.