Fat Joe has dubbed Kendrick Lamar and SZA as the next Ja Rule and Ashanti.
The rap legend believes the regular collaborators – who have released tracks such as 2017’s ‘Doves in the Wind’ and December’s ’30 For 30′ from SZA’s reissue of ‘SOS’ (‘LANA’), as well ‘Luther’ and ‘Gloria’ on Kendrick’s latest LP ‘GNX’ – are the “greatest duo of all time” like the noughties hip-hop and R’n’B stars.
Speaking on his podcast ‘Joe and Jada’, he said of the pair: “What you don’t know is that they’re going to be best friends and all that forever. Right now, they got about six or seven songs. They are number one. They could take the spot, 100 percent. They are fire together. I’m just saying if it ever gets rocky… [If it doesn’t] then they’re going to take the slot.”
He added: “They’re on their way. They call Ja and Ashanti the greatest duo of all time, I’m just saying SZA and Kendrick are solo artists.”
SZA recently said she wants to do a full album with the “genius” Kendrick.
Speaking on ‘Sherri’, the artist – whose real name is Solána Rowe – said: “I would love that.
“I think that would be amazing. He’s such a genius. And a part of his genius is like him being so elusive and so mysterious and I love it.”
When it came to ‘GNX’, SZA had no idea what tracks her vocals would end up on, but she did approve her takes.
She explained: “I don’t know what’s going on as much as you don’t know what’s going on.
“When ‘Luther’ came out, I said, ‘OK, that’s the vocals we’re using, period.’ Same with ‘Gloria.’ I said, ‘OK.'”
SZA feels like she is “thrust into the spotlight” whenever she works with Kendrick, but praised the star for remaining “grounded”.
She continued: “That’s also part of the fumbling and finding.
“He’s a huge part of my fumbling and finding era because I’m trusting his expertise and being thrust into these moments and spotlight and saying yes. He’s so good at saying yes, but staying grounded. So I’m just like, ‘Teach me, sensei, what you know.'”
The pair hit the road for their ‘Grand National Tour’ in April, with the run set to conclude August 9.
After wowing at the Super Bowl Halftime Show in New Orleans in February, the collaborators will be bringing their ‘Grand National Tour’ to Glasgow, Birmingham, London and Cardiff in July.
The UK run will begin on July 8 at Glasgow’s Hampden Park and wrap at London’s Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on July 22.