Kendrick Lamar touches down in Dunedin for his New Zealand tour

16:34, Jul 17 2018
Kendrick Lamar performing in Canada in 2017.
AMY HARRIS/AP
Kendrick Lamar performing in Canada in 2017.

Kendrick Lamar is in the country.

The Pulitzer Prize-winning artist is believed to have landed in Dunedin about 2.30pm on Tuesday, flying in via Auckland, for his first show in New Zealand

The jet believed to be Lamar's was followed by a larger plane, possibly with gear and crew. 

The possible Lamar jet and a larger gear plane in Dunedin on Tuesday.
HAMISH MCNEILLY
The possible Lamar jet and a larger gear plane in Dunedin on Tuesday.

Fans were queuing for the show from 7am as gear and entourage arrived.

READ MORE:
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* Kendrick Lamar wins Pulitzer Prize for music
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* Review: Ed Sheeran raises the roof at DunEDin's Forsyth Barr Stadium*

Thousands of fans will watch Lamar perform under the roof at Forsyth Barr Stadium on Tuesday night.

The 16,000 sized crowd for the Dunedin show would make it the largest of his DAMN tour downunder, with tickets still available for the Dunedin and Auckland shows.

But remember that time with Dunedin over sharing on all things Ed Sheeran, after the pop singer played three concerts in the city?

A black car believed to be carrying Kendrick Lamar and entourage left the airport shortly after the jet arrived.
HAMISH MCNEILLY
A black car believed to be carrying Kendrick Lamar and entourage left the airport shortly after the jet arrived.

There was THAT mural.  The mass ukelele-jam.  Authorities closed part of the Octagon, changed Easter trading laws and dubbed the long weekend of festivities 'Paint the Town Ed'.

The Sheeran concerts attracted the equivalent of the city's 120,000 population and pumped an estimated $38 million into the local economy.

Just like the Sheeran shows, a handful of fans have queued outside the venue, some from 7am, with the temperature hovering in the single digits.

A jet believed to be carrying Kendrick Lamar landed at Duniedin airport at about 2.30pm.
HAMISH MCNEILLY/STUFF
A jet believed to be carrying Kendrick Lamar landed at Duniedin airport at about 2.30pm.

The group of fans includes high school, Otago Polytechnic and University of Otago students.

"Him just coming to Dunedin was such a shock, he is such a great artist," said one.

The eight students said they planned to get to the front of the stage as soon as the gates open at 5.30pm, and hoped to hear tracks off his fourth studio album, DAMN, including DNA and XXX.

Fans wait before the Kendrick Lamar concert at Forsyth Barr Stadium on Tuesday.
Hamish McNeilly/Stuff
Fans wait before the Kendrick Lamar concert at Forsyth Barr Stadium on Tuesday.

The 31-year-old Lamar was preceded by the arrival of two 737s, one containing the gear for the show and the other his entourage.

And while Dunedin won't roll out the official welcome mat, there are several events in the city, including a hip hop dance performance in the Octagon and a freestyle rap competition at the University of Otago food court on Tuesday from noon. 

The critically-acclaimed artist, who also won a Pulitzer Prize and 12 Grammy awards to his name, will play Auckland's Spark Arena on Thursday and Friday.

The support act for all three New Zealand shows is Californian R&B and soul artist SiR.