SZA Calls Kendrick Lamar a ‘Wizard,’ Hints at ‘Insane’ Tour Plans

"Wizards tend to be solitary beings from my observation," SZA told Jimmy Kimmel.

SZA appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live! on Tuesday night (March 12), where she shared details about her upcoming Grand National Tour with Kendrick Lamar, her excitement about appearing on Sesame Street, and skillfully sidestepped a question about Drake.

When Kimmel asked if the tour would resemble their Super Bowl LVIII halftime performance, SZA hinted that fans should expect something fresh. “Oh, we’re doing a new thing,” she said. “We’re throwing all the paint at the wall… It’s our first stadium tour, so we have to go all out.”

Although she and Lamar are co-headliners, SZA suggested that the Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers rapper operates in his own unique way. “Well, he’s a wizard, so that’s different,” she said. “Wizards tend to be solitary beings… I think he’s doing the Merlin thing backstage, getting us ready to take off.”

Kimmel also brought up their upcoming Toronto stop, slyly referencing Drake without saying his name. “But what if you-know-who shows up?” he asked. SZA simply shrugged and replied, “Who knows? Who knows?” Kimmel then joked that Kendrick could “wave his wand, and he will disappear,” to which SZA laughed, saying, “That’s what he’s the man behind the curtain.”

Aside from the tour, SZA shared her excitement about fulfilling a childhood dream—appearing on Sesame Street. She joked that it was “the most intense room of celebrities” she had ever been in, name-dropping Elmo, Big Bird, Oscar the Grouch, and Cookie Monster. When Kimmel asked about Cookie Monster’s communication skills, she playfully noted his “terrible diction and alliteration,” but praised his enthusiasm.

Reflecting on the experience, SZA said, “It was like a true indicator that I’ve made it. Shout out to the Super Bowl, but Sesame Street…”

The Grand National Tour begins on April 19 in Minneapolis, with stops across North America before heading overseas.