Auckland City Limits headliner Kendrick Lamar sips wine on Waiheke

Kendrick Lamar enjoys a glass of wine during a visit to Waiheke. The rapper is the headliner at tomorrow's Auckland City Limits festival at Western Springs.

He could have stayed in his hotel room, practicing his rhymes for when he headlines Auckland's newest festival on Saturday night.

But Kendrick Lamar has kept himself busy since landing in the country on Wednesday, taking in the best of Auckland with a helicopter trip to Waiheke Island's Cable Bay Vineyards.

As our exclusive images show, the Compton rapper was snapped enjoying a tipple, wearing a white T-shirt and grey hoodie.

Kendrick Lamar enjoys a glass of wine during a visit to Waiheke Island.

Lamar is the headline attraction at tomorrow's Auckland City Limits, set to cap off a day of performances including Cold War Kids, Action Bronson, The National, Girl Talk and Modest Mouse at Western Springs Stadium.

Lamar released his latest album this month, a surprise release called untitled, unmastered that included offcuts from his Grammy-winning record To Pimp A Butterfly.

He performs on the Spark1 stage from 9.30-11pm.

The festival has been billed as a sort-of successor to the Big Day Out, and is modeled on the successful Austin City Limits.

It's from the former New Zealand promoter of the Big Day Out, Campbell Smith, who yesterday revealed he'd been chasing Beck as a potential second headliner but "we couldn't make it work".

As well as a day full of music, boutique food tents, pop up bars and a kids' stage are available to punters.

Kiwi acts on the bill include Maala, Broods, Naked & Famous and Fat Freddy's Drop.

Waiheke Island is a popular spot for visiting celebs, with everyone from Miley Cyrus, Pamela Anderson, Beyonce, Quentin Tarantino and Jeremy Clarkson known to have spent time there.

- nzherald.co.nz