Marcus Mumford Reveals Kendrick Lamar Took Off 'Almost All of His Clothes' Before Their First Conversation

Marcus Mumford recalled the wild first time he met Kendrick Lamar, revealing the rapper showed up to their backstage chat in just his underwear at Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival.

During the July 27 episode of the "SmartLess" podcast, Mumford looked back on the memorable encounter while talking to hosts Jason Bateman, Will Arnett and Sean Hayes.

"There was a message that came down from on high that Kendrick would like to see you," Mumford said. "When Kendrick calls you come, right, because he's the king."

He then described what happened when they met, revealing, "Lamar took off almost all of his clothes as I walked in. It was amazing."

Lamar has performed at Bonnaroo three times throughout his career, appearing in 2012, 2015 and 2023.

The conversation shifted after Arnett revealed that Mumford once attended a live recording of the "SmartLess" podcast in Los Angeles but never came backstage to greet the hosts.

"I vaguely remember, at the time, saying, 'I wish you had said hi,'" Arnett recalled.

He said, "Then you just mentioned it was hectic and you didn't want to say hi."

Mumford explained that he often avoided going backstage after performances, pointing to a recent encounter following comedian Tim Key's live show.

"I went and watched his show, and was about to leave and thought to myself, 'No, he knows I'm here. He helped with the tickets. It is rude to leave,'" Mumford admitted.

Per The Guardian, when asked which living person he most admired, the 39-year-old said, "Sickeningly, it’s probably my wife, because she’s a legend."

Mumford revealed that expectations around backstage visits were "culturally different" in the music industry than in Hollywood.

Bateman, meanwhile, said he considered himself a "rock and roll guy at heart" while discussing his approach to backstage visits.

He also admitted that, as an audience member, he finds it "presumptuous" to assume they would be "welcome backstage" because of their celebrity status.

"It's so arrogant. Just get the h--- out and let the people rest," Bateman said.

Mumford also joked about how some celebrity backstage interactions played out.

"It's more like, you probably want to see me because I'm really famous, so I'll bless you with my presence," Mumford replied.

The British singer then added that celebs sometimes avoided commenting directly on a performance and instead complimented something else.

Mumford quipped that they would "talk about how great the program was or the lighting."

Per Men's Health, Mumford previously spoke about making fitness a priority as his touring schedule became more demanding.

"It's become a really important part of my life," he said.

He added, "The shows require a good level of cardio," adding that he lost 30 kilos through running and strength training.