Published on: October 5, 2024, 03:05h.
Last updated on: October 5, 2024, 03:05h.
ComplexCon is set to arrive in Las Vegas. This yearly gathering of urban music, streetwear, art, and sports is anticipated to attract 60,000 young attendees to the Las Vegas Convention Center’s West Hall on November 16 and 17. This falls right before the F1 Las Vegas Grand Prix.
Rapper Travis Scott will be the main act at the convention, closing out the event with a performance on Sunday night while also taking on the role of artistic director.
ComplexCon is an extension of Complex, a New York-based youth culture brand established in 2002 by Marc Ecko as a bi-monthly hip-hop fashion magazine. The company became a joint venture of Verizon and Hearst in 2016, coinciding with its first convention at the Long Beach Convention Center.
So Long, Beach!
Traditionally held in Long Beach each year, ComplexCon has ventured to Chicago in 2019 and Hong Kong in March. However, the event’s debut in Las Vegas will greatly increase its size. This year, it will cover over 1 million square feet of convention-center space with brands, activations, product launches, and unique experiences.
Known for exclusive sneaker releases from Nike and Adidas, ComplexCon also showcases appearances by young celebrities at the crossroads of music and streetwear like designer/DJ Nigö, rapper/producer/designer Kid Cudi, and musician/producer/designer Hiroshi Fujiwara.
This year, Scott will unveil CactusCon, a dedicated area on the convention floor for his apparel brand, Cactus Jack.
“Travis Scott was instrumental in the first ComplexCon, and we are thrilled to have him return with an expanded role as the Sunday night headliner,” stated Complex CEO Aaron Levant. “Travis Scott embodies this generation of Complex fans, and we are excited to collaborate with him in our new home in Las Vegas.”
In 2021, Complex was acquired by Buzzfeed Inc., then sold to current owner NTWRK, the live-video shopping platform, for $108 million. Complex’s annual revenue was estimated at $200 million in 2019.
Food will also be a highlight at this year’s convention as Complex recently acquired the annual Family Style Food Festival, a similar mix of streetwear and urban youth culture showcasing young chefs, their startup restaurants, and merchandise.
While the lineup for panel sessions at ComplexCon has not been disclosed yet, past discussions have featured the likes of Kobe Bryant, Lil’ Kim, and Kendrick Lamar.
The inaugural Las Vegas convention will commence with a celebrity golf tournament at Wynn Las Vegas.
Passes for ComplexCon start at $150 for a day and are available for purchase here.