Key Takeaways
- This feature celebrates ComplexCon’s 10-year anniversary by revisiting the festival’s 10 best performances.
- Highlights include Chief Keef performing Finally Rich in full, Snoop Dogg replacing Kanye West at the inaugural event, and Playboi Carti leading an Opium takeover in Las Vegas.
- The decade-spanning list also covers landmark sets from Juice WRLD, Pharrell, Nigo, A$AP Rocky, Travis Scott, Kid Cudi, and the No Limit–Cash Money VERZUZ.
Ten years flies when you're having fun, and there aren't many events as fun as ComplexCon.
The 10-year anniversary of ComplexCon—which is making its return to Los Angeles—is just weeks away, and we've been running through some of the most memorable moments in the festival's decade-long history. Whether it's sneaker drops or the best streetwear releases, there have been countless moments at what typically is the festival event of the year.
An essential part of the festival that sometimes gets overlooked: the music. Over the last 10 years, there have been numerous performances—Kid Cudi, Travis Scott, Pharrell, Future, Playboi Carti—a who's who of the biggest names of the decade have hit the stage. This year is no different; the festival will be an Opium takeover. Not only is Carti helping creatively direct the festival—alongside Hiroshi Fujiwara—but he will also be the closing night performer. Ken Carson, HXG, and ApolloRed1 will headline day one on October 3, while Carti, Destroy Lonely, and producer Filthy will take over day two, October 4.
With ComplexCon tickets now on sale, let's take a look back down memory lane. Here are the 10 best performances in ComplexCon history.
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Chief Keef Performs Finally Rich in Full
Year: 2016
It usually takes years for an artist to do a show dedicated to whatever their magnum opus was. Chief Keef was 21 when he came to ComplexCon and performed his classic debut Finally Rich on the Pigeons & Planes stage. The performance was a masterclass from the Chicago rapper, featuring everything from Jordan Gilty doing his iconic "Love Sosa" monologue to Lil Yachty getting absolutely lit on stage.
Snoop Dogg Saves the Day
Year: 2016
After Kanye West was a last-minute scratch for the first-ever ComplexCon, a hometown hero pulled up to save the day. At the very last minute, Snoop Dogg performed in Long Beach. The best part? It was free, open to anyone—even those who didn't have a ComplexCon pass.
Playboi Carti Brings the Rage to Vegas
Year: 2024
Opium is just weeks away from taking over ComplexCon. But real heads know that rap's most dangerous label had a mini version of this in Vegas. Opium hit the stage on the first day of ComplexCon 2024, setting things up for Carti, who was the night's closer.
This was months before MUSIC, so the setlist was mostly based around the leaks that dropped at the top of 2024. But Carti did have time to debut a new song, the still-unreleased "What's My Name?"
Juice WRLD is Crowned in Chicago
Year: 2019
In year four of ComplexCon, the festival expanded its reach to the Midwest, pulling up to Chicago and taking over the city for a weekend. It was a busy weekend for Juice WRLD, who had just released his No. 1 album Death Race for Love. Not only did he appear on Hot Ones live on stage, but he also performed on the Pigeons & Planes stage. It's a moment so iconic that the outfit he wore that day—a black Versace denim jacket, a Louis Vuitton backpack, and a pair of red-dipped Maison Margiela sneakers—was later auctioned off. (The bag alone went for $10K.)
Pharrell Parties on Stage With Lil Uzi Vert, Migos and 2 Chainz
Year: 2017
Pharrell was the big draw of ComplexCon in 2017. That year saw the return of N.E.R.D, who plugged in the aux and debuted their new album, No One Ever Really Dies. That wasn't the best Pharrell moment of the night, though. On the final night, P—rocking orange hair—hit the stage, bringing along Lil Uzi Vert, 2 Chainz, and Migos.
Nigo Pulls Up With His Friends
Year: 2022
Nigo, coming off the success of his I Know NIGO! compilation album, gave fans a one-of-one experience in 2022. The Bathing Ape founder showed off his powerful rolodex: he had Pusha-T and Malice reunite as Clipse, had Lil Uzi Vert do "I Wanna Rock" while rocking a jheri curl, and brought out Teriyaki Boyz for their first-ever U.S. performance.
A$AP Rocky Celebrates 10 Years of Long. Live. ASAP
Year: 2021
"If you grew up on this shit, we're about to have a motherfucking good time… We're going down memory lane. Let's go through this album."
This was how A$AP Rocky started his festival-closing set. Rocky was faithful to his classic debut, running down the album mostly in order, while inviting friends like A$AP Ferg and the rest of the A$AP Mob. What made this performance cool was that, in between songs, he would tell little stories (like being on tour with Drake) before going on to the next song.
Travis Scott Brings ‘Birds in the Trap Sing McKnight’ to ComplexCon
Year: 2016
During the inaugural ComplexCon, Travis Scott shut down the stage, running through his classic Birds in the Trap Sing McKnight album, which had dropped only a couple of months prior. If anything, the performance solidified Travis as the next big star in rap. It made his 2024 return—when he headlined and closed out the festival—feel full circle.
No Limit VERZUZ Cash Money Becomes an Instant Classic
Year: 2025
Despite the fact that Lil Wayne would not pull up, No Limit and Cash Money's VERZUZ was one of the greatest in the series' history. The matchup featured two rival crews who had enough classics to fill an arena. And the faceoff held up to VERZUZ's legacy, bringing the series back in style. Cash Money was the favorite, but No Limit would take the square off, with Snoop Dogg showing up for "Down for My Niggaz" as the highlight of the night.
