The Who's Who of ComplexCon 2018

complexcon-2018-talent

Multi-hypehnate Jaden Smith truly needs no introduction. From starring in talked-about TV series (Netflix's The Get Down) or films (2018's Skate Kitchen) to dropping his debut album, Syre, in 2017 (then reworking it this year) to bringing his Just Water spring water company to the U.K., Jaden's truly done it all in the last few years. At ComplexCon, Jaden will join civil rights activist DeRay Mckesson and Alencia Johnson (director of public engagement at the Planned Parenthood Federation of America and the Planned Parenthood Action Fund) for our special "Growth out of Chaos" panel. This discussion will center on how youth culture is reacting to the ills of the Trump era. Instead of grumbling, this necessary talk will highlight how the youth are making an impact that, hopefully, will make this world a better place for their children and grandchildren. We can't think of a better young creative to engage in this conversation than Jaden. —khal

If one idea defines Ronnie Fieg's business, it's this: Product comes first. He has collaborated with everyone from Clarks to Coca-Cola to Nike, producing premium goods. As his profile has grown, so too has that of his brand, Kith, with its retail footprint expanding to more and more stores. But Fieg's approach to collaboration has stayed consistent: create something that he likes that will stand the test of time. And that's what he's continued to do, whether it's track pants, a pair of suede ASICS, or soft-serve ice cream. At ComplexCon, Fieg will be part of “Disrupting the Future: How Collaboration Propels Culture.” What better person to hear that advice from? —Matt Welty

Vince Staples will be right at home on the ComplexCon stage. The Long Beach native will co-headline the event, alongside Future and Rae Sremmurd. A sharp-tongued lyricist and a quick-witted jokester, Staples is known for his signature cynicism, which colors everything he says, tweets—and raps. He has been lacing the world with some of hip-hop's most interesting and sobering rhymes since he first stepped into the spotlight in late 2011, with his debut project, Shyne Coldchain Vol. 1. Since then, Staples has dropped project after project, from Stolen Youth to Summertime '06 to Big Fish Theory, all of which reveal his laser-like focus on elevating his bars and staying true to himself and Long Beach. —Kiana Fitzgerald

Virgil Abloh has emerged as one of the biggest names in fashion. In the last year alone, he has expanded his Off-White business and was named men's artistic director of Louis Vuitton, succeeding Kim Jones. He's a busy guy, but for the third year in a row, he'll be bringing something special to ComplexCon. On Sunday, Nov. 4, he'll be spotlighting up-and coming talent and hosting a panel titled "The Next Generation of Design as Seen by Virgil Abloh." He hand-selected a group of rising talent, including (B).Stroy and Ev Bravado, to talk to them about their respective brands, fashion's landscape today, and more. Pretty à propos for his motto: "The youth will always win." —Karizza Sanchez

Issa Rae is a visionary in the making. The creator and star of HBO's wildly popular dramedy series Insecure got her start on YouTube, with her web series, The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl. After making moves from the digital screen to the TV screen—and, soon, the silver screen—Rae will join director Karena Evans, Everyday Struggle co-host Nadeska Alexis, and writer-producer-actor Lena Waithe in a conversation about "Women Behind the Lens." The panel, moderated by Jemele Hill, will explore how these female creatives navigate their respective environments in the entertainment industry and focus on preparing the next generation of innovative women for similar paths. —Kiana Fitzgerald

It’s been five months since Lil Baby rapped, "Wah wah wah, bitch, I'm the baby," on "Yes Indeed" with Drake. Since then, the Atlanta rapper has positioned himself as one of the most exciting breakthrough artists of the year. But it didn’t happen overnight. Before dropping his debut studio album, Harder Than Ever, in May, Lil Baby worked overtime in 2017, releasing four mixtapes. Now it's all paying off. His Drip Harder collab project with Gunna debuted at No. 4 on the Billboard 200, and their "Drip Too Hard" single became one of the biggest surprise hits of the fall. Lil Baby is heading to ComplexCon with the wind at his back and the opportunity to make another statement on a major stage. —Eric Skelton

Hailing from Chicago, Don C is kind of a big deal in sneaker culture. The creative and streetwear designer for his Just Don label is a frequent collaborator with Jordan Brand, releasing multiple iterations this year of the Jordan Legacy 312—a hybrid sneaker heavily influenced by Don C’s formative years running around the Second City. One of the culture’s most respected sneaker authorities, he'll join our "Sneaker of the Year" panel, where industry influencers will debate which pair deserves to be crowned 2018's best. —Adam Caparell

Just two weeks after dropping a surprise joint project with Juice WRLD, Future will arrive at ComplexCon with plenty of new material in his arsenal. Since releasing BEASTMODE 2 in July, he's kept fans on their toes, popping up on songs with everyone from Nicki Minaj to 6lack to Young Thug. Pairing these new songs with a stacked catalog that's been growing for a decade, the Atlanta native is quietly building one of the most impressive setlists in music. Drawing on hits like "Codeine Crazy" and "Mask Off," Future Hendrix has dozens of crowd-pleasers at his disposal. And that’s without even mentioning the moment we're most excited to witness on Sunday... "La di da di da." —Eric Skelton

Karena Evans' rise as a director has been astoundingly rapid. Not long ago, she was interning for Director X. The ambitious Canadian took that opportunity and ran with it, proving herself by shooting low-budget clips before moving on to work for people like SZA and Belly. She won the prestigious Lipsett Award this year, becoming the first woman to do so. But she is best known for the now-iconic videos she did with her countryman Drake: "God's Plan," "Nice for What," "I'm Upset," and "In My Feelings." Oh, did we mention she's only 22? Evans will be joining some other notable behind-the-scenes talent (Lena Waithe, Issa Rae, Complex's own Nadeska Alexis, and moderator Jemele Hill) on our "Women Behind the Lens" panel to discuss how female creatives navigate the entertainment industry. —Shawn Setaro

Swae Lee and Slim Jxmmi will headline Saturday night at ComplexCon on the heels of an exciting announcement. On Oct. 24, they revealed that SremmLife 4 is on the way, just months after dropping an ambitious triple album in May. With 28 songs to choose from on SR3MM (plus any SremmLife 4 material they might try out), Rae Sremmurd will treat the crowd to a wealth of new music. Of course, they also have a collection of massive hits to their name, too, including party-starting anthems like "Black Beatles," "No Type," "Swang," "No Flex Zone," and "This Could Be Us." Can't think of a better way to spend a Saturday night in Long Beach. —Eric Skelton

As far as credentials for creating a classic rap album go, No I.D. earned his stripes almost 25 years ago. But he's on a very short list of prolific producers from his era whose bona fides have continued to grow. No I.D. is an active living legend, having given us classics in the '90s, as well as a potential new one in 2017's grand JAY-Z return, 4:44. And he did it while mining an entirely new subset of skills. If there's anyone you should want to soak up knowledge from about making greatness that lasts in an industry with ever-shifting tectonics, Dion is that guy. Alongside a fellow veteran on the other side of the booth, Raekwon, longtime Roc-A-Fella engineer Young Guru, and increasingly prolific A&R Sickamore, all aspects of the album-making process will be represented on our "New God Flow" panel, by guys who know about timelessness, longevity, and pushing the genre forward. —Frazier Tharpe