ComplexCon Day 2 | With @ashleeonair
My second day of Hypebeasting went swimmingly well in my opinion.. I knew exactly what shops I wanted to hit up, who I wanted to see and what panels I wanted to sit in on. Did I spend too much money? Of course I did. And I couldn't even help it.
Though the crowds could certainly be overwhelming, the experience is definitely worth it. We may not have given Complex enough credit for how they curated this event which is really the only event of its' kind that merges all facets of the Urban/Hip-Hop/Street Culture into one weekend.
I made sure to sit in on one panel if that was all I had the opportunity to be part of, and that was the "Women Behind the Lens" panel, moderated by Jemele Hill, featuring Lena Waithe, Issa Rae, Karena Evans, Nadeska Alexis and Yara Shahidi. What an impressive lineup just naming these powerful women!
Lena Waithe was definitely the most relatable on the panel, but all women were speaking TRUTH to my soullll!
Conclusion:
I do recommend to go to ComplexCon for any of three reasons.
1. You really enjoy street fashion, and want exclusive drops. If this is so, purchase the VIP so you can enter each day 1 hour earlier and do some stress and line free pickups before the craziness ensues. Prioritize what you want and stand in those lines LAST before the general admission doors open so you can get the most completed out of your list.
2. If you're a creative and need inspiration. Whether in music, journalism, marketing, branding, culture or creative industires; ComplexCon featured some of the dopest activations I've ever seen from brands. And some brands really surprised me with their innovation and designed experiences. Just being in that atmosphere left me inspired and motivated to create more dope content and moments for my own personal brand and our stations.
3. To gain knowledge. I can tell you from experience, even if you are a creative and you're not always surrounded by creative minds; it does WONDERS just to be in the environment of other equally creative people and to bounce off ideas and build. Whether the panels, the experiences, or even just the people you may randomly bump into or stand next to in line; the ambience is the most valuable asset to this convention.
Here are just a few pics or videos I caught on my trip! And shoutout to my SHOOTER Sam Hernandez, @korupt_sam on Instagram and Twitter! We VIBE!
YG had this superrrrrrr dope "400 Swap Meet" where you could get plain tees spray painted or take a pic like the old days in front of that airbrushed background!
Artist: @its_mariel on Instagram.