Key Takeaways
- ComplexCon 2026’s 10 best music moments capture how Playboi Carti's Opium crew took over Los Angeles with exclusive drops, surprise guests, new music, and chaotic live sets.
- Highlights included Carti joining Ken Carson for “deaf note,” Destroy Lonely whipping up a barrier-breaking crowd, and Ye reuniting with Carti for “Can’t Tell Me Nothing,” “Carnival,” and “Off the Grid.”
- The two-night roundup also covers ApolloRed1 spotlighting Pz’, Homixide Gang previewing MADNESS, F1LTHY bringing out Matan Even, and Carti closing beneath his steel “00pium house” with “Olympian.”
"Carti's home."
This is what Swamp Izzo said over and over during Playboi Carti's closing set at ComplexCon 2026. And you know what…he had a point.
Carti may be from Atlanta, but for one weekend in Los Angeles, ComplexCon belonged to him and his Opium crew.
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NBA PLAYBOI CARTI X M&N HARDWOOD CLASSICS JERSEY 1996-97 PHILADELPHIA 76ERS$150
NBA PLAYBOI CARTI X M&N HARDWOOD CLASSICS JERSEY 2005-06 NEW YORK KNICKS$150
NBA PLAYBOI CARTI X M&N HARDWOOD CLASSICS JERSEY 2002-03 GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS$150
NBA PLAYBOI CARTI X M&N HARDWOOD CLASSICS JERSEY 1999-00 HOUSTON ROCKETS$150
NBA PLAYBOI CARTI X M&N HARDWOOD CLASSICS JERSEY 1997-98 MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES$150
NBA PLAYBOI CARTI X M&N HARDWOOD CLASSICS JERSEY 1996-97 MIAMI HEAT$150
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NBA PLAYBOI CARTI X M&N HARDWOOD CLASSICS JERSEY 1999-00 PHOENIX SUNS$150
NBA PLAYBOI CARTI X M&N HARDWOOD CLASSICS JERSEY 1994-95 SEATTLE SUPERSONICS$150
NBA PLAYBOI CARTI X M&N HARDWOOD CLASSICS JERSEY 1995-96 DETROIT PISTONS$150
To celebrate its 10th anniversary, ComplexCon took over the LA Convention Center and Crypto.com Arena, and Opium was everywhere: themed booths, exclusive drops, and members of the extended Opium universe roaming the convention floor.
But the real energy came after the convention doors closed. Night one saw DJ Moon, ApolloRed1, HXG, and Ken Carson shutting shit down. Night two brought F1LTHY, Destroy Lonely, and Carti himself.
Each set had its own identity, from stage design to new-music premieres to surprise guests. Here are the 10 best music moments from ComplexCon 2026.
1. ApolloRed1 Gives ØWAY some shine
As the newest signee to the 00YVL family, ApolloRed1 has become a thread connecting Carti’s camp with other sects of ATL. And during his day 1 performance he showed what this could look like.
ApolloRed1 popped up right after DJ Moon. The highlight of the performance came when he brought out ØWAY affiliate Pz’ who performed his track “X Tape” off his new album No Turning Back.
They also played a new unreleased collaborative track that fans have named “LESBIAN,” which was one of two tracks Apollo teased with Pz’ as “PzRed1” and “PzRedOsama” in September.
2. HXG Gives a Preview of the MADNESS
Homixide Gang's new mixtape, MADNESS, drops Friday, so fans came to their set expecting some new music. They got it. Beno! and Meechie ran through several unreleased cuts, including the title track, "Euphoria," and "Bounce Out" featuring Trippie Redd and Rob49.
The whole set had the manic, mosh-ready energy that's made HXG one of Opium's most reliable live acts.
3. Ken and Carti Go Deaf
One common thread between the two headliners: both opened their sets by ceding the stage to an OG figure. For Playboi Carti, that was, of course, Kanye West.
For Ken Carson, it was his mentor and label boss, Carti, who joined him for their song "deaf note." It was a bold move. The biggest surprises usually come at the end of a show, but both artists played theirs from the jump, and both appearances drew the loudest reactions of their respective nights.
4. F1LTHY Brings Out Matan Even
F1LTHY opened night 2, and his sets and his sets typically feature a range of guests and surprises. For ComplexCon, it was satirical internet personality Matan Even. Savvy attendees could find Even and his long hair at the event earlier in the day, sitting in a glass cube at F1LTHY’s booth. By the evening, the hair was gone; he had a blonde buzz cut and was cosplaying as Eminem. During F1LTHY’s set he ranted onstage and tried to rap over “The Real Slim Shady.”
5. Destroy Lonely's chaotic set
Even though the crowd was itching for Carti, Destroy Lonely, playing the role of lead up man, delivered one of the most energetic sets of the weekend on day 2, running through his classics like “NOSTYLIST” and “if looks could kill.” The highlight, however, came during “Catch a Kill,” which drew such a wild reaction that the barrier gave way.
6. Ye and Playboi Carti Reunite
After a brief internet scuffle last year, it seems like all is good with Playboi Carti and Ye. The two reunited in grand fashion—first walking the convention floor during the day, then hitting the Crypto.com arena stage at night.
In an act of deference, the show started with Ye at the center: he performed his Graduation classic “Can’t Tell Me Nothing” with Carti playing the role of hypeman, adding his signature “Schyeah” ad-libs as Ye rapped his first verse. The two then did their smash hit “Carnival” before diving into “Off the Grid.” The moment not only showed the level of reverence the two artists have for each other but also how important Ye is to the modern day hip-hop.
7. Ye’s Fire All-Black Mask
In 2026, if Ye is performing there’s a good chance he’ll be wearing a mask. Carti’s performance was no exception. This time he wore a pitch-black mask that was similar to the one he donned at his 49th birthday party at the Palace of Versailles. The mask features an intricate webbed texture that harkens back to the Margiela masks he wore during his Yeezus tour days.
8. Carti's run of "Stop Breathing," "Pop Out," and "Punk Monk"
After Ye came out and crushed it, he left the stage, and Carti ran through three of his most turnt, rage-infused standouts. He opened with Whole Lotta Red's "Stop Breathing," arguably his best song, then went into the MUSIC standout "Pop Out."
Both have a sweaty, deranged, underground sound, and it's impossible not to mosh to them. And both songs featured a new intro that made the performances seem more epic. He followed with another Whole Lotta Red gem, "Punk Monk," a song he hadn't performed live in years.
9. Playboi Carti’s 00pium House Stage Design
Of all the sets at ComplexCon, Carti's was the only one with an elaborate stage design: a steel "00pium house" with the label's logo emblazoned across the top. It hung above the stage for nearly an hour during the opening sets before slowly lowering into place.
The setup gave real meaning to Swamp Izzo's "Carti's home" drop.
10. Closing out the show with "Olympian"
After more than an hour of tearing up the stage, capped by the MUSIC standout "Like Weezy," Carti was gearing up for the finale. He declared he "could do this shit all night" as another new intro rang out, this time for "Olympian." Then came a short monologue: "You think a n***a outwork me?... I got kids too." He walked off as "Olympian" echoed through the arena. It was a fitting, chaotic end to an amazing weekend.
