Complex Magazine

Complex is an American media brand founded in New York in the early 2000s by fashion designer Marc Ecko, originally launched as a bi-monthly print magazine before evolving into one of the largest digital lifestyle and pop-culture publications aimed at young adults. It built its identity around covering the intersections of hip hop, streetwear, sneaker culture, and entertainment at a moment when those worlds were moving from niche subculture into mainstream visibility.

On Genius, Complex's presence centers on its music journalism: sprawling ranked lists like «The 100 Best Hip-Hop Beats», «The 100 Best Eminem Songs (According to Complex)», and «The 100 Best 2Pac Songs», as well as feature interviews such as its conversation with Kanye West. These pieces reflect the outlet's role as a tastemaking authority in hip hop criticism, often sparking debate for its rankings and willingness to cover artists' more controversial or overlooked material, as seen in pieces like «Remembering Lil Wayne's Most Awful Sex Lyrics». Complex expanded well beyond print into video series, e-commerce, and live events, becoming a central voice for millennial and Gen Z hip hop and streetwear culture. Its Genius-hosted content captures the outlet at its most engaged with music history, packaging critical retrospectives and countdowns that helped shape broader conversations about the hip hop canon.