Events
For most of the world, the extent to which we get to see what goes on at the annual Met Gala starts and ends with the red carpet. There, the biggest stars of music, television, film and sports walk the red carpet in avant-garde looks designed by some of fashion’s biggest visionaries and legacy brands, all coinciding with a different theme. This year, the dress code was “Tailored for You” in honor of the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s new costume institute exhibit, “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style,” focusing on “the role of sartorial style in forming Black identities” and “the emergence, significance and proliferation of the Black dandy.” Under those guidelines, co-chairs A$AP Rocky, Pharrell Williams, Lewis Hamilton and Colman Domingo, plus superstar guests Rihanna, Nicki Minaj, Cardi B, Doja Cat, Megan Thee Stallion, Doechii, Sabrina Carpenter, ROSÉ, LISA, JENNIE and many more, showed up and showed out in elaborate looks marked by structured jackets, neutral colors and poignant head- and neckpieces.
But what happens after all those stars brave the camera flashes and red-carpet interviews and head inside? That’s the part we don’t get to see as much of, not to mention the various afterparties that go down once the dining and mingling of the actual gala conclude.
Luckily, anyone wanting a peek at the most exclusive parts of fashion’s biggest night needn’t look any further. Below, Billboard has rounded up all of the best photos of everything that happened after the carpet, both from inside the Met and amongst parties held by the likes of Pharrell, Public’s, Boom at the Standard, the Brooklyn Chop House and more.
Featuring cool outfit changes and fun celebrity link-ups, keep scrolling to check them out.
Sabrina Carpenter & Usher
Image Credit: Kevin Mazur/MG25/Getty Images
Sabrina Carpenter reacts as Usher performs during the 2025 Met Gala Celebrating “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style” at Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 5, 2025 in New York City.
Doja Cat
Image Credit: Stephanie Augello
Doja Cat at the Richie Akiva’s “The After” hosted by Tyla, Colman Domingo, Doja Cat, Edward Enninful Met Gala after party held at Casa Cipriani on May 5, 2025 in New York, New York.
Zendaya & Dua Lipa
Image Credit: Kevin Mazur/MG25/Getty Images
Zendaya and Dua Lipa attend the 2025 Met Gala Celebrating “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style” at Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 5, 2025 in New York City.
Maluma
Image Credit: Lexie Moreland
Maluma at the Willy Chavarria Met Gala after party co-hosted with Wayman and Micah held at the Mark Hotel on May 5, 2025 in New York, New York.
S.Coups, Jennie & Lisa
Image Credit: Arturo Holmes/MG25/Getty Images
S.Coups, Jennie, and Lisa attend the 2025 Met Gala Celebrating “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style” at Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 5, 2025 in New York City.
Janelle Monáe
Image Credit: Gilbert Flores
Janelle Monáe at the PUBLIC’s Met Gala after party with Doechii and Janelle Monae held at the PUBLIC Hotel on May 5, 2025 in New York, New York.
Pharrell Williams
Image Credit: Zach Hilty/BFA.com
Pharrell Williams attends Pharrell Williams’ After Hours Uno Tournament at Crane Club on May 5, 2025 in New York City.
Megan Thee Stallion & Angel Reese
Image Credit: Kevin Mazur/MG25/Getty Images
Megan Thee Stallion and Angel Reese attend the 2025 Met Gala Celebrating “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style” at Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 5, 2025 in New York City.
Stevie Wonder & Usher
Image Credit: Kevin Mazur/MG25/Getty Images
Stevie Wonder and Usher perform onstage during the 2025 Met Gala Celebrating “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style” at Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 5, 2025 in New York City.
Mary J. Blige
Image Credit: Joy Malone/Getty Images
Mary J. Blige attends the Brooklyn Chop House Met Gala After Party on May 5, 2025 in New York City.
PinkPantheress, Halle Bailey & Keke Palmer
Image Credit: Zach Hilty/BFA.com
PinkPantheress, Halle Bailey and Keke Palmer attend Pharrell Williams’ After Hours Uno Tournament at Crane Club on May 5, 2025 in New York City.
Burna Boy
Image Credit: Alyssa Greenberg
Burna Boy at the Boom at the Standard Met Gala after party held at the Boom Boom Room at the Standard Hotel on May 5, 2025 in New York, New York.
Darren Criss, Adam Lambert, Oliver Gliese & Mia Criss
Image Credit: Alyssa Greenberg
Darren Criss, Adam Lambert, Oliver Gliese and Mia Criss at the Boom at the Standard Met Gala after party held at the Boom Boom Room at the Standard Hotel on May 5, 2025 in New York, New York.
Rihanna & A$AP Rocky
Image Credit: Kevin Mazur/MG25/Getty Images
Rihanna and A$AP Rocky attend the 2025 Met Gala Celebrating “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style” at Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 5, 2025 in New York City.
Jenna Ortega & Sabrina Carpenter
Image Credit: Kevin Mazur/MG25/Getty Images
Jenna Ortega and Sabrina Carpenter attend the 2025 Met Gala Celebrating “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style” at Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 5, 2025 in New York City.
Lisa & Future
Image Credit: Kevin Mazur/MG25/Getty Images
Lisa and Future attend the 2025 Met Gala Celebrating “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style” at Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 5, 2025 in New York City.
Keke Palmer, Angela Bassett & Lizzo
Image Credit: Cindy Ord/MG25/Getty Images
Keke Palmer, Angela Bassett and Lizzo attend the 2025 Met Gala Celebrating “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style” at Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 5, 2025 in New York City.
Burna Boy & Shaboozy
Image Credit: Alyssa Greenberg
Burna Boy and Shaboozy at the Boom at the Standard Met Gala after party held at the Boom Boom Room at the Standard Hotel on May 5, 2025 in New York, New York.
Jennie & Gigi Hadid
Image Credit: Mike Coppola/MG25/Getty Images
Jennie and Gigi Hadid attend the 2025 Met Gala Celebrating “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style” at Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 5, 2025 in New York City.
Kaytranada
Image Credit: Gilbert Flores
Kaytranada at the PUBLIC’s Met Gala after party with Doechii and Janelle Monae held at the PUBLIC Hotel on May 5, 2025 in New York, New York.
Usher
Image Credit: Kevin Mazur/MG25/Getty Images
Usher performs onstage during the 2025 Met Gala Celebrating “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style” at Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 5, 2025 in New York City.
A$AP Rocky
Image Credit: Steve Eichner
A$AP Rocky at A$AP Rocky Met Gala After Party Inside on May 5, 2025 in New York, New York.
Yara Shahidi & Halle Bailey
Image Credit: Alyssa Greenberg
Yara Shahidi and Halle Bailey at the Boom at the Standard Met Gala after party held at the Boom Boom Room at the Standard Hotel on May 5, 2025 in New York, New York.
Andra Day
Image Credit: Gilbert Flores
Andra Day at the PUBLIC’s Met Gala after party with Doechii and Janelle Monae held at the PUBLIC Hotel on May 5, 2025 in New York, New York.
Lupita Nyong’o, Burna Boy & Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Image Credit: Alyssa Greenberg
Lupita Nyong’o, Burna Boy and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie at the Boom at the Standard Met Gala after party held at the Boom Boom Room at the Standard Hotel on May 5, 2025 in New York, New York.
Pusha T
Image Credit: Zach Hilty/BFA.com
Pusha T attends Pharrell Williams’ After Hours Uno Tournament at Crane Club on May 5, 2025 in New York City.
Ciara & Rihanna
Image Credit: Kevin Mazur/Getty Images
Ciara and Rihanna attend the 2025 Met Gala Celebrating “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style” at Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 5, 2025 in New York City.
Bebe Rexha, Coco Rocha & Christian Siriano
Image Credit: Gilbert Flores
Bebe Rexha, Coco Rocha and Christian Siriano at the PUBLIC’s Met Gala after party with Doechii and Janelle Monae held at the PUBLIC Hotel on May 5, 2025 in New York, New York.
Kelela
Image Credit: Bre Johnson
Kelela at the Apres Met after party for the Met Gala held at WSA on May 5, 2025 in New York, New York.
Chance The Rapper
Image Credit: Gilbert Flores
Chance The Rapper at the PUBLIC’s Met Gala after party with Doechii and Janelle Monae held at the PUBLIC Hotel on May 5, 2025 in New York, New York.
Halle Bailey, Sydney Sweeney & Lisa
Image Credit: Arturo Holmes/MG25/Getty Images
Halle Bailey, Sydney Sweeney, and Lisa attend the 2025 Met Gala Celebrating “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style” at Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 5, 2025 in New York City.
Leon Bridges
Image Credit: Gilbert Flores
Leon Bridges at the PUBLIC’s Met Gala after party with Doechii and Janelle Monae held at the PUBLIC Hotel on May 5, 2025 in New York, New York.
Busta Rhymes
Image Credit: Alyssa Greenberg
Busta Rhymes at the Boom at the Standard Met Gala after party held at the Boom Boom Room at the Standard Hotel on May 5, 2025 in New York, New York.
Nick Jonas & Priyanka Chopra Jonas
Image Credit: Alyssa Greenberg
Nicks Jonas and Priyanka Chopra Jona at the Boom at the Standard Met Gala after party held at the Boom Boom Room at the Standard Hotel on May 5, 2025 in New York, New York.
Maggie Rogers
Image Credit: Zach Hilty/BFA.com
Maggie Rogers attends Pharrell Williams’ After Hours Uno Tournament at Crane Club on May 5, 2025 in New York City.
Questlove
Image Credit: Gilbert Flores
Questlove at the PUBLIC’s Met Gala after party with Doechii and Janelle Monae held at the PUBLIC Hotel on May 5, 2025 in New York, New York.
Nature abhors a vacuum, and so does stand-up comedy superstar Michelle Wolf. In the wake of the White House Correspondents’ Association’s March decision to hold its annual dinner without a traditional speech by a comedian, Wolf is set to release a 15-minute clip in which she dishes on her unflinching and controversial 2018 set at the event and even throws in a few more jokes.
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The clip, titled Dinner Time, will premiere at 8 pm Eastern / 5 pm Pacific time tonight on Punchup.live, a digital platform for live comedy where Wolf’s weekly podcast Thought Box resides. Although the podcast requires a $5 monthly subscription, Dinner Time will be free.
“There might not be a comedian at the Correspondents’ Dinner this year, but the good news is: I have some leftovers!” Wolf says. “I’ve been holding onto this set since 2022, and with everything going on, now felt like the right moment to share it exclusively on Punchup, a platform where comedians can release their own uncensored material without the constraints of any network or streamer.”
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Wolf’s routine sparked a media firestorm after she roasted a number of the political powers who were in the room — including then-White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders, who is currently the governor of Arkansas, adviser to President Trump Kellyanne Conway and former New Jersey governor Chris Christie – President Trump (who skipped the event) and such talking heads as Fox News’ Sean Hannity and MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow.
Zeroing in on Conway, Wolf, addressing the media, said, “You guys gotta stop putting Kellyanne on your shows. All she does is lie.” She then added, “It’s like that old saying: If a tree falls in the woods, how do we get Kellyanne under that tree? I’m not suggesting she get hurt, just stuck.”
She also pulled no punches with Sanders, who sat just two seats away from the podium where Wolf delivered her jokes. “I think she’s very resourceful,” the comic said of the press secretary before referencing her make-up style. ” Like, she burns facts, and then she uses the ash to create a perfect smoky eye.”
The barbs stuck with Sanders, who recounted the incident in her 2020 memoir, Speaking for Myself: Faith, Freedom, and the Fight of Our Lives Inside the Trump White House. “I debated walking out or perhaps even throwing my wineglass at her,” she wrote. “But ultimately I stayed in my seat and held my head high.”
Clips of the media furor that resulted can be seen in the trailer for Dinner Time, and in the actual clip, Wolf remains unrepentant — a point of pride for ride-or-die stand-up comics. She explains to the receptive crowd that she is a non-partisan comic. “I hate Republicans. I hate Democrats. I hate the media. It’s all bad,” she says. “It’s all a big circle jerk.”
She also says that she hadn’t planned to talk about the White House Correspondents’ Dinner ever again, until Sanders wrote about it in her book. “And I was like, if you’re gonna talk about it…”
Wolf then proceeds to tell more jokes about Sanders, Conway and President Trump.
Check out the official trailer for Wolf’s Dinner Time below:

Billboard, Amazon Pharmacy and Amazon One Medical teamed up with comedian/musical improviser Reggie Watts to hit the roads of Palm Springs with the sickest show seen in the desert, “MuSick: Live from Reggie Watts’ Couch.” Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news On Saturday afternoon, April 12, amid […]
All Things Go festival will return to the Washington, D.C. area this fall with headliners Noah Kahan, Lucy Dacus and Doechii, who will be performing her first-ever festival headlining slot. The three-day festival will also feature performances from Clairo, Kesha, The Marías, MARINA, DJO, Julien Baker & Torres, and Lola Young.
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Set for Sept. 26-28, the festival returns to its iconic venue Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, Md. The 11th edition of the festival promises another year of incredible performances from established and emerging artists across a myriad of genres, with the majority of artists identifying as women or non-binary. With a welcoming and diverse environment, the festival has been dubbed “Gay-chella,” “All Things Gay” and “Lesbopalooza” over the years.
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Additional performers include The Last Dinner Party, Faye Webster, Role Model, Wallows, Griff, Sharon Van Etten & The Attachment Theory, Lucius, The Beaches, Joy Oladokun, G Flip, The Backseat Lovers, Hippo Campus, Orion Sun, Bartees Strange, Gigi Perez, Ashe, Rachel Chinouriri, MICHELLE and Molly Grace.
In 2023, the festival expanded from one to two days with performances from Lana Del Rey, Maggie Rogers, boygenius and Carly Rae Jepsen. In 2024, All Things Go added a simultaneous weekend in New York. The lineup announcement for ATG Festival 2025 in New York at Forest Hills Stadium will be announced soon.
Tickets for the Merriweather Post Pavilion edition of the festival will go on sale Thursday at 10am ET. Public on sale will begin on Friday. Head here for tickets and the full DC-area lineup.
The reports of Dreamville Fest‘s death have been greatly exaggerated. Many fans were disappointed when they heard this was going to be the last year of J. Cole’s annual music festival, which has become a fan favorite over the course of the last five years. However, during a press conference on Thursday (Apr. 3), Raleigh […]
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This year marks the twenty-fifth anniversary of Let’s Get Free, the highly celebrated debut album of Hip-Hop duo dead prez. Consisting of Stic (Khnum Ibomu) and M-1 (Mutulu Olugbala), dead prez burst onto the scene with politically conscious music that thoroughly engaged Hip-Hop fans in a parallei to the rap artists whose focus on luxury and materialism contributed to the rise of “the Bling Era.”
The album, fueled by the electric single “Hip-Hop,” would touch upon multiple issues affecting Black and Brown communities globally, with lyrics that still carry resonance and relevancy years later.
On Friday (March 28), dead prez will be the focal point of a special edition of BRIC Studios’ Stoop Share series at their venue in Brooklyn, New York. “Music, Message and Movement: Liner Notes for Liberation” is the theme of the evening co-produced by the group along with Jill Newman Productions, which will begin with a community conversation with dead prez on the legacy of Let’s Get Free and their perspective on revolutionary message music, followed by a special ticketed concert performance. Ahead of the highly anticipated evening, HipHopWired had a chance to talk about the impact of their debut album with dead prez as well as their views on the pressing need for art that will inspire the people in these times.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
HipHopWired: The impact of Let’s Get Free, it’s undeniable, and everything within it still rings true, 25 years later. With this anniversary, how have fans and others who’ve listened to the album and your music entirely shared how it’s impacted their lives?
M-1: Man, I gotta say…one great thing that that I hear with this piece of art that myself and Stic along with the help of a community of people from Tallahassee to Brooklyn, elders and ancestors. One great thing that I hear people say was that it changed the way that they view their health. I mean, amongst a lot of things that people can attach themselves to, probably one of the most is that we’ve been able to raise the general conversation around staying on this earth a little longer. So I gotta say, I’m pretty proud of just hearing that from time to time.
“It wasn’t for no other reason that we did our record than to have an impact, to have somebody say this matters, and this has helped in some kind of meaningful, actionable way.”—stic
Stic: Yeah, man, you know the term impact is something that I’ve been really enamored with. I was building with my girl the other day about her mom. She does a lot of work in Kenya around advocating for blind youth and education, right? But the thing I want to point out about impact is sometimes, we in society, we do things for the recognition of things. We do things for glory of things, the fame, the “I did this first,” “We did it better”—you see that sentiment. But when your focus is impact, you’re centered on things that might not necessarily get recognized in a public way. You might not get no Grammy. You might not get no whatever, nobody knows your name and all your gossip. But if you focus on impact, it’s those little moments that matter the most to somebody that’s actually doing the work for that purpose.
Like the old saying, where they say, “Give a man a fish he’ll eat for a day. Teach him how to fish and he’ll eat for his life.” That right? There is impact, right? The difference is, you’re actually trying to have something that has a lasting effect, so, bigger than dead prez. I just want to say that even it being a conversation around impact, means that we hit our target. Because it wasn’t for no other reason that we did our record than to have an impact, to have somebody say this matters, and this has helped in some kind of meaningful, actionable way like [M-1] said. Or if it was just a person’s perspective on a struggle that if they found more meaning in it, or if it was another artist that said, “Yo, I could speak to certain issues too. I ain’t gotta just be shucking and jiving out here.” You know what I mean? And in whatever ways that music like ours can really impact, I don’t mean like getting a Grammy for it, but in the everyday person’s life..to us, that is success.
HHW: Seeing the events of the last year unfolding within Hip-Hop culture, with some of the public having more of an appetite for what’s substantial—how optimistic are you that such a shift like that can spur more artists and more demand from the public to engage with art that matters to them like that within Hip-Hop?
Stic: All our chips are in that basket. We’re invested in that being the case, not waiting on it or hoping, but actually putting in the work to be the change we want to see. I mean, it’s more potential than ever. The playing field has been leveled in terms of creative ability to speak direct to each other, right? So I think on that note, the weapons, so to speak, are in our hands now, the people got the weapons. Now it’s about learning how to use the weapon for our best interest. Because Hip-Hop is everywhere. You can’t look at your shadow without seeing somebody’s album, you know what I’m saying? [laughs]
But it’s like…when will we use the technology and the craftsmanship to speak to issues in a way, again, that’s impactful, but also is forward. Not just nostalgic or trying to do what we used to do and say what we used to say for nostalgia’s sake, but continually making it relevant in a contemporary way to push culture forward. Ultimately, we just want to be free and well and and safe and secure in our lives. That’s what people want all around the planet and the small role that art can play in that is huge because it’s from where our inspiration comes and goes, You know what? It’s not all about the artists. Like Public Enemy said, “It takes a nation of millions,” but the artists play a key role, because we articulate what that future could look like.
M-1: I want to add on to what Stic said, and talk about the beckoning of what it means to have an art that is full of change…like they say “repression breeds resistance.”. And you know that seemed like it would be the case, especially in the political climate of today. Where it’s not even right-leaning, extremism kind of runs government, especially from a Republican standpoint in control of the House and Congress. The theory of the minded people who would be leadership in this country, that’s as repressive as it gets. I think the blowback, I’m ready for it. I’m looking forward to it, because it was the kind of thing that like Stic said, this is the basket that we’ve definitely put our eggs in and the way we want our cards to be played.
However, I gotta say, when it comes down to message music or revolutionary music even with certain genres, you’ll find people who say, “Oh, reggae music, these artists need to be supported more. You know they don’t get what they deserve.” Or you even might hear that about Afrobeat. The thing is that I don’t hear it as much about, what I’m urging people to support is message music. It’s in that where you’re going to find truth being told, what’s not usually told, and the sacrifice being made of artists who might not be able to see some of the same stages.
Because we do take a stance against Israel bombing Palestine and killing 400 babies a night. You know what I’m saying? I’m kind of against that, and that might not get me on the same stage. And so, there is a special support that’s needed and necessary, and it’s time for that. It’s a crazy time to be living, knowing that as much as it’s needed, as much as you know they—the proverbial they—are doing to rip everything they can away from those legs, making sure that it doesn’t exist with any power to stand or say anything or any truths could and would be taken away or read or ingested in any way. So anyway, I just got to say on the converse of that, that’s kind of what we’re living in right now. So we need change today, at this very moment.
HHW: With the event that’s happening at BRIC Studios that you guys are putting on with Jill Newman productions being held in Brooklyn… M-1: Home! That’s the crib.
HHW: Brooklyn has changed dramatically on so many levels. With that said, can this be, or will it be something that will be a continual series in the next step of artivism?Stic: Right on! I like that term. We have a new audio book that we’re going to be releasing soon, dead prez: Music, Message, Movement: Liner Notes For Liberation. it’s a beautiful piece of collaboration work between myself and M-1 where we’re framing what art and activism is, what that looks like from our point of view, our inspirations, the history of it, the present of it, the future of it. Some of the talk that we’re going to be doing at the BRIC, we’re going to tap into that. And then we’ve also been working—for a couple years now —we’ve been working on a new dead prez album with our team, and so we’re looking to get that finalized and out in the world. Many more things, including workshops and like we’re doing in BRIC around the same “music, message, movement” theme this year for our 25th anniversary.
M-1: I gotta tell you—I can tell Stic too, because he didn’t know—so I woke up this morning to a phone call from from my brother, Fela Kuti’s son, Seun Kuti. Seun hits me this morning. He’s like, “My brother. I hear you are celebrating the greatest liberation album of Africa. Let’s Get Free. 25 years in Brooklyn.” I’m like, “Yooo Seun!” I haven’t spoken to him in a minute, we good. You know, the wives are friends. It’s good. “Where you at?” He says, “My brother, I am in New York, and I will be there for your show.” I hope I got his accent right. [laughs]
It just made me say, “It’s going to be a good night at BRIC. It’s going to be definitely home for a lot of people who are like-minded around what Let’s Get Free has meant. Like you said, it’s gonna be precluded by a conversation that will be moderated by Umi and between us that will discuss some of the new things we have in our new book. But I just look forward to family kind of finding each other again in Brooklyn, and again, the heart of it has changed, but we, the heartbeat is still the same. And we’re going to be there to make it do what it do. So it’s going to be a good time.
The Because They’re Funny (BTF) Comedy Festival will return to Washington DC for its third year, Oct. 10-12, and producers have begun accepting submissions for its main event, the Breakout Comedian of the Year competition, which awards $10,000 to the winner and has launched a number of comedy careers.
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BTF is the brainchild of live events company NICE CROWD, which also produces the American Black Film Festival, is dedicated to amplifying BIPOC voices in comedy, and providing a platform for the next generation of stand-up stars. According to a press release announcing the festival, more than 1,000 comics have entered the Breakout Comedian of the Year contest since the festival’s 2023 debut, and more than 9,000 people have attended the event. The festival is produced in partnership with Events DC, the official convention, sports and entertainment authority for the District of Columbia.
Last year, former SNL cast member Leslie Jones headlined the festival, while Black-ish star Deon Cole —also known for his Old Spice body wash commercials — hosted the competition. Other performers included Nicole Byer and Yvonne Orji.
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Comics Flo Hernandez and Alfred Kainga won the 2024 and 2023 competitions, respectively, and in addition to receiving the $10,000 prize money, both were signed by the Innovative Arts talent agency. The deadline for competition submissions is May 31.
Kelvin Bulluck
Since winning, Kainga has toured nationally and performed his first headlining gigs. Hernandez joined the “Güey Funny” comedy tour, and will be sharing the stage with Earthquake, Bruce Bruce, Tony Rock and Dominique on April 5, 2025, at the Texas Trust Theatre in Dallas, TX.
“As we enter our third year, the momentum behind Because They’re Funny continues to grow,” says NICE CROWD co-founder Jeff Friday. “The overwhelming response from the comedy world reaffirms our mission to amplify BIPOC voices on a national stage.”
“We are proud to welcome the festival back home to Washington, DC for the third year in a row,” says Events DC president/CEO Angie M. Gates. “The city has long been a stage for cultural excellence, and this festival continues to elevate comedic talent, while bringing unforgettable experiences to residents and visitors alike.”
In addition to the Breakout Comedian competition, the three-day festival will feature headline performances, rising stand-up stars, industry panels, master classes and networking opportunities.
Billboard’s iconic live music series The Stage at SXSW returned to Austin, March 13 to 15, 2025. This year they highlighted some of the biggest movers and shakers in Country, Latin and EDM. Billboard and Bulleit teamed up to elevate the experience and extend the celebration with an exclusive after party featuring the hottest music and the coolest cocktails.
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Bulleit and KSHMR during the Billboard THE STAGE After Hours on March 15, 2025 in Austin, Texas.
Julian Bajsel
As the Official Whiskey Partner of The Stage at SXSW, Bulleit curated a vibe that uplifted artists that not only push the boundaries of music but broaden their respective genres. Koe Wetzel and Grupo Frontera showed how they do it in Texas, repping their home state with electrifying headlining performances for Country and Latin nights. While John Summit, fresh off a globe-trotting series of shows, amped up the energy in the amphitheater with infectious beats and mind-blowing pyrotechnics.
The Bulleit bar during the Billboard THE STAGE at SXSW held at Moody Amphitheater at Waterloo Park on March 15, 2025 in Austin, Texas.
Gilbert Flores
Billboard and SXSW deepened their connection this year thanks to Austin-native mixologist, Ryan Smith, who created custom cocktails with Bulleit to celebrate the creativity and innovation that can only be found at the festival. The Bulleit Bourbon Austin Calling enticed with notes of elderberry, while the Bulleit Rye Wildcard had the perfect balance of basil and strawberry. They perfectly captured the energy of the city and the culture it creates.
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Bulleit during the Billboard THE STAGE at SXSW held at Moody Amphitheater at Waterloo Park on March 15, 2025 in Austin, Texas.
Julian Bajsel
At The Stage, guests cooled down in the Bulleit Lounge with whiskey drinks while basking in the beautiful orange neon lights. On the other side of the venue, Bulleit set up a stylish bar where you could sample Bulleit Bourbon and Bulleit Rye on the rocks or mixed in a Whiskey Sour or a Mule. Whether attendees were there to kick up their cowboy boots, celebrate Latin cultures, or dance to melodic beats, there was libation for every occasion.
Bulleit during the Billboard THE STAGE at SXSW held at Moody Amphitheater at Waterloo Park on March 13, 2025 in Austin, Texas.
Julian Bajsel
John Summit may have closed out the stage, but the party continued downtown at the After Hours presented by Billboard and Bulleit. KSHMR, the producer and songwriter behind some of the biggest industry shifting hits, brought his one-of-a-kind sound to SXSW when he took to the stage, spinning high-energy tracks and pulse-pounding classics. Those lucky enough to make it to the after party before the venue reached capacity were treated to a performance from KSHMR and Izzy Bizu who performed an upcoming single live for the first time.
Izzy Bizu, KSHMR Bulleit during the Billboard THE STAGE at SXSW After Hours on March 15, 2025 in Austin, Texas.
Julian Bajsel
KSHMR took a second to share a toast with everyone. With a Bulleit Cocktail in hand, he said “Thanks to Bulleit and Billboard for putting on this amazing party! I wanna put on a little toast… Austin, are we having a good time?” Which was met with thunderous cheers from the audience.
KSHMR Bulleit during the Billboard THE STAGE at SXSW After Hours on March 15, 2025 in Austin, Texas.
Julian Bajsel
The evening offered the perfect amount of style and edge with genre blending tunes and classic cocktails like Bulleit Bourbon Whiskey Sours and Bulleit Rye Mules. Whether you’re into the tried and true or trying something new, Billboard and Bulleit created an intersection of music and spirits that could only by accomplished by this pairing.
Bulleit during the Billboard THE STAGE at SXSW held at Moody Amphitheater at Waterloo Park on March 15, 2025 in Austin, Texas.
Julian Bajsel
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Billboard returned to Austin for THE STAGE at SXSW from March 13 to 15, 2025. Each night brought together fans of Country, Latin and EDM to the Moody Amphitheater. Heavy-hitters in each genre made every evening unforgettable. This year, headliners included Koe Wetzel, Grupo Frontera and John Summit. Artists were gifted Azzaro Parfums’ new Forever […]

The Penske Media Corporation (PMC) announced its expansive slate of experiences and concerts at this year’s SXSW festival on Thursday (Feb. 13). The lineup of activations from PMC’s iconic brands — Billboard, Rolling Stone, Deadline, Variety, SHE Media, Sportico and The American Pavilion — will include panel discussion, concerts, fireside chats and must-see experiences during the annual conference and festival that will take place in Austin, TX this year from March 7-15.
The festivities will kick off on March 7-9 with Deadline‘s Deadline Studio and the On the Go with Deadline social activation at the Thompson Hotel, with to-be-announced talent stopping by for on-camera interviews and solo and group portraits.
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SHE Media will also set up house from March 7-9 for its Co-Lab event at 304 E. 3rd Street for a series of conversations about women’s holistic health featuring women’s health advocates, actors, comedians and specialists including: Chelsea Handler, Naomi Watts, Christy Turlington Burns, Dr. Jennifer Ashton, Tamsen Fadal, Scott Galloway, Stacy London, Emma Lovewell and Sophia Bush, among others.
Variety will host a live podcast taping with partner YouTube on March 8 with Hot Ones host Sean Evans and Variety Awards Editor Clayton Davis, followed by a March 9 screening and cocktail reception for the documentary Reef Builders: The Unlikely Partnership Restoring Coral and a panel discussion with actor Auli’i Cravalho, director/producer Stephen Shearman and others.
Sportico will host the two-day Sportico House (March 11-12) at Wanderlust Wine Co., which will feature top industry professionals dropping in for panels and live podcast tapings exploring the intersection of sports, media and business along with networking opportunities.
Rolling Stone will be back at SXSW for its third-annual Future of Music showcase presented by JBL, for a four-night (March 11-14) concert series featuring an as-yet-unannounced group of artists performing at ACL Live at the Moody Theater.
In addition, Billboard‘s THE STAGE at SXSW will return as well for three nights (March 13-15) of live performances at the Moody Amphitheater at Waterloo Park, with each night highlighting a different musical genre. The party will kick off with county singer Koe Wetzel on night one, followed by Música Mexicana stars Grupo Frontera on March 14 and a closing-night set from dance star John Summit.
The American Pavilion will return for year two of its Worldwide Student Program — which last year gave 12 students access to some influential industry events — expanding its scope in 2025 to six days of “thought leadership programming and expert discussions” from creators in the worlds of film and TV.
Billboard’s parent company PMC is the largest shareholder of SXSW and its brands are official media partners of SXSW.