The 2026 Met Gala brought the usual mix of actors, models, designers and music stars to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, but hip-hop had its own run on the green carpet.
This year’s theme was “Costume Art,” with the dress code “Fashion Is Art,” giving celebrities room to go sculptural, personal, strange or dramatic with their looks. Beyoncé also returned to the Met Gala as one of the night’s co-chairs, with Jay-Z and Blue Ivy joining her for the family moment.
Among the rappers who showed up, Doja Cat had one of the night’s most talked-about looks. She wore a Grecian-inspired Saint Laurent gown by Anthony Vaccarello, made from silicone and styled with matching platform mules and diamond jewelry. Speaking to Vogue, Doja said she and her team were drawn to the draping seen on ancient Greek statues in The Met’s collection.
Doechii also made sure her second Met Gala appearance did not go unnoticed. The “Anxiety” rapper arrived barefoot in a custom Marc Jacobs look, built around a wine-colored wrap dress, a dramatic headpiece and twisted fabric that moved around the body like part of the styling itself. Her 2025 Met Gala debut in Louis Vuitton had already placed her on fashion watchlists, but this year’s appearance pushed the conversation further.
Cardi B showed up despite being sick, telling reporters on the carpet, “I’m actually sick and I have a fever.” Still, she arrived in a custom Marc Jacobs gown from the designer’s Fall 2025 collection, featuring lace, black embroidery, pink gloves and a dramatic sculptural shape. The look was reportedly inspired by German artist Hans Bellmer’s life-sized female dolls.
A$AP Rocky arrived with Rihanna, making their entrance one of the night’s biggest couple moments. Rocky wore custom Chanel by Matthieu Blazy, including a pink wool robe with black satin lapels, black piping, a black silk-and-feather camélia, black trousers and Chanel High Jewelry. Rihanna, meanwhile, wore a sculptural Maison Margiela look by Glenn Martens, with recycled metal threads, a corseted bodice and more than 115,000 crystal beads, antique jewels and chains.
Skepta went more personal with his look. The London rapper wore a custom Thom Browne suit embroidered with references to his own tattoos, including details that turned his body art into part of the outfit. XXL noted that the look included black embroidery across the all-white ensemble, with references such as London Bridge and a falcon appearing on the suit.
Anderson .Paak brought his DJ Pee .Wee alter ego to the Met Gala, complete with the bob hairstyle that has become part of the character. He wore a black-and-white Amiri suit, white Tory Burch ballet flats and an Audemars Piguet watch. According to Esquire, the hand-embroidered suit was inspired by American big bands and jazz figures like Miles Davis.
Jack Harlow also joined the rap presence at the event, with XXL listing him among the artists who stepped out for the 2026 carpet. His oversized hat quickly became part of the online conversation around the night’s menswear.
Bad Bunny took the theme in a different direction, arriving as an aged version of himself with prosthetics, gray hair and a cane. The Puerto Rican star wore a custom all-black tuxedo designed in collaboration with Zara, with an oversized pussy bow referencing Charles James’s 1947 gown Bustle, part of the Costume Institute’s permanent collection.
The 2026 Met Gala continued what last year’s “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style” event made clear: rap is no longer just a side presence at fashion’s biggest night.