The Met Gala: Outrageous Black Celebrity Moments on the Red Carpet

The King of R&B is usually known for his smooth, classic style. But for 2024’s “Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion” theme, he went all in on the dark fairy tale king look and showed us a new side of the singer.

Rihanna delivered one of her most unforgettable looks at the 2018 Met Gala, which boasted the theme of “Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination.” When she showed up in pope-like attire, the whole thing might as well have been over because she absolutely killed this look!

The Broadway star looks like he basically stepped off stage and came straight to the event. This one is the very definition of theatrical.

Leave it to Nicki to do the total opposite of everyone else and make it work for her. On a night when ridiculously long trains were the norm, the “Barbie World” rapper embraces “The Garden of Time” dress code with a floral themed short dress that stands out from the crowd.

At the 2023 Met Gala, which boasted the theme of “Celebrating Karl Lagerfield: A Line of Beauty,” Doja Cat stunned the crowd by showing up as none other than Lagerfield’s beloved pet cat Choupette. What was even more fun...? She did most of her interviews meowing for the rest of the night.

In perhaps what was one of her top three best Met Gala looks ever, Rihanna stunned at the 2015 Met Gala, which boasted the theme of “China: Through the Looking Glass” when she sported an iconic Guo Pei dress. (Author’s note: I won’t tell you how much this look lives rent-free in my head but just know it’s taken a residency.)

One of the most memorable things about the 2016 Met Gala? Beyoncé showing up ALONE after she had just dropped “Lemonade.” And we all probably know why.

Bippidy-boppity boo! Zendaya and Law Roach reminded us all who the real princess of the Met Gala is. The look was inspired by the 2019 theme “Celebrating Camp: Notes on Fashion.”

As you can see, the 2019 Met Gala boasted a handful of iconic moments — chief among them being Billy Porter being quite literally carried onto the carpet by eight half naked men dripped from head to toe in gold as the Egyptian sun styled by RRR Creatives’ Sam Ratelle.

In a move that had some people struggling to find their lexicon at the 2021 Met Gala — which had the theme “Celebrating in America: A Lexicon of Fashion” —Frank Ocean showed up with an unusual plus one: a green robotic baby named Cody who sported custom Homer (Ocean’s own line of luxury clothing.)

Keeping it at the 2021 Met Gala, who could forget when Lil Nas X decided to bless the carpet with not one, not two but three gold looks? The best among them is this gold body armor suit.

In what was perhaps this author’s favorite look, the 2017 Met Gala saw Rihanna look like a beautiful pink flower dressed in Commes des Garçons for the theme “Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garcons: Art of The In-Between.”

Bringing the red to the red carpet, Cardi B sported custom Thom Browne in this show-stopping ensemble for the 2019 Met Gala, which had the theme “Celebrating Camp: Notes on Fashion.”

There’s a reason why Iman is the standard when it comes to this modeling and fashion game. Her look at the 2021 Met Gala just proves it.

Move ove Doja, there’s a new cat in town! A bedazzled Lil Nas X also showed up as Choupette the Cat at the 2023 Met Gala and we don’t know who nailed it more.

While this is this author’s least favorite look for the usually fashionable couple, the 2021 Met Gala is particularly notable due to how late A$AP Rocky and Rihanna were this year. They were quite literally the last stars to walk, which, given the size of Rih’s Balenciaga overcoat and Rocky’s quilt, we understand why.

At the 2017 Met Gala, Jaden Smith surprised everyone when he appeared to walk the carpet with his own locs in tow. He’d previously cut his hair for a film he was in but when asked why he decided to bring his hair along for the iconic show, he simply told Vogue: “Since I couldn’t bring my sister as a date, I brought my old hair.”

Though Chadwick Boseman and Rihanna took the crowns for best dressed at the 2018 Met Gala, Zendaya came in third, looking like the most fashionably sharp woman knight to have ever existed. We stan!

Now you already know we had to end this on a banger. The 2014 Met Gala was perhaps one of the most iconic ones because this was two years before Beyonce dropped “Lemonade” — an album that alluded to her being cheated on by Jay-Z. This was also the same event that Jay and Bey’s sister Solange appeared to have gotten into an altercation in an elevator at a Met Gala afterparty. The now infamous moment prompted the group to put out a joint statement in the aftermath, telling AP at the time:

“As a result of the public release of the elevator security footage from Monday, May 5th, there has been a great deal of speculation about what triggered the unfortunate incident. But the most important thing is that our family has worked through it. Jay and Solange each assume their share of responsibility for what has occurred. They both acknowledge their role in this private matter that has played out in the public. They both have apologized to each other and we have moved forward as a united family.”