How does a hip-hop duo connect with one of the world’s largest automotive brands to create a cultural moment? In the lead-up to ComplexCon 2025, EARTHGANG and Toyota formed an unexpected alliance that bridged the gap between automotive engineering and hip-hop artistry, demonstrating how brands increasingly look to music culture for authentic connections.
The partnership centered around “Building the Bag,” a documentary-style video series that followed EARTHGANG’s journey to ComplexCon while showcasing Toyota vehicles in real-world settings.
This content strategy effectively blended lifestyle elements with automotive features, creating narratives that resonated with both music fans and potential car buyers across digital platforms. The metaphor of “building the bag” cleverly tied together entrepreneurial spirit with Toyota’s brand ethos of reliability and innovation. The collaboration exemplified the importance of defining clear goals when merging music promotion with brand partnerships to ensure mutual benefit and audience alignment. For EARTHGANG, this partnership represented one of many sync licensing opportunities that musicians can leverage to diversify their income streams beyond traditional recording and touring.
As the Official Auto Sponsor of ComplexCon 2025, Toyota leveraged this collaboration to establish deeper connections with younger demographics who might otherwise overlook traditional automotive marketing.
The company’s booth at the convention featured two exclusive vehicle experiences where attendees could interact directly with both the cars and EARTHGANG members, who participated in performances and meet-and-greet sessions throughout the event. Visitors to the Toyota booth were also offered limited custom chain-stitching on select merchandise items, creating personalized keepsakes from the convention. The collaboration showcased a vintage-inspired workwear capsule that reflected both EARTHGANG’s unique style and Toyota’s brand heritage.
The activation represented a strategic shift in automotive sponsorship approaches, moving away from conventional advertising toward more culturally embedded experiences.
EARTHGANG served as cultural ambassadors, lending their authenticity and creative perspective to Toyota’s marketing narrative while helping attract diverse audiences through their established fanbase.
Online metrics revealed significant engagement across social platforms, with video content generating substantial view counts and positive sentiment analysis.
For Toyota, this partnership signified a deliberate move to position itself as youth-oriented and culturally relevant in an increasingly competitive auto market.
