While the 2025 Met Gala lit up New York City with stars and fashion under rainy skies on Monday night (May 5), one prominent hip-hop figure was noticeably absent: Playboi Carti.
The Atlanta rapper took to Instagram to share a stylish photoshoot alongside his girlfriend, Gio, where he claimed he had been banned from attending the prestigious event—likening the experience to being kicked out of prom.
“MET GALA BANNED ME FELT LIKE WE GOT KICKED OUT OF PROM BUT WE GOOD @ft.gioo WITH ME IM A HAPPY MAN F* EM @chromeheartsofficial**,” Carti captioned his post.
Despite the bold statement, Carti did not elaborate on why he was allegedly banned or whether he had been officially invited in the first place. This would have been a fitting year for his debut, given the impact of his latest project, Music, and his close friend A$AP Rocky serving as one of the Met Gala co-chairs.
Carti Shrugs Off Snub With Hotel Photoshoot
Rather than dwell on the exclusion, the Opium frontman turned the moment into a statement of his own. He and Gio recreated the iconic 2018 hallway photo of Ye (formerly Kanye West) and Kim Kardashian in a sleek hotel photoshoot. Carti wore a leather jacket and matching pants, completed with a Chrome Hearts beanie.
Though Vogue’s Anna Wintour keeps the Met Gala’s inner workings tightly controlled—including bans on smoking and phone use inside—the rules haven’t stopped a few guests from pushing boundaries. Megan Thee Stallion, for instance, shared a video from inside this year’s event alongside Doechii and Angel Reese, sampling appetizers.
Billboard has reached out to the Met Gala organizers for comment on Carti’s claim.
A Banner Year for Playboi Carti
While the Met Gala may have left Carti out, the music industry certainly hasn’t. His Music album debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 in March, with all 30 tracks landing on the Hot 100—a major milestone for the genre-defying artist. And the momentum isn’t slowing down: Carti continues to tease his upcoming project, Baby Boi.
Whether or not he gets that Met Gala invite next year, Playboi Carti clearly has no plans of slowing his rise.
