Brendan Frederick Portrait

Brendan Frederick

Brendan Frederick is a music journalist and historian. He is also the EVP, Content for Complex, where he worked between 2008 and 2015, and then again between 2024 and the present. Brendan was also the Chief Content Officer at Genius between 2015 and 2022. He is currently writing an R&B history book for Hachette Books.

Joined July 2014 | 154 posts
Sign Up to get access to the latest drops, exclusive products and insider updates.
By entering your email, you agree to receive customized marketing messages from us and our advertising partners. You also acknowledge that this site is protected by reCAPTCHA, and that our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Latest Stories

Three hoodies displayed against a patterned background: one gray with "KIDS UP," one black with a deer and text, and one brown with intricate designs.

The Best Hoodies for Every Budget Available on Complex [September 2026]

From everyday heavyweight fleece to embroidered grails, these standout hoodies are worth adding to your collection from Complex.

Brendan Frederick4 hours ago
A torn paper collage with various elements, including a map, text, and abstract shapes, on a black background.

beabadoobee's New Album 'Pylon': Tracklist, Features, Producers, and Everything You Need to Know

beabadoobee is back with her fourth album, Pylon. The deeply personal record features Paramore’s Hayley Williams, plus members of Turnstile and The 1975.

Brendan Frederick4 days ago
A blue T-shirt with a graphic of Pablo Escobar, a patchwork plaid shirt, and gray track pants with red and black stripes.

The Best New Apparel to Buy on Complex Right Now [September 2026]

Vintage-washed hoodies, deconstructed plaid, and convertible track pants. Here are eight fresh pieces to layer into your fall rotation on Complex.

Brendan Frederick5 days ago
Billionaire Boys Club's collab with Casasnova Vintage at ComplexCon 2025 is one of the brand's greatest moments from their ComplexCon history.

A History of BBC ICECREAM at ComplexCon: The Best Moments & Collaborations

From Hebru Brantley vinyl toys to VANDYTHEPINK capsules, here are BBC ICECREAM's most memorable ComplexCon drops and activations.

Brendan Frederick6 days ago
A collection of five different sneakers from various brands, including Nike, Adidas, and others, displayed against a textured background.

The Best New Sneakers Available on Complex [September 2026]

Terror Squad, Jennie, Pharrell, and A$AP Rocky lead this month's lineup of new arrivals, covering everything from artist collaborations to new retros.

Brendan Frederick11 days ago
Advertisement
Four pairs of sweatpants with various designs: graffiti-style, plain gray, black with white accents, and denim-like with a red waistband.

6 Super Comfortable Sweatpants Available on Complex

From everyday grey fleece to crystal-covered sweats and motocross-inspired graphics, here are six pairs worth wearing right now.

Brendan Frederick13 days ago
A black T-shirt with an eagle design and "World Rolling Loud Tour" logo, a black baseball jersey with "Rolling," and a blue cap with "Worldwide Loud/Crew."

The Best Rolling Loud Apparel & Merch Available on Complex

From festival merch to its own fashion label, Rolling Loud has built a clothing lineup that goes well beyond concert tees. Here are the pieces worth wearing right now.

Brendan Frederick14 days ago
A lineup of shoes: brown hiking boots, gray sneakers, and brown loafers, all branded Timberland.

The Best Timberland Boots and Shoes Available on Complex

There’s a lot more to Timberland than the classic 6-inch boot. These are the best pairs to shop right now.

Brendan Frederick15 days ago
A collage of belts with various designs: animal print with eyes, zebra stripes, cartoon characters on a round buckle, glittery blue, and camouflage.

7 Amazing Belts You Can Buy on Complex

The right belt doesn't just hold your pants up—it holds the whole fit together. These picks prove the waist is worth your attention.

Brendan Frederick19 days ago
A collection of streetwear apparel including a long-sleeve shirt, hoodie, and basketball jersey, alongside a vinyl record.

The Best 00pium Merch, Music & Collabs Available on Complex

From Playboi Carti to Ken Carson, Destroy Lonely, and Homixide Gang, Opium's roster has reshaped what a record label's merch can look like.

Brendan Frederick20 days ago
Advertisement
Five pairs of jeans in different styles and washes, including black with paint splatters, olive, dark blue, distressed light blue, and black with buttons.

The Best Jeans Available to Buy on Complex for Fall

Selvedge, baggy fits, flares, and everything in between. Find your next favorite pair.

Brendan Frederick21 days ago
Three men wearing different Billionaire Boys Club shirts: a white tee with a helmet graphic, a black tee with a chameleon design, and a red mesh shirt.

The Best Billionaire Boys Club Pieces Available on Complex

A curated look at the best new tees, shorts, and activewear from Pharrell and Nigo’s legendary streetwear label.

Brendan Frederick22 days ago
Mary J. Blige with curled hair peeks over sunglasses against a purple background, partially obscured by a wooden surface. She made one of the best R&B albums of the '90s.

The 50 Best R&B Albums of the '90s, Ranked

From Xscape to Aaliyah, these are the best R&B albums released in the '90s.

Brendan Frederick25 days ago
A collection of six sunglasses on a blue background, including brands like District Vision and Ray-Ban. Various shapes and colors are displayed.

The Best Sunglasses on Complex for Every Budget: District Vision, MM6, A$AP Rocky x Ray-Ban

From ultra-lightweight running shades to Meta AI smart frames, these standout sunglasses are available right now.

Brendan Frederick32 days ago
A collection of merchandise including a black hoodie with "aespa" and cartoon characters, a colorful drawstring bag, vinyl records, and graphic tees.

The Best K-Pop Merch and Vinyl Available on Complex

From BTS and BLACKPINK to aespa and LE SSERAFIM, these highlights from Complex's K-pop collection are for the real fans.

Brendan Frederick35 days ago
Advertisement
A collection of anime-themed clothing, including hoodies and T-shirts with manga designs, and a silver mannequin head wearing a jersey.

Anime Gift Guide: The Best T-Shirts, Merch & Collabs Available Now on Complex

From One Piece and Naruto layers to a Captain Tsubasa x Umbro capsule and an Astro Boy collector piece, check out our top picks from Complex's anime collection.

Brendan Frederick40 days ago
A collection of merchandise including a "Beautiful Chaos" jersey, vinyl records, a keychain, and posters with a blue background.

KATSEYE Gift Guide: The Best Merch & Vinyl Available Now on Complex

From exclusive trading cards to limited vinyl and tour merch, these are the standout picks from Complex's KATSEYE collection.

Brendan Frederick42 days ago
A collection of WWE and ECW-themed apparel, featuring a skull hoodie, wrestling jerseys, a cap, and graphic tees with bold designs.

The Best WWE Merch Available Now on Complex

From a Ken Carson collab to ECW throwbacks and SummerSlam drops, here are 10 WWE pieces worth adding to your collection.

Brendan Frederick46 days ago

Stay ahead on Exclusives

Download the Complex App