There’s something about Houston in October that makes you want to pull out your best denim, dust off your boots, and step into your Southern alter ego. When I heard SP5DER Worldwide was teaming up with the legendary Bill Pickett Invitational Rodeo for The Sweet Tooth Rodeo, I knew I had to be there. A rodeo meets fashion show meets cultural celebration? Say less.
Let me paint the picture: SP5DER isn’t just a brand. It’s a vibe, a movement, a world of its own. Dreamt up by Young Thug, the label has this uncanny ability to make chaos look cool: bright colors, webbed graphics, and a kind of fearless confidence that says, “Yeah, I know you haven’t seen this.” SP5DER lives at the crossroads of pop culture, music, and luxury fashion, but it’s also about community; about showing up loud, bold, and unapologetically yourself. So it made perfect sense that before stepping into an event celebrating the legacy of Black cowboys and cowgirls, we’d ground ourselves in the history that made it all possible with a visit to the Black Cowboy Museum in Rosenberg.
About 30 minutes outside Houston, if you’ve never been, put it on your list. The museum is run by Larry Callies, a retired singer turned historian and former cowboy who founded the space to preserve the overlooked stories of Black cowboys in a whitewashed Americana society. Larry greeted us with the kind of warmth that makes you forget you’re technically on a museum tour. Between his familiar OG mannerisms and storyteller’s twang, he pulled us into a living archive: walls lined with sepia photos, weathered saddles, and faded rodeo posters. He spoke about Nat Love, Bill Pickett, and even his very own family members (and himself) who helped shape Western culture, long before Hollywood ever imagined a cowboy. I found myself fixated on a photo of a young Black cowboy mid-barrel turn, dust flying, face fierce. Larry smiled when he caught me staring. “That right there,” he said, “is the real spirit of the rodeo, balance, grit, and grace.” It set the tone for the rest of the day. By the time we left, we weren’t just attendees heading to an event; we were carrying a lineage, one Larry had lovingly preserved in every display case and every story.
By sunset, we made our way to Plaza Garibaldi, which SP5DER had transformed into a universe of its own. A mix of Houston swagger, rodeo grit, and streetwear fantasy. You could smell Nando’s chicken grilling, hear the faint hiss of Happy Dad seltzers cracking open, and catch flashes of purple and neon green SP5DER logos shimmering across denim and fringe. There were even staged advertisements placed all over the arena, like familiar signage such as a Jiffy Lube ad that were all remixed with the SP5DER branding. That’s how intentional and curated the event felt.
Not to mention, everywhere you turned, someone looked like a walking editorial, from traditional rodeo royalty to Y2K cowboys. I spotted custom SP5DER button-downs paired with snakeskin boots, vintage Levi’s tucked into chaps, and one unforgettable pink bolo tie that could’ve had its own press release. The energy was infectious. It was a mashup of families, longtime rodeo fans, and SP5DER fans who clearly knew their fashion history.
When the competitions began, the crowd’s energy hit another level. The Bill Pickett Invitational Rodeo, now in its 41st year, knows how to put on a show. There were barrel racers slicing turns like poetry, bull riders gripping for glory, and calf ropers moving with the precision of surgeons. Mind you, the entire time, the DJ had the house rocking! About 30 minutes into the races, Young Thug himself walked in to witness how Houston embraced his brand. Each rider debuted looks from SP5DER’s Fall/Winter 2025 collection. Think utility cuts, sleek graphics, and bold color blocking, paired with custom-designed competition shirts.
Somewhere between the dust of the arena and the glow of the merch booth, I realized what made The Sweet Tooth Rodeo so special. It wasn’t just a brand activation or a cool collab; it was a reminder that Black cowboy culture has always been in fashion, SP5DER just gave it a new stage. The entire event made me realize how seamlessly fashion and function could coexist when culture leads the design. The best part? It all contributed to something bigger. Proceeds from the night benefited the Bill Pickett Invitational Rodeo Foundation, supporting scholarships, rodeo grants, and the preservation of BPIR’s traveling museum.
In a world where trends come and go faster than a bull out the gate, seeing a global streetwear brand like SP5DER pay homage to Houston heritage felt powerful. It wasn’t performative, but participatory. They didn’t just sponsor the rodeo; they entered it, literally and symbolically, dressing the riders who keep the tradition alive.
As we drove back through the Texas night, boots dusty and hearts full, I couldn’t help but think of Larry from the museum. His words echoed: “Balance, grit, and grace.” That’s exactly what The Sweet Tooth Rodeo embodied. A balance of past and present, the grit of competition, and the grace of a culture finally getting its flowers under the bright lights of Houston.