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Calling yourself “the music” is a bold statement given the millions of musicians creating work daily, yet Playboi Carti crowns himself with the name anyway. Not many artists have such a chokehold on their fanbase quite like the Atlanta rapper, whose decorated versatility between hip-hop subgenres over the years has made him soar in popularity since his start as $ir Cartier in 2011.

Most rap fans look at 2020’s “Whole Lotta Red” with mixed emotions or call it a masterpiece, and now in 2023 fans are feeling the same way with his slow, high-anticipated rollout of “MUSIC.” Only five official songs have been released so far, showcasing a range of talent.

In a way we have rarely seen artists roll out an album, all of Carti’s releases so far have only been posted to YouTube and not on streaming services. His style has shifted once again too, with the deep voice he first revealed on Travis Scott’s “Utopia” now serving as a mainstay in his catalog.

Whether “MUSIC” itself comes out soon is up in the air, but for now, the singles and snippets have provided a piece of the puzzle and showcased the new and improved Carti.

“Different Day” and “2024”

“Different Day” is the first single in the album’s rollout and Carti’s first solo drop since “Whole Lotta Red” in 2020. Carti’s label Opium announced the track and accompanying music video in an Instagram post on Dec. 8. One week later, “2024” dropped as the second song to be released ahead of “MUSIC.”

In the second half of “2024” we hear the alternate version of Carti, A majority of the first two singles resemble each other, with an abundance of his higher voice that has always been a staple of his. Since its drop, “2024” has 27 million views and production credits from some of the best in hip-hop like Kanye West and Earl on the Beat.

Unlike some of the tracks released after “Different Day” and “2024,” the two lead singles focus on more loud, upbeat instrumentals instead of Carti’s revamped style.

“H00DBYAIR”
“H00DBYAIR” digs a grave for Carti’s opponents, putting “them in a coffin.” Compared to “Different Day” and “2024”, this single is a glimpse into the power of his deeper side.

The song is inspired by streetwear brand Hood By Air that hit its peak during the mid-2010s. Popularized by rappers like Kid Cudi and A$AP Rocky, the company’s o’s are replaced in the song’s name with zeroes, similar to other music on Opium’s label.

Carti’s line “Double 0, yeah, the biggest ever, we just gettin’ ready for the crossover” shouts out the Opium label and the artists that make it up.

Between Carti acknowledging his two children, Onyx and Yves, and attacking those who have been “bitin” at him his whole career, many lyrics on “H00DBYAIR” are grim like his new style.

“BACKR00MS” ft. Travis Scott

Carti and Travis delivered an unexpected headline release to start off the year. Teased by both artists on New Year’s Day, “BACKR00MS” and its music video combined both star’s fan bases and reached 14 million views in a little over three weeks.

Produced by Cardo, the high-pitch, futuristic blips and simple bassline make a well constructed track. Even the hook alone “in the middle of the field, throw me a bomb, I’m throwin’ that bih’ like a quarterback,” is effortlessly catchy.

Travis Scott has already started performing the song at most of his recent Circus Maximus Tour shows, shaping this single up be a crowd favorite.

“EVILJ0RDAN”
Going viral on TikTok before its release, thanks to DJ Swamp Izzo’s ad-libs, “EVILJ0RDAN” holds an immensely melodic, bouncy instrumental.

In “EVILJ0RDAN,” Carti calls himself an evil figure by including his birth name Jordan in the title and using his bars to showcase his persona. He credits himself as one of hip hop’s eccentric figures in the track stating “they can’t put me in no genre baby, ‘cause I changed the game.”

“Disrespect the 5, I put your ass in the food chain,” Carti raps, takes shots at those against Homixide Gang, often referring to them as “the 5.”

No hook on “EVILJ0RDAN” serves no problem for the track and its short run time, almost acting as a simple freestyle to display his deeper tone.

What’s Next?

No official release date has been placed on “MUSIC” and none of the singles have made their way onto streaming platforms other than SoundCloud. So, what’s next?

Carti continues to tease more singles but pushed back his highly-anticipated Antagonist Tour with Destroy Lonely, Ken Carson and Homixide Gang. The constant postponements leave a debate on whether or not he is waiting to perform his new album or if he’s leaving his fans feening for more.

As an artist who is known not to drop on time, “MUSIC” seems to be going a different route. Even though songs are being released, it might not necessarily mean the project drops any time soon. A YouTube and social media specific rollout stands out as well, forcing fans to go out of their way to listen to Carti’s future hits.

Published on January 24, 2024 at 12:55 am