Yo music lovers Playboi Carti's new album MUSIC is finally here! It took a minute okay more like four and a half years but it's dropped and it's a journey. This ain't a quick listen either we're talking a 77-minute deep dive packed with features and tracks that fans have been waiting ages for. Let's break down the release chaos the sounds and all the tea on MUSIC .
Fashionably Late? The 'MUSIC' Release Saga Was Pure Carti Chaos
If you thought MUSIC would drop smoothly at midnight East Coast time think again. This is Playboi Carti we're talking about! Instead of the album we got a cryptic X post from Carti himself teasing some guest artists and promising a midnight Pacific drop. Of course midnight Pacific came and went with nothing but fan freakouts online. Seriously classic Carti.
During the delay Carti kept things interesting using Kai Cenat's stream as his personal album update hotline. Texts like "ANY MIN NOW" and blaming "SAMPLES AND CLEARANCES" for the delay kept fans on edge and glued to Kai's stream. It wasn't until like 7:30 AM Eastern time that MUSIC finally hit streaming platforms . Even then it was a rush with writers and producers still MIA on the credits. It sounds goofy but honestly did anyone expect anything less from a Carti release?
Atlanta Roots and Lil Wayne Vibes: Decoding the Sound of 'MUSIC'
Carti himself said MUSIC is all about channeling his influences and that Atlanta sound is all over this record. You can hear it in his flow on tracks like "Walk" and "Toxic" which feel straight out of the Future playbook. DJ Swamp Izzo's voice booming across the album is another ATL touch he's been around with Young Thug Gucci Mane and tons of local legends. There might even be a sample of Rich Kidz's "Bend Over" on "Like Weezy".
But Lil Wayne's influence might be the biggest of all. The album title MUSIC itself is a nod to Wayne who famously has "I Am Music" tattooed on his forehead. Even the sound on tracks like "Radar" with those horns and key changes gives off a strong 2011 Lil Wayne vibe think Lex Luger era Atlanta but with a Wayne twist.
Opium Crew MIA? 'MUSIC' Features a Star-Studded Guest List But No Signees
Carti basically launched a whole new wave of rap with his Opium label and Whole Lotta Red back in 2020. His artists like Ken Carson and Destroy Lonely have huge followings and dropped tons of music. But on MUSIC Carti doesn't feature any of them. Instead he brought in a crew of familiar heavy hitters.
The features list is stacked: Travis Scott Future Skepta Young Thug and The Weeknd all pop up at least once. The biggest surprise? Kendrick Lamar is on MUSIC three times! He is like a hype man on "Mojo Jojo" then drops some serious verses on "Backd00r" and "Good Credit". That laugh of his on "Good Credit" is straight horror movie material.
Reworked Singles and Throwbacks: 'MUSIC' Tracklist Tweaks and Uzi Reunion
If you were bumping Carti's singles from 2024 some of them made it onto MUSIC but with a twist. "Ketamine" is now "K Pop" maybe for easier marketing? "H00dByAir" is shorter now just "HBA" with some lines cut. The biggest change is "Evil J0rdan". It got a whole new intro all dramatic and atmospheric like those live versions Carti was doing at festivals. Fans have been obsessed with the live version's beat drop and Carti actually put a studio version of that vibe on the album. That's some serious fan service.
And for the OG Carti fans get ready for a Lil Uzi Vert reunion! It's been a minute since their first collab "Left Right" back in 2015 and those teased joint album rumors. They linked up again on MUSIC for "Jumpin" which is way darker than their old stuff think druggy and intense. Uzi also gets his own solo moment with "Twin Trim" a throwback to their older shinier sound.
Rumor Control: No Kanye Production No SZA Feature on 'MUSIC'
With a surprise album drop comes internet rumors. Word was Kanye West produced "Good Credit" and SZA was hiding somewhere on the tracklist. Carti's team shut those down quick. No Kanye production on "Good Credit" despite that sample sounding very College Dropout-era Ye. And that's Jhene Aiko not SZA on the album. Blame it on the lack of official credits and the internet's rumor mill.
Ye Slams Kendrick Lamar Collab on Carti's Album (Even Though He's On Three Tracks)
Speaking of Kanye drama even though he is not on MUSIC he still had opinions. Ye went on X to say he doesn't like Kendrick Lamar's music even though Kendrick is all over Carti's new album including "Backdoor" which was initially rumored to be Ye-produced (it's not). Ye admitted Kendrick "raps very good" but "I didnt need to hear him on Carti album." It's classic Ye being well Ye.
'I AM MUSIC' Tracklist - 30 Songs of Carti Chaos (Highlights):
- K Pop
- HBA
- Evil J0rdan
- Walk
- Toxic
- Like Weezy
- Radar
- Jumpin (ft. Lil Uzi Vert)
- Twin Trim (Lil Uzi Vert Interlude)
- Mojo Jojo (ft. Kendrick Lamar)
- Backd00r (ft. Kendrick Lamar)
- Good Credit (ft. Kendrick Lamar)
- Features also include: Travis Scott Future Skepta The Weeknd Ty Dolla Sign Young Thug Jhene Aiko
Note: Full official tracklist and credits may vary across platforms and are still being updated.
Rolling Loud and Beyond: Carti Takes 'MUSIC' to the Stage
Carti is not wasting any time taking MUSIC to the masses. He is headlining Rolling Loud California this weekend and is set to tour with The Weeknd as an opener soon. Expect to hear these new tracks live and probably some more surprises from the King Vamp himself.
'MUSIC' is Here and It's a Wild Ride
So MUSIC is finally out. It was a chaotic release a long wait but it's a sprawling ambitious Playboi Carti project. From Atlanta vibes to surprise features to reworked singles there's a lot to unpack. Dive in and let us know what you think of Carti's latest sonic adventure!