Confusion and anticipation were ever-present in the five-year hiatus leading up to Playboi Carti’s third studio album, MUSIC. Since the release of his 2020 vampiric masterpiece, Whole Lotta Red, Carti has ascended to superstardom, cultivating one of the most devoted fan bases in hip-hop. His chaotic live performances and viral guest appearances fueled his mystique, turning every snippet and sighting into an event. Now, after years of speculation and silence, MUSIC arrives as the most anticipated and defining release of Carti’s career as it hit 139 million streams on the first day — the seventh-largest first-day streaming number of all time.
The album is a massive undertaking with a tracklist of 30 songs, aligning with Carti’s maximalist style. Throughout the project, Carti makes it clear that he can fit into every type of sound, from melodic ballads like “RATHER LIE” and “BACKD00R” to his intense, hard-hitting trap style with songs like “RADAR” and “CRANK.” His versatility is impressive, but songs like “POP OUT” prove that Carti can still innovate, delivering an industrial trap masterpiece that feels like an evolution of his harsh, vicious WLR sound. Sonically, the album isn’t as creative as WLR, but that was not Carti’s goal. MUSIC is not just an album, it’s a declaration of his influence and legacy in modern hip-hop.
Despite much of the album being snare-rolled to death, the album’s production maintains a strong sense of consistency. While a few tracks fall short, the standout moments more than compensate, thanks to the album’s bold and unpredictable production choices. “POP OUT,” for example, has one of the most bewildering beats I’ve ever heard, yet Carti smoothly delivers it. As the album’s opening track, it sets the tone perfectly, immediately immersing listeners in MUSIC.
Carti delivers indelible moments with the album’s features. Though a good chunk of features feel very safe, with hip-hop juggernauts like Travis Scott, Future, Lil Uzi Vert, and Young Thug adding close to nothing to the project, he makes up for it with standout contributions from rapper Kendrick Lamar. Lamar was featured on three separate songs, all of which are fun and unexpectedly playful, showcasing a side of him that was prominent on his most recent album, GNX. His collaboration with Carti came as a complete surprise, as their styles are vastly different, yet their chemistry on tracks like “GOOD CREDIT” is undeniable.
Lyrically, the album does not hold much weight. With that being said, the sound itself, rather than the words, are what drive the feeling that Carti fans love. His music is the result of carefully crafted sonic manipulation, pure sound.
Although MUSIC has many properties of a mixtape, the sequencing and thematics of the album feel well-curated and intentional — superstar features, incredible production, and a grandiose outro. The album was made to be an experience, a showcase of everything that Carti can do while paying homage to the sounds that inspired him. A big part of the MUSIC experience is Swamp Izzo, an Atlanta-based DJ, producer, and radio personality known for his work with artists like Young Thug and Future, who played a key role in shaping the Atlanta hip-hop scene. Izzo serves as Carti’s personal hype man on the album. Throughout “CRANK,” Carti catches a vicious flow while Swamp Izzo is in the background with enthralling yelling, amplifying the already rampageous song. Like the Kendrick features, Izzo’s contributions to the album add a layer of pedigree given Izzo is Southern hip-hop royalty.
MUSIC thrives on unpredictability. Carti shapeshifts from track to track. One moment you’re being pulled into a wave of nostalgia — echoes of Lil Wayne, Rich Kidz, and SpaceGhostPurrp samples — and the next, you’re launched into futuristic trap landscapes that feel like they’re redefining hip-hop in real time. It’s a constant push and pull, a sonic tug-of-war between the sounds that inspired Carti as well as the future of hip-hop.
Even though the album only recently came out, there is a sense of longevity. The way Carti reshaped hip-hop with WLR — an album that still sounds fresh five years later — will happen again with MUSIC. Although five years is a long wait, MUSIC proves that Carti hasn’t just returned — he’s cemented his place as hip-hop’s most electrifying rockstar.
