Playboi Carti is cementing his status as one of the most important figures of Gen Z rap with his latest album, Music, which dropped on February 2, 2025, following the raw energy of his previous work, Whole Lotta Red. The anticipation leading up to Music reached fever pitch, with fans clamoring for what had been dubbed the "third album". It had been over four years since Carti dropped his last project, and the wait was nearly unbearable for many.
At 30 tracks long and clocking in at just over 77 minutes, Music is nothing short of an auditory feast, showcasing Carti's inventive style. Critics have noted how his vocal evolution is impressive, especially highlighted when he debuted his new voice on Travis Scott's hit "Fe!n" back in 2023, which was described as deep and garbled.
Onstage at the 67th Annual Grammy Awards, Carti's charisma and presence were undeniable, setting the stage for the album's significant release. Following his performance, music enthusiasts from all corners expressed excitement for Music, which is already being recognized widely for its unique soundscapes and lyrical content.
Despite some delays causing frustration among fans, Carti's album has become Spotify’s most streamed album within a single day. Its first-week streaming statistics alone showcase its success, amassing impressive numbers with 139 million streams on the first day and 89.7 million on the second. By the end of its first week, Carti’s Music moved 250K units from streaming, positioning it as one of the top hip-hop releases of the moment.
What stands out about Music is its eclectic mix of styles and influences, featuring contributions from notables such as Young Thug, Kendrick Lamar, and The Weeknd. On the track "Mojo Jojo," Kendrick provides infectious ad-libs, partnering with Carti’s unique vocal interjections to create a playful yet enthralling listening experience. It’s as if listeners are invited to partake in late-night gaming sessions, where creativity flows freely.
Track by track, Carti’s work wriggles between various genres, encapsulating everything from neon-lit wonder to haunting depths. Songs like "K-Pop" and "Jumpin'" hark back to the rage-rap enthusiasm established with Whole Lotta Red, showcasing Carti’s unwavering ability to morph his voice and production style. Critics note, "Carti makes the beat work for him, adding little bursts of chatter or slurred words outside of it, maintaining a core rhythm," indicating his mastery over the art form.
Even when addressing darker themes, such as his controversial personal life, he manages to present these elements through his trademark breadth of humorous flair. On the track "Rather Lie," featuring The Weeknd, Carti lightly reflects upon relationships and personal struggle, portraying vulnerability through layered sound and engaging lyrics.
Hip Hop All Day's overview highlighted its parallels with other massive hip-hop launches like Travis Scott's UTOPIA and Future's WE DON'T TRUST YOU, showcasing why crowds gathered with eager anticipation for his more exploratory work. While streaming numbers paint Carti’s success, they also usher inquiries about physical sales. The artist himself remarked, "IT IS ODD" when addressing voiced confusion about the lack of clarity around the album's overall sales report, reflecting the enigmatic nature of both his music and persona.
While some tracks such as "Dis 1 Got It" ventured too closely to mimicry of Future, overall, Music distinctly reflects Carti's diverse artistic capacity. It blurs definitions of conventional rap through abstract lyricism and experimental soundscapes, creating something entirely new. The entire project plays as both boisterously celebratory and deeply introspective, mixing vapid surface on the tracks with layers of meaning for thoughtful listeners.
Carti’s past reassesses the way the narrative around him is shaped. After facing controversies, including legal troubles and personal fallout from relationships, he continues to reinvent himself with each release. Always straddling the fine line of humor and bravado, he captures listeners’ imaginations—ever the trickster, mischievously tossing around spontaneous phrasings and absurd declarations. Critics laud his ability to weave together sequences of captivating sound with unfettered charisma.
The path to Music is laden with challenges; yet, with its release, Playboi Carti showcases his growth as an artist and his ability to shape cultural conversations within the current music industry. "See, this gonna feel like the end of the world to many of you. To my day ones, it’s merely the new beginning," proclaimed DJ Swamp Izzo on one of the tracks, signifying Carti's powerful evolution and reiteration as one of rap music’s shining stars.
