Following a series of cryptic lies and leaks by Playboi Carti, the Atlanta-based rapper released his fourth studio album after a five-year wait.
The album “MUSIC” released last Friday, after first being teased in March of 2021.
With the release of “MUSIC” came a polarizing reaction amongst rap fans, leaving some in love and others displeased. Despite the mixed reaction, I fall somewhere in the middle.
Dissimilar to his tone in his first two albums, “MUSIC” features a distorted, abrasive flow. Throughout “MUSIC,” Carti shies away from his famous baby voice apparent in his first two albums.
While I loved the production, features and a good chunk of the songs – with 30 tracks – it is hard not to have a few flops. Moreover, I am not fully convinced of Playboi Carti’s new sound.
Eight artists were featured on the album: Travis Scott, The Weeknd, Jhené Aiko, Kendrick Lamar, Skepta, Future, Lil Uzi Vert, Young Thug and Ty Dolla $ign. I enjoyed the majority of the features and felt as though they all complemented Carti well.
Out of the features, Lil Uzi Vert, Young Thug, Future and Skepta all stood out. If I were to pick a favorite, though, it would be Lil Uzi Vert’s verse on the track “TWIN TRIM.”
In the track, Playboi Carti gave Lil Uzi Vert the entirety of the song which resulted in a minute of joyous nostalgia.
Lil Uzi Vert went back to his old ways, providing an upbeat flow on top of a fun beat – all in all a great listening experience.
Another feature that stood out was Young Thug’s verse on “WE NEED ALL DA VIBES.” Along with Young Thug, Ty Dolla $ign’s verse also shined, as did Playboi Carti’s.
The trio complemented each other perfectly. While Young Thug provided a fast, upbeat flow that pushed the pace of the song, Ty Dolla $ign stepped in to provide a catchy chorus.
Another feature that shined was Skepta’s verse on “TOXIC.” The United Kingdom-based rapper made his second appearance on a Playboi Carti album after contributing a verse on “Lean 4 Real” in 2018 – another great feature.
Needless to say, Skepta came through once again. His UK-drill style of music fit nicely and was unique to the remainder of the features on the album.
Other strong songs include “GOOD CREDIT” with Kendrick Lamar and “EVIL JORDAN,” which was a solo track. “EVIL JORDAN” may be my favorite song on the album.
With nearly a 40 second intro followed by an attention-grabbing transition into vocals, “EVIL JORDAN” was one of the best produced songs on the album. On top of the production, Carti provided a milder flow.
As for the songs I was not too fond of, “POP OUT,” “I SEEEEEE YOU BABY BOI” and “COCAINE NOSE” all left a sour taste in my mouth. The hectic production, mixed with a messy combination of shriek-sounding voices hurt the quality of each of the songs.
I was especially distasteful toward “COCAINE NOSE” after the track repeated the phrase 12 consecutive times to close the song.
As for the album’s other strong point, the production, it was fast-paced, multi-layered and kept me entertained throughout. Featuring an array of star-studded producers, BNYX, Metro Boomin and Cardo Got Wings were especially impressive.
Given the production of “MUSIC” was high-level and the features came through, I rate the album a 7/10. While “MUSIC” delivered in production and its features, its low points were incredibly low.
