Playboi Carti has always been a pivotal yet polarizing figure in the hip-hop world. Best known for his distinct vocal tone and adventurous musical pursuits, Carti’s discography has been widely accepted as a landmark in the larger rap genre. That being said, since his newest release, MUSIC, was announced, anticipation for the project has been high, both for Carti fans starved of new music for half a decade and the more general hip-hop enthusiasts.
I did my best to listen to MUSIC for the first time without expectations, so I was pleasantly surprised to find it was a 30-track album loaded with features. Carti leans further into his niche punk rap genre and even experiments with a trap sound throughout the compilation that I think highlights his ambitious music abilities well. Yet it is precisely these elements that also seem to detract from what loyal Carti fans love most: the cohesion and narration inherent to his previous projects.
It’s no secret that Carti’s discography is divisive. His jarring vocal inflections and abrasive sound are just some of the factors that play into the mixed reactions he receives. However, I believe that in his past releases, Carti does an admirable job of unifying these chaotic characteristics to create a well-connected album. Die Lit relied on its more commercial approach while Whole Lotta Red leaned on its punk experimentality. MUSIC explores so many genres it turns Carti’s versatility into a weakness. The album jumps unflinchingly from R&B-infused tracks to aggressive punk records to electric trap beats.Although most songs as individual compositions are enjoyable to listen to and impressive, they create a sprawling, unfocused nature to the album that dilutes their listenability.
The featuring artists and their verses also contribute to this issue. While I love Kendrick Lamar and often think he can do no wrong, I’ll admit that his three appearances on MUSIC add to the album’s disjointedness. I think the duo has incredible potential to represent the stylistic gap between traditional lyricism and a more raw, minimalistic approach when it comes to hip-hop. That being said, Lamar’s talents seem strangely underplayed on the album as he assumes a more secondary role via simple ad-libs and interjections. The presence of this rap titan does enhance the listenability of the songs, but it further confuses MUSIC’s narrative, or lack thereof. Additionally, Lil Uzi Vert’s multiple features are a callback to their past collaborations, which makes “JUMPIN” an entertaining listen. Yet in another odd creative choice, Carti is entirely absent from Uzi’s other feature, “TWIN TRIM.” Other appearances like Travis Scott, Young Thug and Jhené Aiko make sense from a commercial perspective, but seem to otherwise clash with the raw, chaotic aesthetic inherent to Carti’s discography. While he does showcase his immense versatility by collaborating with these diverse artists, he also perpetuates MUSIC’s disconnected and unclear narrative.
Despite its obvious faults, there are many notable tracks on MUSIC that I’ve found myself returning to regularly. “GOOD CREDIT” features Kendrick Lamar, and while I definitely do not have the most objective opinion when it comes to the rapper, I genuinely enjoy the unique chemistry between Lamar and Carti throughout the song. The gospel choir in the background of “CRUSH” makes it another personal favorite. I love the contrast of the choir and aggressive trap drumbeat, and I think this track specifically does an exceptional job of leaning into Carti’s experimentality without straying too far from unifying themes. Some of the others that have been on repeat are “BACKDOOR” and “RADAR.”
With MUSIC, Playboi Carti further cements himself as one of hip-hop’s most unpredictable figures as he effortlessly transcends styles throughout the album. However, while the experimentation, high-profile collaborations and sonic diversity make for an exhilarating listen, the album’s disjointed nature will likely prevent it from reaching the cult status of Whole Lotta Red. Whether MUSIC will stand the test of time or be remembered solely for its standout singles remains to be seen, but one thing is certain — Carti continues to push boundaries, even if the results are as divisive as ever.
Mia Roman-Wilson is a freshman in the College of Arts and Sciences. She can be reached at mromanwilson@cornellsun.com.
