Sometime over the last few years, Playboi Carti's new album became a kind of urban myth, a promise that seemed as if it would never be fulfilled. Carti is quite possibly the most influential rapper on the scene today, and his blown-out, faded expressionism has impacted an entire generation of baby rap cult-heroes. It's been more than four years since Carti released his last LP Whole Lotta Red, and that record has taken on classic status in certain circles. For the past few years, Carti has been showing up on other rappers' hits and putting out his own singles on YouTube or on Instagram, ignoring the main distribution channels that a rapper of his status would command. Carti has been teasing his new album I Am Music forever, and it was supposed to come out last night. Last night, there was a fresh round of internet dismay everytime a new deadline rolled around and the album wasn't out. But now, this morning, it's finally here.
So it turns out that the album is labelled on streaming services as just plain Music (or MUSIC), even though the cover clearly says I Am Music. Nobody knows what's going on with that. Whatever the title, this is the moment that Playboi Carti finally has to make good on all that ambient buzz and aura, and it's definitely a big swing. It's a 30-song, 76-minute opus with guest appearances from many of the figures on rap's A-list. Kendrick Lamar, the Weeknd, Young Thug, Future, Travis Scott, Lil Uzi Vert, Ty Dolla $ign, and Skepta all put in guest appearances.
That guest list, while impressive, speaks to the idea that Carti abandoned his bugged-out, chaotic style to make a more conventional event-rap album. I'm on my first listen now, though, and that doesn't seem to be the case. Instead, this is merely a more stadium-ready take on the glitchy, instinctive, freaked-out gibbering that Carti has turned into a signature style. It's early, but I'm liking what I'm hearing. Stream it for yourself below.
I Am Music is out now on AWGE/Interscope.
