By Joshua Diaz ’27
Playboi Carti has released the best rap album of the year so far. Nothing comes close to the innovation or magnitude of this album so far, and the tribute it pays to Carti’s home city is fantastic. A heavy feature list brings an extreme, over-the-top sound. Playboi Carti goes back to his roots for a unique sound not heard in nearly 10 years.
MUSIC, the third studio album by rap artist Playboi Carti was released on March 14, 2025. The 34-track deluxe album is available to listen on every major music streaming service like Spotify. Features include artists like Kendrick Lamar, Future, Young Thug, Travis Scott, The Weeknd and more. The executive producer was Kanye West and other producers like Filthy, Metro Boomin, and Swamp Izzo worked heavily on the album. The sound is unique from his last two albums but is closer to his last one Whole Lotta Red than Die lit.
The overall sound of the album is very aggressive with how the beats are made with bombastic 808 synths with over-the-top drums and loud ad libs from producer Swamp Izzo. Stand out tracks are “OLYMPIAN,” “I SEEEEEE YOU BABY BOI,” “HBA,” “ALL THE VIBES,” and “LIKE WHEEZY.” I enjoy the album but the common sentiment around it is the sound is decisive in nature with how the beats sound. This is most seen through the song RATHER LIE as it is the safest track, as it’s not complex in nature, and The Weeknd changes the whole mood of the song making it seem out-of-place and seems like it’s a part of The Weeknd’s newest album Hurry Up Tomorrow.
The lyricism is unique to other rap albums with it not having as many bars. The flow is not like anything I have heard in some of the songs. What stands out the most in the album is the influence from his city, Atlanta, from samples to how the album is made. It’s most apparent in the song “LIKE WHEEZY,” sampling Atlanta group The Rich Kidz’s song “Bend Over.” The sample can be heard across the whole song.
The Raider Press 