On Mar. 14, 2025, Playboi Carti’s highly controversial third studio album, MUSIC, dropped. The album, targeted towards a more underground scene, has received mixed feedback, with some calling it the album of the year and others finding it disappointing, given the work created despite Carti’s five-year hiatus.
Carti is known for his always-changing genres of rap. He has come a long way since his first release, Loosies, on SoundCloud. Die Lit, his first studio album, was where fans saw Carti’s ad-libs begin in a more mellow manner than his later pieces, with topics of partying and street life. Then came the infamous Whole Lotta Red in 2020, which redefined Carti’s rap into a more punk screaming manner, which is where Carti became an energetic, rage-filled rapper. He focused on ideas of rebellion and mosh pit music, ultimately switching his target audience.
So, how do these compare to MUSIC? Well, the simple answer is that they don’t. In the five years it took Carti to produce the album, he completely switched his flow and style. MUSIC is more focused on Carti’s experimental identity, where he places more emphasis on the music and underground influences than the lyrics themselves. By releasing the kind of songs he did and switching his genre, he was taking a large risk that he knew could have cost him fans.
The three highest rated songs were “Backd00r,” featuring Kendrick Lamar and Jhené Aiko, produced by Ojivolta; “Rather Lie,” featuring The Weeknd and produced by F1lthy; and “Charge Dem H*** a Fee,” featuring Future and Travis Scott and produced by Wheezy. Each song has a different style and a different type of artistic flow.
“Backd00r,” the highest rated song, samples R&B and soul legend Beverly Knight’s Mutual Feeling, giving the beat a funky and late 90s feel. The feature, Kendrick Lamar, the current leader of this genre, was the perfect addition to complete the vibe Carti was going for.
Next, “Rather Lie” dips into the pop scene with The Weeknd opening on the song, tailoring to yet another new audience. Finally, “Charge Dem H*** a Fee” goes back to his Atlanta roots of Whole Lotta Red and SoundCloud trap days, this time with a techno feel. He uses Travis Scott and Future to continue the old Carti feel, even with his usual producer, Wheezy.
Pitchfork, an online music magazine, rated the album a 7.7/10, while Albumoftheyear.org rated it with a critic score of 67, which aligns with the public’s opinion.
Julian Angelo ’27, a producer by the name of Gelobeatz, rated it a 7/10 and stated, “The beats were too busy and crowded into his lyrics, which masked his famous baby voice, but overall the way he tailored to the underground scene of hip-hop was well executed.”
Harper Thomas ’27 and Justin Favorite ’27, two avid music listeners with Carti in their top 5 listened to artists, allotted ratings of 8/10 and 7/10, respectively.
Overall, MUSIC proves that Playboi Carti is still evolving, still pushing boundaries and still willing to risk everything to redefine what rap can be. Whether you see it as a chaotic mess or a bold masterpiece, one thing is clear: Carti isn’t making music to play it safe. He’s making music to make a statement.
