After a five-year wait filled with cryptic leaks, vampire aesthetics and fan-fueled speculation, Playboi Carti has finally returned. Unfortunately, it’s not worth the hype.
Carti’s previous album, Whole Lotta Red, may have been polarizing, but at least it had vision. His latest album, titled Music, is simply a directionless mess.
Carti has always thrived on chaos, but this time, the madness lacks purpose. The album swings between rock, metal, and rap with no real cohesion, held together by unfinished ideas and guest features that outshine him at every turn. It feels less like a five-year project and more like a collection of half-baked leaks thrown together to appease a rabid fanbase.
The opening track, “Pop Out,” aims for a grand, energetic introduction but comes off as a noisy, unfocused mess. Carti is evidently trying to recreate the raw aggression of Whole Lotta Red but without any of the structure that made those tracks work.
“Crush” leans into the Yeat wave but does so in the laziest way possible. Carti’s delivery sounds unfinished, as if he walked into the booth, mumbled a few ad-libs to cheer on Travis Scott, and called it a day.
“K Pop” follows a track that, despite its brevity at under two minutes, still feels overproduced and underwhelming. It’s a fleeting song that leaves little impression, serving as filler rather than a standout piece.
“Rather Lie” is a rare bright spot, tapping into the hypnotic energy of the song “Timeless” featured on The Weeknd’s album. But even this track doesn’t hit as hard as it should. It’s more of a reminder of Carti’s potential and how he fails to fulfill it in his own music.
The best moments on the album don’t even belong to Carti. Whether it’s Future, Jhene Aiko or even a producer-driven moment, the guests bring more presence and excitement than the artist whose name is on the cover.
The biggest issue with Music, if you can even call it that, is that the album doesn’t go anywhere. After five years, you’d expect some evolution, some risk-taking that pays off. Instead, this feels like a mixture of discarded ideas with high-profile features slapped on to keep it afloat.
Carti fans will likely find something to enjoy, but for anyone expecting growth, originality or even just a solid album, keep searching!
