Scorecard: 7.1/10 · Good
How we score- Writing(25%)
- 6.0
The lyrics prioritize rhythm and repetition over narrative, with tracks like "Munyun" and "South Atlanta Baby" showing autobiographical detail while most others rely on boastful phrases and short refrains that serve the sound more than they build ideas.
- Production(25%)
- 8.5
The beat selection is eclectic and ambitious, with Ojivolta, Cardo and F1lthy anchoring a sonic palette that ranges from the Hungarian psychedelic sample on "Evil J0rdan" to chipmunk soul influences on "Like Weezy" and "Cocaine Nose", all tied together by punchy 808s and crisp hi-hats.
- Delivery(15%)
- 8.0
Carti shifts from the deep rasp on "Mojo Jojo" to the high-pitched timbre on "I Seeeeee You Baby Boi" with ease, and his freestyle approach on "HBA" shows vocal range that Whole Lotta Red never explored, though some guest verses feel phoned in.
- Cohesion(15%)
- 5.5
At 76 minutes and 30 tracks, the album sags under its own weight; abrupt transitions like the jump from "Cocaine Nose" to "We Need All Da Vibes" and minimal interludes like "Twin Trim" disrupt the flow, and the sequencing never justifies the length.
- Originality(10%)
- 7.5
The departure from the baby voice to a gruffer, deeper delivery is a real stylistic pivot, and the production spans trap, chipmunk soul and psychedelic samples in ways that expand Carti's sound beyond Whole Lotta Red's rage template.
- Replay value(10%)
- 6.5
The strongest tracks reward repeat listens, but the bloat and filler mean most sessions will involve heavy skipping; the AI deepfake controversy around "Rather Lie" and "Fine Shit" also raises questions about what listeners are actually hearing.
Playboi Carti MUSIC — The Album That Drowned in Its Own Ambition
Playboi Carti built his reputation on chaos, but MUSIC proves that chaos without constraint is just clutter. The thesis is straightforward: this is a wildly ambitious album hamstrung by a 76-minute runtime that no artist in 2025 has earned, least of all one whose lyrics amount to rhythm exercises and whose sequencing feels like a playlist dump rather than a deliberate arc. The stakes are whether Carti can expand beyond the rage template of Whole Lotta Red without losing what made that album influential in the first place. The answer is yes, he can — the production here is broader and more inventive, the vocal delivery deeper and gruffer where it used to be shrill — but the expansion comes at the cost of focus. MUSIC is a record that needed an editor, not a box set.
The context is simple: after Whole Lotta Red became a divisive but ultimately influential entry in the rage subgenre, Carti spent four years recording, scrapping titles like Narcissist and Antagonist, and eventually holing up in a Paris cave studio to finish what he was calling I Am Music. The final product arrived in March 2025 with 30 tracks, guest spots from Kendrick Lamar to Travis Scott to the Weeknd, and production credits that read like a trap all-star roster. It debuted at number one with 298,000 units and broke Spotify streaming records, which means the world listened. The question is whether they should keep listening.
The Sound That Could Not Say No
MUSIC is a Southern trap album in structure but a stylistic grab bag in execution. The production, handled by Ojivolta, Cardo, F1lthy, Metro Boomin, Wheezy and members of 808 Mafia, is the album's clear strength. The beats are punchy and varied: one track opens with a psychedelic sample pulled from the Weeknd's "Popular" and builds into something atmospheric and menacing, another leans on chipmunk soul with a Rich Kidz sample that sounds like 2011 Atlanta tape music, and a third flips an Ashanti sample over hard-hitting 808s. The hi-hats snap, the bass knocks, and the arrangements give Carti room to experiment. Some tracks are energetic and immediate, while others slow the tempo and let melody do the work. The production palette is eclectic enough to keep the first half interesting and ambitious enough to justify the hype around Kanye West's involvement, even if his contribution is hard to isolate.
Carti's vocal delivery is the other major shift. He abandons the baby voice that defined Whole Lotta Red in favor of a deeper, raspier register that sounds closer to Future or Young Thug than to the Carti of Die Lit. On one track he drops into a low growl, on another he pivots to a high-pitched squeal, and on a third he freestyles over a Cardo beat with a loose, unpolished energy. The range is real, and it shows a willingness to push past the comfort zone of his earlier work.
But the vocal shifts often feel arbitrary rather than purposeful, as if Carti is trying on voices to see what fits rather than building a consistent persona. The writing does not help. Most of the lyrics are short phrases and refrains designed to slot into the beat: materialism, nightlife, boasts. A few tracks hint at autobiography and personal reflection, but they are outliers. The rest is filler that prioritizes rhythm over ideas, which works when the production is strong and falls flat when it is not.
The guest features are a mixed bag. Kendrick Lamar's ad-lib-heavy turn on one track is playful but slight, and his verse on another is solid without being essential. Travis Scott appears on four tracks and sounds engaged on one but autopilot on the rest. The Weeknd's hook on one collaboration became the subject of AI deepfake accusations online, and whether or not the conspiracy holds water, the track feels detached and uninspired. Future, Young Thug, Ty Dolla Sign, Lil Uzi Vert, Skepta and Jhené Aiko all show up, and none of them lift the album above what Carti is doing on his own. DJ Swamp Izzo's hosting, meant to evoke Atlanta mixtape tradition, is an unnecessary addition that clutters tracks without adding structure. The overreliance on guests is a weakness, not a strength: MUSIC would have been better served by fewer voices and more editing.
The Album That Forgot How to End
MUSIC opens strong and sags hard by the midpoint. The first stretch moves with purpose: the opening run establishes energy, the next section builds atmosphere, and the transition to "BACKD00R" pivots to melody with Kendrick Lamar and Jhené Aiko. The pacing works because the production varies and the vocal delivery shifts enough to hold attention. But after the first third, the sequencing falls apart. Short interludes break momentum rather than build it, and abrupt transitions feel like two playlists spliced together without a plan. The album peaks early and then spends 40 minutes treading water.
The length is the central problem. At 76 minutes and 30 tracks, MUSIC is bloated. Whole Lotta Red was 62 minutes and 24 tracks, and that album felt too long; this one is worse. Multiple tracks in the middle section are fine in isolation but unnecessary in sequence.
The deluxe edition added four more tracks, which suggests Carti and his team have no interest in restraint. The result is an album that exhausts rather than rewards, where the highs are real but the lows are frequent and the overall arc is nonexistent. By the time the closing track arrives, the listener has been through too much to care about the payoff. A tighter 45-minute version of MUSIC would have been a strong follow-up to Whole Lotta Red; the version that exists is a slog.
An Album That Needed Half the Songs
MUSIC ranks below Die Lit and Whole Lotta Red in Playboi Carti's catalog. Die Lit is the tighter, more focused record, and Whole Lotta Red is the more influential one, even if it was divisive on arrival. MUSIC has the ambition to surpass both — the production is broader, the vocal delivery more varied — but it lacks the discipline to execute. The album is for Carti completists and fans who want to hear him try new sounds, but casual listeners and anyone looking for a cohesive project should skip it. The highs are scattered across 30 tracks, and the lows are frequent enough to make the full listen a chore.
The tracks worth hearing are "Evil J0rdan," "Backd00r" and "Like Weezy," which demonstrate the production range and vocal experimentation at their best. "Crush" and "Pop Out" work as energetic openers, and "Cocaine Nose" is a standout for the Ashanti sample flip. Start there and skip the rest unless you are committed to the full experience. The AI deepfake controversy around "Rather Lie" and "Fine Shit" is a distraction, but it speaks to a larger issue: the album feels hastily assembled, with final adjustments made hours before release according to DJ Swamp Izzo, and the lack of quality control shows.
For related listening, Die Lit remains the best entry point for new listeners, and Whole Lotta Red is essential for understanding the rage subgenre that Carti helped push to the mainstream. Fans of the production on MUSIC should check Future's DS2 for a tighter trap album with similar sonic ambition, and Travis Scott's Rodeo for a record that balances experimentation with structure. MUSIC will age as a bloated but occasionally inspired chapter in Carti's career, the album where he tried everything and forgot to say no. Rolling Stone named it the tenth best album of 2025, which says more about the year than the record.
Track Listing
POP OUT
▲An energetic opener that sets the tone with punchy 808s and a driving tempo. The production from DY Krazy, DJH and Slowburnz is clean and immediate, and Carti's delivery is aggressive without being grating. It does the job of launching the album, but it is not a standout.
CRUSH
▲Travis Scott's presence elevates this one, and the choir-backed production from Ojivolta, F1lthy and Sweet gives it a sense of scale. The energy is high, and the vocal interplay between Carti and Scott works. One of the stronger collaborations on the album, even if it is not essential.
K POP
●Originally released as "Ketamine," this track is minimal and hypnotic, with production from Ojivolta, Cardo and Twisco that leans on looping synths and sparse percussion. Carti's delivery is monotone and trance-like, which fits the vibe but does not leave much of an impression. Solid but forgettable.
EVIL J0RDAN
▲The psychedelic sample from the Weeknd's "Popular" opens the track with an eerie, atmospheric introduction, and the production from Ojivolta, Cardo and Johnny Juliano builds into something menacing and layered. Carti's vocal delivery is gruff and confident, and the beat gives him space to experiment. This is one of the album's best moments, a track that justifies the hype around the production and shows what MUSIC could have been with more focus. The sequencing choice to place it early is smart, as it establishes the album's ambition before the bloat sets in.
MOJO JOJO
▲Kendrick Lamar's ad-lib-heavy interplay with Carti is playful and loose, and the production from Cardo and Johnny Juliano is bouncy without being overproduced. Carti drops into a low register here, which contrasts with the higher-pitched delivery on other tracks. The chemistry between the two rappers is real, even if the track does not push either artist into new territory. A solid collaboration that feels more like a fun detour than a statement.
PHILLY
●Travis Scott returns for another feature, and the Cardo and Johnny Juliano production keeps the energy steady. The track is competent but unremarkable, and Scott's verse feels like autopilot. It does not add much to the album's arc, and it could have been cut without loss.
RADAR
●A brief Metro Boomin-produced interlude that leans on atmospheric synths and minimal percussion. At under two minutes, it serves as a palate cleanser, but it breaks momentum rather than building it. Skippable.
RATHER LIE
▼The Weeknd's hook became the subject of AI deepfake accusations, and whether or not the conspiracy is true, the track feels detached and uninspired. The production from Ojivolta, F1lthy, Twisco and Ramzoid is melodic and polished, but the vocal performances lack urgency. This is one of the weaker collaborations on the album, and the controversy around it overshadows whatever the track was trying to accomplish.
FINE SHIT
▼Another track dogged by AI deepfake theories, and the production from Ojivolta, F1lthy, Keanu Beats and 99Hurts is minimal and repetitive. At under two minutes, it does not overstay its welcome, but it does not justify its existence either. Filler.
BACKD00R
▲Kendrick Lamar and Jhené Aiko join Carti on one of the album's most melodic and ambitious tracks. The production from Ojivolta, Kanye West, Keanu Beats, Nagra, Rameshni and Twisco is lush and layered, with a Beverley Knight sample that adds warmth to the beat. Lamar's verse is solid, and Aiko's hook is understated and effective. Carti's delivery is more restrained here, which allows the production to breathe. This is one of the album's clear highlights, a track that balances melody and energy without overreaching. The Kanye West credit is hard to isolate, but the track feels cohesive and purposeful in a way that much of the album does not.
TOXIC
●Skepta's feature is underwhelming, and the production from Cardo, Mu Lean and Dez Wright is serviceable but unexciting. The track does not build on the momentum from "Backd00r," and it feels like a missed opportunity. Skepta and Carti should have better chemistry than this.
MUNYUN
▲One of the few tracks where Carti hints at autobiography and personal reflection. The production from Ojivolta, F1lthy, Keanu Beats and DJH samples Bill Robinson and the Quails' "Lay Your Head on My Shoulder," which gives the beat a nostalgic, soul-tinged feel. Carti's delivery is more measured here, and the lyrics are specific enough to stand out from the boastful filler that dominates the album. A minor highlight that shows what Carti can do when he engages with the writing.
CRANK
▲The SpaceGhostPurrp sample is a nod to Memphis rap and the underground influences that shaped Carti's early sound. The production from Cardo, Johnny Juliano and Yung Exclusive is raw and aggressive, and Carti's delivery matches the energy. A solid cut that works as a bridge between the melodic tracks and the harder, more trap-focused material later in the album.
CHARGE DEM HOES A FEE
●Future and Travis Scott both appear on this Wheezy, Southside and 808 Mafia-produced posse cut, but none of the three rappers elevate the track beyond a standard trap banger. The production is polished and the energy is high, but the verses are phoned in and the hook is repetitive. This is the kind of track that sounds better in a playlist than in the context of a 76-minute album. Solid on its own, but unnecessary here.
GOOD CREDIT
●Kendrick Lamar returns for a Cardo-produced track that is more subdued than "Mojo Jojo." Lamar's verse is solid without being essential, and Carti's delivery is restrained. The production is clean and uncluttered, which is a relief after the dense arrangements of the previous tracks. A competent collaboration that does not overstay its welcome, but it does not add much to the album either.
I SEEEEEE YOU BABY BOI
●Carti pivots to a high-pitched, almost shrill delivery on this DJ Moon, KP Beatz and Lucian-produced track. The vocal shift is jarring, and the production is minimal and looping. The track is interesting as an experiment, but it does not cohere, and the title and delivery feel more like a gimmick than a statement. Skippable.
WAKE UP F1LTHY
▲F1lthy, Bnyx and Wonder handle production on this Travis Scott collaboration, and the beat is hard-hitting and sparse. Scott's feature is more engaged than on "Philly" or "Charge Dem Hoes a Fee," and Carti's delivery is aggressive. A solid track that works as a late-album energy boost, even if it is not a highlight.
JUMPIN
▼A 90-second interlude with Lil Uzi Vert that serves no clear purpose. The production from Blssd and E. Scott is minimal, and both rappers sound disengaged. Filler.
TRIM
●Future's feature on this TM88 and 808 Mafia-produced track is competent but unremarkable. The beat is heavy and the energy is steady, but the track does not stand out in a tracklist this long. Solid on its own, unnecessary in context.
COCAINE NOSE
▲One of the album's standout tracks, built on an Ashanti sample flipped by F1lthy, Brak3, 100yrd and Seven. The chipmunk soul production is lush and nostalgic, and Carti's delivery is confident and melodic. The sample choice is inspired, and the beat knocks hard enough to carry the track. This is the kind of moment that justifies the album's ambition, even if the sequencing does not support it.
WE NEED ALL DA VIBES
●Young Thug and Ty Dolla Sign join Carti on a Wheezy and Dez Wright-produced track that pivots abruptly from the melodic highs of "Cocaine Nose." The transition is jarring, and the track itself is competent but forgettable. Thug's verse is solid, but the sequencing undercuts the momentum. A missed opportunity.
OLYMPIAN
●The production from DJ Moon, Clif Shayne and Spiders is atmospheric and spacious, and Carti's delivery is restrained. The track works as a mood piece, but it does not add much to the album's arc. Solid but skippable.
OPM BABI
▲A chaotic, inventive track that showcases Carti's willingness to experiment. The production from OpiumBaby, Clayco and Streo is abrasive and layered, and Carti's delivery is all over the place in the best way. This is the kind of track that reminds you why Whole Lotta Red was influential, even if it does not quite reach those heights. A highlight in a tracklist that desperately needs more of them.
TWIN TRIM
▼Another 90-second interlude with Lil Uzi Vert that breaks momentum. The production from KP Beatz and RokontheTrack is minimal, and both rappers sound bored. Filler.
LIKE WEEZY
▲The Rich Kidz sample flipped by Ojivolta and Kelvin Krash gives this track a nostalgic, 2011 Atlanta tape feel. The chipmunk soul production is lush and playful, and Carti's delivery matches the energy. This is one of the album's best moments, a track that balances inventiveness and accessibility without overreaching. The sequencing choice to place it this late in the tracklist is a mistake, as it would have worked better in the first half.
DIS 1 GOT IT
●F1lthy, Lukrative, Malik Ninety Five and Louie Shades produce a minimal, looping track that feels like an interlude stretched to two minutes. Carti's delivery is monotone, and the beat does not develop. Skippable.
WALK
▲The Bankroll Fresh sample flipped by Ojivolta, DJH and Blssd is a nod to Atlanta's street rap legacy. The production is raw and aggressive, and Carti's delivery is confident. A solid cut that works as a late-album energy boost, even if it is not essential.
HBA
▲Originally released as "H00dByAir," this track features Carti freestyling over a Cardo and Onokey beat with a loose, unpolished energy. The delivery is ragged and immediate, and the production is sparse enough to let the vocals take center stage. This is one of the album's more interesting experiments, a track that shows Carti's willingness to work without a safety net. It is too long at three and a half minutes, but the rawness is a relief after the overproduced guest features.
OVERLY
●A Maaly Raw-produced interlude that leans on atmospheric synths and minimal percussion. At under two minutes, it serves as a palate cleanser, but it breaks momentum this late in the album. Skippable.
SOUTH ATLANTA BABY
▲The closer hints at personal reflection and autobiography, with production from Ojivolta, F1lthy and DJH that is understated and melancholic. Carti's delivery is more measured here, and the lyrics are specific enough to feel like a genuine ending. It is not a triumphant closer, but it is a thoughtful one, and it suggests that Carti has more to say when he chooses to engage with the writing. A minor highlight that ends the album on a quieter note than expected.
