The 10 Best Songs on Playboi Carti's MUSIC
Major reminder that this is just my personal opinion.
Playboi Carti's long-awaited album MUSIC just hit the streets last weekend. Across 30 tracks, Carti brings fans into his world, defending his title as the hip-hop heavyweight champion of the 2020s. The album is a showcase of various styles and flows he has either created or helped pioneer during his tenure, while paying homage to his Atlanta roots. Below are a my personal “rankings” (they’re not in any specific order tbh) of songs off this album.
Before we really get started, here are some honorable mentions:
“JUMPIN” - 16*29 reunites after 7 years to give us vibrant grooves for 90 seconds. Carti sounds like he’s going off the deep end with his drug usage, and Uzi is doing his best to keep his boy safe.
“WALK” - Rest in peace to Bankroll Fresh. This is another 90 seconds of Carti just talking his shit while doing his best Future impression. The exuberance is radiating everywhere on this one. It’s a banger, plain and simple.
“OLYMPIAN” - “Life’s crazy, scary”, Carti croons on track 22 of MUSIC. Carti goes through his normal range of topics here, but makes sure to highlight his extensive chain collection, likening himself to olympic medalists on a blissfully produced beat by DJ Moon, Nick Spiders and Clif Shayne.
And now for my top 10.
1. "OPM BABI"
Let's address something quickly. Everything you've heard within the "underground” (absolutely fucking hate this term) scene of the 2020s can be directly linked back to sounds pioneered on Carti’s 2nd studio album, Whole Lotta Red. This track serves as Carti asserting his dominance over swag-jackers and influenced peers alike. This track is an energetic clusterfuck of gunshot sound effects with Swamp Izzo tags spammed throughout, as Carti warbles, chokes on his own words and croons with charm over a glitzy sample trap beat with 808s sure to crush your eardrums. It’s a beautiful, exciting mess. We’ll be talking about this one in high regards in the coming years surely.
2. “RADAR”
On this Metro Boomin produced cut, Carti uses a gravely voice to further flex his fast-paced rockstar lifestyle. He flows aggressively, rapping about fame, beautiful women and high fashion. The track is reminiscent of 2010s Lil Wayne tunes, with booming brass and bells that chime as loud as Big Ben. You can sense Metro drew inspiration from southern hip-hop’s glory days as well. The drums are hard hitting, as the snare rolls compliment the Carti’s hostile flow. This one would absolutely tear up a nightclub, the kind Blade would find himself bumping while slaying some vampires.
3. “CRANK”
On “CRANK”—produced by CardoGotWings—Carti uses his Future inspired deep voice to praise a woman’s head game (#FreeThroat). This track samples SpaceGhostPurrp’s “FVCK TVYLXR GVNG” (Carti even interpolates SGP’s opening verse). Carti is flowing effortlessly here, switching up his cadence but keeping consistent throughout. His second verse has the most personality ever showcased by him since Red. That double entendre of praying for his opps while hawking for his next fling? Incredible. Another major highlight of this track is Atlanta DJ Swamp Izzo, shouting tags (SWAMP) like his life depends on it. During the second verse, he can be heard screaming the word “alive” four times, and each time it gets comedically louder and more energetic. One of the best tracks on the album based on the chemistry between Carti and Swamp Izzo.
4. “GOOD CREDIT” (with Kendrick Lamar)
If you thought “CRANK” was hard, this song is 100 times harder. Just two tracks later, Cardo returns with a beat that launches itself into orbit. Over blazing synth sounds and drums that slap you in the face, Carti continues to use his deep voice to tensely flow across the beat, dismissing women and propping himself up in the process. He’s encapsulated by the drugs he’s on. The molly is speaking for him at this point, and he sounds like he’s having a cathartic experience. The next verse enters Kendrick Lamar, who, despite sounding a bit corny, unleashes an incredible verse that might have given you whiplash on first listen. He’s absolutely reckless here, even taking a pause to laugh before slashing his way through the rest of his verse. Who ever knew that Kendrick would have fairly great chemistry with King Vamp? He even goes far to call Carti his “evil twin” (insane if you consider some of Carti’s personal issues). This might be an unexpected collaboration, but it’s a unifying moment between the two titans from their respective regions and eras. The West and the South; the old and the new.
5. “I SEEEEEE YOU BABY BOI”
Coming off the launch from orbit, “I SEEEEEE YOU BABY BOI” finds Carti fully landing on the moon. This here is a dreamy synth pop track produced by Opium’s in-house producer KP Beatz along with frequent Opium collaborators DJ Moon and NeilaWorld’s Lucian. Carti showcases a higher register to reflect on relationship issues with a potential lover. He begs this woman to get intimate with him without any sort of attachment involved as he does not want to be reminded of her wrongdoings. He then contradicts himself, beginning to question what this relationship may or may not be. In what feels like a callback to Red’s “Sky”, he begins to wonder: is she down for the ride? Is she gonna stay by his side? Will she lay it down when needed? Ultimately, he finds out she’s lying, which leaves him defeated. Poor Carti.
6. “SOUTH ATLANTA BABY”
What a closer. I mean seriously, this is easily his best closer off any of his projects. On this Ojivolta and F1LTHY produced track, Carti unleashes a hellstorm of a verse. He reflects on his upbringing and fast lifestyle, all while threatening opps in the process, showing no remorse for anyone who stands in his or his gang’s way. He’s got so much energy here, and doesn’t leave any room to relax or even take a breath. This album has taken us on an incredibly mercurial journey, and now here we are at the end. Was it worth the almost 5 year wait? The feelings that are evoked from this song make it seem worthwhile. We’ve reached unprecedented heights on this one. In similar fashion to “Long Time”, it sounds like it’s made to be played during life’s greatest moments. This song would go great on a highlight reel that your dad made of you as a child.
7. “DIS 1 GOT IT”
I don’t have much to say about this honestly. This song is affirmations you say to yourself when you wake up in the morning. You might not be drugged up on molly and percocets like Carti, but you can get the same feeling of invincibility by listening to this track. It’s got a lush piano melody laid on top of icy open hats and rolling snares guaranteed to make you move. Go spin this for me and get your dose of musical dopamine today.
8. “COCAINE NOSE”
I’ve previously stated that this is easily top 3 Carti songs ever after it was previewed at Rolling Loud Miami last December. Over a sample of Ashanti’s “Only U”, Carti straight up loses it here, carrying energy from Red right onto this track. He’s back using that gravely voice of his, sounding like a cancer patient who fell victim of smoking too many cigarettes. He’s ego’d out and filled with spleen, going so far as comparing his collective Opium to the likes of Roc-A-Fella Records in their heyday. I believe everyone deserves to hear this in it’s full glory like those who went to Rolling Loud. If Carti goes on tour, I’ll be there moshing to this, pushing anybody who comes in my path.
9. “LIKE WEEZY”
Where do I even start with this song? Do I talk about the incredible flip of “Bend Over” by Rich Kidz? Do I talk about the incredible verse he laid down? How about this: the feeling of euphoria I get from this song is like no other. Straight summer vibes. Picture yourself driving down the freeway on the way to the beach, windows down, with this song booming through your speakers. Sounds amazing right? Something I appreciate about this song and the album in general is Carti and his producers ability to dig up gems of the past and create something timeless for the future. Ojivolta and Kelvin Krash are a match made production duo. And Carti being the star that he is, continues to shine brighter than the sun, likening himself to Lil Wayne and boasting himself as big as Justin Bieber. After this larger than life release, I’m sure you’d believe him by now.
10. “TOXIC” (with Skepta)
Carti returns to overseas to reunite with Britain’s finest, Skepta. This Cardo produced track features a drawn out siren noise, sizzling open hats and a rumbling 808 pattern. Using more deep vocal inflections, Carti flexes his prolonging wealth, along with various cars, jewelry and women. On the second verse arrives Skepta, who’s ringing in big amounts of cash just like Carti, with charged bravado that reminds you to remember his name and legacy. The chemistry between the two here carries the same energy as their last collaboration, “Lean 4 Real” from Carti’s debut studio album Die Lit.