I Am Music (Playboi Carti album) explained

I Am Music
Type:studio
Artist:Playboi Carti
Cover:I Am Music by Playboi Carti.jpg
Caption:Teaser cover
Released:December 2024
Label:
Producer:
Prev Title:Whole Lotta Red
Prev Year:2020

I Am Music is the upcoming third studio album by American rapper Playboi Carti. It is scheduled to be released through AWGE and Interscope Records sometime in December 2024. The album was preceded by the single "All Red", which was released on his 29th birthday, and serves as the follow-up to his previous album, Whole Lotta Red (2020). It is set to be premiered during his headlining performance at the Rolling Loud music festival at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida on December 15, 2024.[1] [2]

Background and recording

Following the success of his second studio album, Whole Lotta Red (2020), Playboi Carti quickly began teasing new music. On March 10, 2021, just three months after Whole Lotta Red was released, Carti hinted at a new project on Instagram, stating:[3]

LeTs dr0p thiS new Album . w3 noT done [''[[sic]]]. (Let's drop this new album. We not done.)
By August 23, 2021, he had revealed the album’s initial title, Narcissist, and set a release date for September 13, although the date ultimately passed without the album's release.[4] As the year progressed, Carti’s plans for the album evolved.[5] In an April 2022 interview with XXL, he mentioned that the album’s title had been changed to Music.[6] During this period, Carti was actively recording and experimenting with new sounds, seeking to build on the success of his previous work. His creative process involved working with a variety of collaborators, drawing on the talent within his Opium label, including producers like F1lthy and the collective Working on Dying. Carti was also influenced by various genres, blending elements of punk, rap, and experimental music.[7]

Throughout 2022 and 2023, Carti remained active in live performances, debuting unreleased tracks and building anticipation among fans.[8] On December 25, 2022, the second anniversary of Whole Lotta Red, Carti reignited speculation by posting what appeared to be new cover art on Instagram and tweeting, "love all my supporters it's time".[9] By 2023, Carti had solidified his vision for the album, intensifying his creative process while continuing to tweak and perfect the project.[10] In a November 2023 interview with Numéro Berlin, Carti emphasized the personal significance of the album, describing it as his most important work to date.[11] He revealed that much of the album was recorded in a cave-like studio in Paris, where he spent three months immersed in the creative process.[11] On November 17, Carti revealed production from Ye for the album.[12] [13] The next day, after headlining Camp Flog Gnaw Carnival on November 18, Carti revealed that the album will feature no guest appearances from other artists, stating "I'm tryna do this by myself".[14] [15]

Promotion

The promotional campaign for Playboi Carti's album began subtly on December 7, 2023, when Carti posted a cryptic Instagram story stating, "I am music," followed by another story showcasing Pharrell Williams' response, simply reading "Prepare".[16] [17] This sparked immediate speculation about an upcoming release. Later that day, DJ Akademiks announced that Carti's album was expected to drop in January 2024, hyping it as "the greatest thing you ever heard".[18]

On December 8, 2023, Carti escalated the promotion by releasing the song "Different Day" through the Opium Instagram account, accompanied by a full-length music video.[19] However, the song did not receive an official release on streaming platforms, maintaining an exclusive and underground appeal. Over the following weeks, Carti continued this unconventional approach, dropping a series of promotional singles: "2024" on December 14, "H00dByAir" on December 19, "Backr00ms" featuring Travis Scott on January 1, 2024, "EvilJ0rdan" on January 15, and "Ketamine" on March 12.[20] [21] [22] [23] [24] Each release was paired with a music video, with most being exclusive to Instagram or YouTube, further building anticipation around the album.[25]

Throughout 2024, Carti continued to tease fans with snippets of new material during live performances, including a preview of the tracks "All Red" and "F*** On My DJ" at the Lyrical Lemonade Summer Smash festival in June.[26] On June 17, Carti again used Instagram to preview another unreleased track, keeping the momentum and speculation alive.[27] Many fans speculated Carti was purposefully not releasing the album on the supposed release dates to boost his ego or personality. On social media, fans had made many jokes mocking Carti that the album would never drop, or drop in the coming decades. On September 12, 2024, the day before Carti's birthday, he announced on Instagram, with affiliated Opium accounts reposting the story. The announcement revealed new merchandise, which included the album title and hinted at its possible release date.[28] About an hour later, Carti posted another update on Instagram—a teaser for the single "All Red" with the caption: "Tonight? All Red??".[29] The single was subsequently released at midnight on the streaming platforms.[30] On November 22, 2024, Carti posted a new song through the Opium Instagram account, titled and captioned "Play This".[31] [32] [33] [34] Five days later on November 27, 2024, Carti announced he would be performing "I Am Music" at Rolling Loud Miami on December 15, 2024.[35] [36]

Title

Playboi Carti has teased a variety of potential titles for his upcoming album. Initially, he hinted at the title "Narcissist" in a Twitter post where he shared a screenshot from an iMessage group chat, boldly proclaiming, “Forget about sample clearances. Drop Narcissist”.[4] [37] This provocative statement set the tone for the album's anticipation and led to the renaming of his Narcissist Tour to the King Vamp Tour shortly thereafter.[38]

In addition to "Narcissist," fans speculated that another title, "Antagonist," could also be associated with the album. This speculation arose from the canceled world tour that was initially set to feature artists such as Ken Carson, Destroy Lonely, and Homixide Gang.[39] [40] [41]

In an April 2022 interview with XXL, Carti unveiled yet another potential title, simply stating "Music". He emphasized that “that’s all it is at this point,” suggesting a straightforward approach to his work.[6] [42] Since December 2023, Carti has been teasing the title "I Am Music," which has captured the attention of his fanbase.[43] [44]

Finally, on September 12, 2024, Carti made a significant announcement regarding his upcoming album. He officially revealed its title as I Am Music during the launch of box-set preorders.[45] Alongside this announcement, he introduced digital pre-orders for the album and showcased an impressive array of nine different CD designs, three of which were available for purchase as part of exclusive merchandise bundles.[46]

Track listing

Carti has released, previewed, and teased multiple songs, which are expected to be on the album,[47] [48] [49] although the only confirmed track is the single "All Red".

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Playboi Carti to Bring 'I Am Music' to Rolling Loud’s 10t... . 2024-11-30 . Complex . en.
  2. Web site: Strauss . Matthew . 2024-11-27 . Playboi Carti Says He’ll Play New Album at Rolling Loud Miami 2024 . 2024-11-30 . Pitchfork . en-US.
  3. Web site: Robinson . Joshua . 2021-03-10 . Playboi Carti Is Ready To Drop New Album: "We Not Done" . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230620195300/https://www.hotnewhiphop.com/330986-playboi-carti-is-ready-to-drop-new-album-we-not-done-news . June 20, 2023 . 2023-06-20 . HotNewHipHop.
  4. Web site: Yeung . Vivian . 2021-08-23 . Playboi Carti announces 'Narcissist' project and release date . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230620195300/https://crackmagazine.net/2021/08/playboi-carti-announces-narcissist-project-and-release-date/ . June 20, 2023 . 2023-06-20 . Crack.
  5. Web site: Garrigan . Quinn . Everything We Know About Playboi Carti's "Narcissist" . 2024-09-01 . The Forest Scout.
  6. Web site: Satten . Vanessa . 2022-04-12 . Playboi Carti Gives Rare Interview on New Music, Fatherhood, More . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230305220709/https://www.xxlmag.com/playboi-carti-interview/ . March 5, 2023 . 2023-11-05 . XXL.
  7. Web site: Is Playboi Carti Hip-Hop's New Punk Icon? . 2024-09-01 . www.newwavemagazine.com.
  8. Web site: Bras Nevares . Gabriel . 2023-03-04 . Playboi Carti Unveils New Music At Rolling Loud . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230812222255/https://www.hotnewhiphop.com/640666-playboi-carti-unveils-new-music-at-rolling-loud . August 12, 2023 . 2023-08-12 . HotNewHipHop.
  9. Web site: Powell . Jon . 2022-12-26 . Playboi Carti teases return to music on social media . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20231106183518/https://www.revolt.tv/article/2022-12-26/263876/playboi-carti-teases-return-to-music-on-social-media/ . November 6, 2023 . 2023-11-06 . Revolt.
  10. Web site: Coleman II . C. Vernon . 2023-02-22 . Playboi Carti's New Album Is Done, DJ Says . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230620195259/https://www.xxlmag.com/playboi-carti-new-album-done/ . June 20, 2023 . 2023-06-20 . XXL.
  11. Web site: Cummings . Damien . 2023-11-03 . Numéro Berlin #ZUKUNFT x Playboi Carti . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20231103212531/https://www.numeroberlin.de/2023/11/numero-berlin-zukunft-x-playboi-carti/ . November 3, 2023 . 2023-11-03 . Numéro Berlin.
  12. Web site: Andrews . Elias . 2024-11-19 . Playboi Carti Reveals Kanye West Is Producing New Album "I AM MUSIC" . 2024-11-21 . HotNewHipHop . en.
  13. Web site: 2024-11-20 . Ye Is Producing Playboi Carti's 'I AM MUSIC' . 2024-11-21 . Hypebeast.
  14. Web site: Andrews . Elias . 2024-11-19 . Playboi Carti Claims There Will No Features On "I AM MUSIC" Album . 2024-11-21 . HotNewHipHop . en.
  15. Web site: Playboi Carti Says 'I AM MUSIC' Album Won't Have Any Features . 2024-11-21 . RapTV . en.
  16. Web site: Kearns . Sarah . 2023-12-07 . Playboi Carti Teases Third Studio Album 'Music' . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20231207231047/https://hypebeast.com/2023/12/playboi-carti-third-album-music-teaser . December 7, 2023 . 2023-12-07 . Hypebeast.
  17. Web site: 2023-12-08 . Playboi Carti Teases Mysterious New Project 'I Am Music' With Pharrell's Help . 2024-09-01 . HipHopDX . en.
  18. Web site: Gilbert . Natalee . 2023-12-09 . Playboi Carti Returns With First New Song Ahead of His Album Release in January . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20231211044617/https://www.xxlmag.com/playboi-carti-new-song-album-release/ . December 11, 2023 . 2023-12-10 . XXL.
  19. Web site: Chelosky . Danielle . 2023-12-09 . Playboi Carti Shares New Song "Different Day": Listen . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20231211044617/https://www.stereogum.com/2245171/playboi-carti-different-day/music/ . December 11, 2023 . 2023-12-10 . Stereogum.
  20. Web site: Bras Nevares . Gabriel . 2023-12-08 . Playboi Carti Shares New Snippet On Instagram: "Im Not Playing" . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20231211044617/https://www.hotnewhiphop.com/743012-playboi-carti-snippet-instagram-not-playing-hip-hop-news . December 11, 2023 . 2023-12-10 . HotNewHipHop.
  21. Web site: Callas . Brad . Playboi Carti Unleashes Another New One With "H00DBYAIR" Video . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20231221023501/https://www.complex.com/music/a/brad-callas/playboi-carti-hoodbyair-video . December 21, 2023 . 2023-12-25 . Complex . en-us.
  22. Mier . Tomás . Rizzo . Carita . 2024-01-02 . Playboi Carti and Travis Scott Waste No Time in 2024 as They Drop New Collab . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240102111359/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/playboi-carti-travis-scott-new-song-backr00ms-1234938939/ . January 2, 2024 . 2024-01-02 . Rolling Stone . en-US.
  23. Web site: Corcoran . Nina . 2024-01-15 . Playboi Carti Shares Video for New Song "EvilJ0rdan": Watch . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240116150248/https://pitchfork.com/news/playboi-carti-shares-video-for-new-song-evilj0rdan-watch/ . January 16, 2024 . 2024-01-16 . Pitchfork.
  24. Web site: Ocho . Alex . Playboi Carti Returns With New Song and Video "Ketamine" . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240317184725/https://www.complex.com/music/a/alex-ocho/playboi-carti-ketamine-video-new-song . March 17, 2024 . 2024-03-19 . Complex . en-us.
  25. Web site: Breaking down Playboi Carti's stream-subverting album rollout . 2024-08-27 . The FADER . en.
  26. Web site: Castro . Danilo . 2024-06-18 . Playboi Carti Builds Up Album Hype With New Song Snippet . 2024-06-18 . HotNewHipHop . en.
  27. Web site: Andrews . Elias . 2024-06-18 . Playboi Carti Builds Up Album Hype With New Song Snippet . 2024-09-01 . HotNewHipHop . en.
  28. Web site: Art . Pop Culture & . 2024-09-13 . Playboi Carti releases new track 'ALL RED' and announces merch pre-orders ahead of third album . 2024-09-13 . The Express Tribune . en.
  29. Web site: Andrews . Elias . 2024-09-13 . Playboi Carti Announces New Album "MUSIC" And Teases Release Date . 2024-09-13 . HotNewHipHop . en.
  30. Saponara . Michael . 2024-09-13 . Playboi Carti Releases First Song on Streaming Services Since 2020 With 'All Red': Listen . 2024-09-13 . Billboard . en-US.
  31. Web site: Diaz . Angel . 2024-11-23 . Playboi Carti Shares New Song ‘Play This’ as He Continues to Tease ‘I Am Music’ . 2024-11-24 . Billboard . en-US.
  32. Web site: Playboi Carti Releases New Song "Play This" . 2024-11-24 . Complex . en.
  33. Web site: 2024-11-22 . Playboi Carti Drops "PLAY THIS" on Instagram . 2024-11-24 . Hypebeast.
  34. Web site: Art . Pop Culture & . 2024-11-22 . Playboi Carti drops new song 'Play This' ahead of highly anticipated album 'I Am Music' . 2024-11-24 . The Express Tribune . en.
  35. Web site: 2024-11-29 . Playboi Carti's new album 'I AM MUSIC' set to debut at Rolling Loud Miami . 2024-12-04 . rollingout.com . en-US.
  36. Web site: Grant . Shawn . 2024-11-29 . Playboi Carti to Perform 'I Am Music' at Rolling Loud Miami 2024 . 2024-12-04 . The Source Magazine . en-US.
  37. Web site: 15 September 2021 . Playboi Carti Is Ready To Risk It All With The Release Of "Narcissist" . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230620195301/https://www.hotnewhiphop.com/377410-playboi-carti-is-ready-to-risk-it-all-with-the-release-of-narcissist-news . June 20, 2023 . 2023-06-20 . www.hotnewhiphop.com . en.
  38. Web site: Schube . Will . 2021-12-09 . Playboi Carti's 'Whole Lotta Red' Is Now Certified RIAA Gold . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20231210052155/https://www.udiscovermusic.com/news/playboi-carti-whole-lotta-red-certified-riaa-gold/ . December 10, 2023 . 2023-12-09 . uDiscover Music . Playboi Carti is currently on the last leg of his KING VAMP tour..
  39. Mamo . Heran . 2023-07-12 . Playboi Carti Plots Global Antagonist Tour: See the Dates . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240110191216/https://www.billboard.com/music/rb-hip-hop/playboi-carti-antagonist-tour-dates-1235370290/ . January 10, 2024 . 2023-11-05 . Billboard . en-US.
  40. Web site: Garcia . Thania . 2023-07-12 . Playboi Carti Sets Dates for Global 'Antagonist' Arena Tour . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20231105143613/https://variety.com/2023/music/news/playboi-carti-dates-antagonist-arena-tour-1235667822/ . November 5, 2023 . 2023-11-05 . Variety . en-US.
  41. Web site: Grant . Shawn . 2023-07-12 . Playboi Carti Announces 'Antagonist Tour' for This Fall . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240513022651/https://thesource.com/2023/07/12/playboi-carti-antagonist-tour/ . May 13, 2024 . 2023-11-05 . en-US.
  42. Web site: 2022-04-12 . Playboi Carti's reveals his next album 'Music' in rare XXL interview . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230620195301/https://ourgenerationmusic.com/news/playboi-carti-music-xxl-interview/ . June 20, 2023 . 2023-11-05 . Our Generation Music . en-US.
  43. Lynch . Jessica . 2024-07-05 . Playboi Carti Spent 'a Good Four Years' Perfecting New Album . 2024-08-04 . Billboard . en-US.
  44. Web site: Art . Pop Culture & . 2024-07-05 . Playboi Carti set to drop I Am Music after four-year odyssey with producer Cardo . 2024-08-04 . The Express Tribune . en.
  45. Web site: 2024-09-13 . Playboi Carti Drops New Single "All Red," Teases 'MUSIC' Album Release Date . 2024-09-13 . Hypebeast.
  46. Web site: Art . Pop Culture & . 2024-09-13 . Playboi Carti releases new track 'ALL RED' and announces merch pre-orders ahead of third album . 2024-09-13 . The Express Tribune . en.
  47. Web site: 2024-06-17 . Playboi Carti Debuts New Songs at Lyrical Lemonade's Summer Smash Festival . 2024-08-04 . Hypebeast.
  48. Web site: Nevares . Gabriel Bras . 2024-06-16 . Playboi Carti Premieres New Music & Brings Out Opium During His Summer Smash Set . 2024-08-04 . HotNewHipHop . en.
  49. Web site: 2024-06-16 . Watch Playboi Carti Debut New Songs At Lyrical Lemonade Summer Smash . 2024-08-04 . Stereogum . en.

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