Playboi Carti

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Lore & Background

In fan communities, Playboi Carti is known for his long silences between album cycles and the intense anticipation they generate. After his debut mixtape (2017) peaked at number 12 on the Billboard 200 with singles "Magnolia" and "Wokeuplikethis" (featuring Lil Uzi Vert), and his debut studio album Die Lit (2018) debuted at number three, he waited two years before releasing Whole Lotta Red (2020). That album became his first number-one on the Billboard 200 and was later ranked among the greatest hip-hop albums by Rolling Stone. During the gap, numerous tracks including "Pissy Pamper" leaked online, amassing tens of millions of streams unofficially. Carter broke his musical silence in April 2020 with the single "@ Meh", which peaked at number 35 on the Billboard Hot 100. The following month, he appeared on Drake's mixtape Dark Lane Demo Tapes on the song "Pain 1993", which debuted at number 7 on the Billboard Hot 100, marking Carter's first entry into the chart's top ten. His third album, Music (2025), received generally positive reviews and became his second consecutive number-one on the Billboard 200, yielding the promotional single "Evil J0rdan", which debuted at number two on the Billboard Hot 100.

In Their Own Story

Carter began his musical career under the stage name Sir Cartier in 2011, self-releasing early tracks on SoundCloud. He signed with Awful Records in 2014 and later with ASAP Rocky's AWGE imprint, a joint venture with Interscope Records, in 2016. In 2015, he began attracting widespread attention with the singles "Broke Boi" and "Fetti", featuring Dash and Maxo Kream. He supported ASAP Ferg on the Turnt & Burnt Tour and co-headlined the Left Right Tour alongside Lil Uzi Vert in 2016. In April 2017, his self-titled debut mixtape debuted at number 12 on the Billboard 200. In June 2017, he was featured on the cover of XXL as part of its annual "Top 10 Freshman List". In May 2018, he released Die Lit, marketed with no radio play or much press coverage, yet it was a commercial success. In December 2020, he released Whole Lotta Red on Christmas Day, after announcing its release date four days earlier. The album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200. Rolling Stone deemed it "one of the most forward-thinking rap records since Yeezus" and later crowned it the best rap album of 2021. In 2022, the magazine also included it in "The 200 Greatest Hip-Hop Albums of All Time".

Reader's Guide

Playboi Carti is an American rapper from Atlanta, Georgia, known for his eccentric vocal style and fashion. He is considered a pioneer of the rage microgenre, with his music characterized as atmospheric and avant-garde, often marked by unconventional vocal techniques such as his "baby voice". Critics highlight his focus on mood and persona over traditional lyricism. He founded the record label and rap collective Opium in 2019, which has signed artists including Ken Carson, Destroy Lonely, Homixide Gang, and fellow ASAP Mob member ASAP Nast. His career began under the name Sir Cartier in 2011, self-releasing tracks on SoundCloud. He signed with Awful Records in 2014 and with ASAP Rocky's AWGE imprint in 2016. His debut mixtape (2017) peaked at number 12 on the Billboard 200 and produced the singles "Magnolia" and "Wokeuplikethis". His debut studio album Die Lit (2018) debuted at number three on the Billboard 200. His second album Whole Lotta Red (2020) became his first number-one album on the Billboard 200. After high-profile collaborations including Travis Scott's "Fein" (2023), The Weeknd's "Timeless" (2024), and Kanye West and Ty Dolla Sign's "Carnival" (2024)—the latter becoming his first number-one single on the Billboard Hot 100—Carter released his third album Music (2025), which became his second consecutive number-one on the Billboard 200.

Did You Know?

• Carter began his musical career under the stage name Sir Cartier in 2011, self-releasing early tracks on SoundCloud.
• He signed with Awful Records in 2014 and later with ASAP Rocky's AWGE imprint, a joint venture with Interscope Records, in 2016.
• His debut mixtape (2017) peaked at number 12 on the Billboard 200 and produced the singles 'Magnolia' and 'Wokeuplikethis' (featuring Lil Uzi Vert).
• Whole Lotta Red (2020) became his first number-one album on the Billboard 200 and was later ranked among the greatest hip-hop albums by Rolling Stone.
• His third album Music (2025) became his second consecutive number-one on the Billboard 200 and yielded the promotional single 'Evil J0rdan', which debuted at number two on the Billboard Hot 100.