Atlanta’s enigmatic rapper Playboi Carti has once again set the music world ablaze with his latest release, “Play This,” dropping the track exclusively on his Instagram account @opium_00pium this Thursday. The release marks another stepping stone toward his highly anticipated album “I Am Music,” which promises to showcase a new creative direction for the artist.
The surprise drop follows a cryptic text exchange Carti shared on social media earlier this week. “Morning! Let’s drop something Friday!!!” read one message, followed by “New Carti Friday.” True to his word, the artist delivered what fans are calling a “bouncy” new track that showcases his signature style over fresh production work.
In a notable development at ComplexCon Las Vegas, Carti confirmed that music industry titan Kanye West is taking the helm on production duties for “I Am Music.” “Shout out to my brother Kanye,” Carti told an energetic nightclub crowd. “He over here making beats. That album will be crazy; I can’t wait to show you all.” The new track joins an impressive lineup of recent releases.
- “Different Day”
- “2024”
- “EvilJ0rdan”
- “Ketamine”
- “BACKR00MS” (featuring Travis Scott)
- “All Red”
- “TIMELESS” (featuring The Weeknd)
Carti made a bold artistic statement by announcing his intention to forge ahead without featured artists on the upcoming album. When fans pressed him about potential collaborations, he responded, “I’m trying to do this myself.” This decision marks a significant departure from the collaborative nature of modern hip-hop, suggesting a more personal and focused project.
The artist’s influence continues to ripple through the industry, with fellow rapper Logic recently announcing his intention to create music inspired by Carti’s unique style. Logic shared a snippet of his Carti-influenced work on Instagram last Tuesday, demonstrating the Atlanta rapper’s growing impact on hip-hop’s sound.
Carti’s recent performance schedule has been equally impressive. Fresh off his ComplexCon Las Vegas appearance, he made waves at Camp Flog Gnaw, bringing out The Weeknd for a surprise performance, thrilling festival-goers and adding to the growing anticipation for his new album.
While commenting on “Play This,” Carti shared insight into his creative process, stating, “I’m not done at all. This is some cool stuff I wanted you all to hear because I love this song, but the material on my album is on another level.” This statement has only fueled speculation about the evolution of his sound since his critically acclaimed 2020 release “Whole Lotta Red.”
The release date for “I Am Music” remains under wraps, with Carti playfully teasing fans about a potential release either this year or in January. When asked about the timing, he left it open-ended, allowing fans to speculate when they’ll receive the entire project.
The Instagram-exclusive release of “Play This” represents a growing trend of artists using social media platforms for direct music distribution, bypassing traditional release strategies. This approach allows for immediate fan engagement and creates a sense of exclusivity around new releases.
As the hip-hop community eagerly awaits “I Am Music,” one thing is clear: Playboi Carti continues to push boundaries and challenge conventional release strategies, keeping fans guessing while building anticipation for what could be his most ambitious project to date.