I Am Music is the upcoming third studio album by the American rapper Playboi Carti, scheduled to be released in 2024 through AWGE and Interscope Records. It is preceded by the single "All Red", and will serve as a follow-up to his second studio album Whole Lotta Red (2020).
| I Am Music | ||||
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| Released | 2024 | |||
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| Playboi Carti chronology | ||||
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| Singles from I Am Music | ||||
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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:[1]
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.[2] As the year progressed, Carti’s plans for the album evolved.[3] In an April 2022 interview with XXL, he mentioned that the album’s title had been changed to Music.[4] 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.[5]
Throughout 2022 and 2023, Carti remained active in live performances, debuting unreleased tracks and building anticipation among fans.[6] 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".[7] By 2023, Carti had solidified his vision for the album, intensifying his creative process while continuing to tweak and perfect the project.[8] 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.[9] 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.[10]
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".[11][12] 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".[13]
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.[14] 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.[15][16][17][18][19] Each release was paired with a music video, with most being exclusive to Instagram or YouTube, further building anticipation around the album.[20]
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.[21] On June 17, Carti again used Instagram to preview another unreleased track, keeping the momentum and speculation alive.[22] 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.[23] About an hour later, Carti posted another update on Instagram—a teaser for the single "All Red" with the caption: "Tonight? All Red??".[24] The single was subsequently released at midnight on the streaming platforms.[25]
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”.[26][27] 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.[28]
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.[29][30][31]
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.[32][33] Since December 2023, Carti has been teasing the title "I Am Music," which has captured the attention of his fanbase.[34][35]
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.[36] 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.[37]
Track listing
Carti has released, previewed, and teased multiple songs, which are expected to be on the album,[38][39][40] although the only confirmed track is the single "All Red".
On November 18, 2024, Playboi Carti revealed that new music from the album is to be released on November 28, 2024 via his Instagram account.[41]
References
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