Playboi Carti, born Jordan Terrell Carter on September 13, 1996, is an American rapper, singer, and songwriter from Atlanta, Georgia. Emerging onto the hip-hop scene in the mid-2010s, Carti quickly gained attention for his distinctive style characterized by his melodic ad-libs and energetic delivery. He rose to prominence with his self-titled debut mixtape "Playboi Carti" in 2017, which showcased his unique fusion of trap, mumble rap, and punk influences. With a penchant for fashion and a dynamic stage presence, Carti has become not only a musical figure but also a cultural icon. His subsequent projects, including the acclaimed album "Die Lit" (2018) and the experimental "Whole Lotta Red" (2020), further solidified his position in the contemporary rap landscape.
History[]
Jordan Terrell Carter, known professionally as Playboi Carti, was born in Atlanta, Georgia. He was born on September 13, 1996, and grew up in the nearby suburb Riverdale, Georgia. In a 2016 interview with Complex, he stated, "My ma couldn't tell me anything. Nobody could tell me anything." This type of lifestyle influenced Carter to get into trouble as a youth and sway away from the idea of pursuing a higher level of education after high school. He attended North Springs Charter High School in Sandy Springs.
Before rap, Carter wanted to become an NBA star to try and make something of himself. In an interview with The Fader, he said, "I was a young AI and didn't go to practice. That was the time I was really avoiding school and it was all about basketball and not about music. I would smoke before practice, get on the court, and perform well." He stopped playing basketball after a disagreement with his coach, and he then dedicated his time to music.
Carter skipped high school classes regularly to work on his music or go to his job at H&M, which led to him barely graduating high school. In an interview with The Fader, he said, "I was in class with freshmen finishing work, and if I finished the nine assignments before this time I could graduate." He was so close to not graduating that no one showed up to his graduation, because they didn't know it was actually going to take place.
Carter developed a unique fashion sense from an early age, shopping in thrift stores. He told Vogue that he was teased for being an early adopter of new styles, such as colored skinny jeans.
Music career[]
2011-2016[]
He initiated his rap career under the name Sir Cartier, premiering with the track and video "Cry," produced using GarageBand. He released the mixtape "THC: THE HIGH CHRONICAL$" in November 2011, followed by "Young Mi$fit" in November 2012. He adopted the moniker Playboi Carti in May 2013 and drew inspiration from Odd Future. Collaborating with producer Ethereal and joining Awful Records in 2014, he honed his musical style. Relocating to NYC, he connected with A$AP Rocky through a house party. Gaining momentum in 2015, his SoundCloud singles like "Broke Boi" and "Fetti" featuring Da$h and Maxo Kream propelled his rise. He participated in fashion events like Yeezy Season 5 and collaborated with artists such as Lil Uzi Vert. In 2016, Carti featured on A$AP Mob's album and engaged with Atlanta's underground rap scene. His encounter with Lil Uzi Vert led to the release of "Left Right" and his signing with Interscope Records in September 2016.
2017-2018[]
Carti's debut mixtape, titled "Playboi Carti," dropped on April 14, 2017, featuring collaborations with Lil Uzi Vert, A$AP Rocky, and Leven Kali. The release garnered attention from notable music publications like XXL, Pitchfork, Spin, HotNewHipHop, and PopMatters. XXL highlighted the standout track "Magnolia," while Pitchfork's Briana Younger noted the tape's consistent and self-assured vibe. The mixtape achieved an opening week sales count of 28,051 units. Carti emerged with his debut mixtape, charting at number 12 on the Billboard 200. The mixtape produced hits like "Magnolia" (Billboard Hot 100 peak at 29) and "Wokeuplikethis" featuring Lil Uzi Vert (Billboard Hot 100 peak at 76), contributing to his selection for XXL's "2017 Freshman Class," alongside artists like XXXTentacion, A Boogie with da Hoodie, and Ugly God.
Simultaneous to the mixtape's launch, Carti embarked on a tour, serving as an opener for Gucci Mane and Dreezy.
By the close of 2017, Carti contributed to projects including A$AP Mob's "Cozy Tapes Vol. 2: Too Cozy," A$AP Ferg's "Still Striving," and NAV's "Perfect Timing." Meanwhile, Carti was crafting his debut album, "Die Lit," slated for release on May 11, 2018.
"Die Lit" received a blend of reviews, with Carti's fan base appreciating its content. Metacritic assessed the album at 71/100, accompanied by a user score of 8.2/10. Noteworthy tracks from the album encompassed "Shoota," "Foreign," "Choppa Won't Miss," "Mileage," and "Poke it Out." The album featured collaborations with Lil Uzi Vert, Nicki Minaj, Chief Keef, Young Thug, Travis Scott, Skepta, and Bryson Tiller. In 2017,
In 2018, producer Pi'erre Bourne announced Carti's completed debut studio album via a tweet, and Carti released "Love Hurts" featuring Travis Scott. His first studio album, "Die Lit," arrived in May 2018, making its debut at number 3 on the US Billboard 200. Notably, Carti disclosed plans for his second studio album, "Whole Lotta Red," just three months after the launch of "Die Lit".
Post the "Die Lit" release, Carti embarked on his solo tour and contributed to tracks like "Uh Uh" on Chief Keef's "Mansion Musick" and "Get Dripped" on Lil Yachty's "Nuthin' 2 Prove."
2019-2020[]
After "Die Lit" and his tour, Carti embarked on the creation of his second studio album, "Whole Lotta Red," in late 2018. This phase marked a nearly three-year hiatus from releasing new music. During this interval, numerous unreleased tracks by Carti surfaced on the internet, amassing millions of streams uploaded by fan accounts. Notably, "Pissy Pamper" (also known as "Kid Cudi") reached the top spot on the Spotify US Viral chart through unauthorized upload by a leaker, prompting its swift removal.
Between 2018 and 2020, while engrossed in crafting "Whole Lotta Red," Carti's unreleased music was consistently leaked each month. During this period, he refrained from unveiling original material but contributed as a featured artist on various tracks. These include "Baguettes in the Face" with NAV from DJ Mustard's album and Tyler, The Creator's "EARFQUAKE." Breaking his music hiatus, Carti released the song "@ Meh," which peaked at number 35 on the Billboard Hot 100.
The subsequent month saw Carti featured on Drake's single "Pain 1993," which debuted at number 7 on the Billboard Hot 100. Speculation around "Whole Lotta Red" intensified when hip-hop commentator DJ Akademiks disclosed a Christmas Day release date. On November 23, 2020, Carti announced the album's submission to his label and shared blurred photos. Collaborations with artists such as Kanye West and Future were subsequently revealed. On December 25, 2020, the 24-track album "Whole Lotta Red" was unveiled, promptly securing the number one position on the US Billboard 200 chart. This achievement marked Carti's inaugural chart-topping release.
Initial reactions to "Whole Lotta Red" were divisive, but the album eventually gained a positive reception. Metacritic rated the album at 75/100, complemented by a user score of 7.4/10. The album's popularity grew significantly, partially fueled by TikTok trends, and it earned commendation from Carti's fan base and wider music enthusiasts.
2021-present[]
In June 2021, Carti was featured on rapper Lil 1 Dte's single, "Homixide" from his self-titled mixtape. In August 2021, Carti was featured on the songs "Off the Grid", "Junya" and "Junya, Pt. 2" in Kanye West's album Donda. On December 25, 2022, Carti came back to Twitter after over a year, making tweets, like "Hello Twitter" and "love all my supporters, it's time", hinting for another Christmas Day release alike to his second studio album Whole Lotta Red in 2020.
On March 3, 2023, Carti started day 1 of Rolling Loud California. During his set, he performed an unreleased track "Rockstar", which is expected to release from his upcoming album. On May 28, 2023, he returned to Instagram after his December 2022 arrest with a screenshot of him and The Weeknd FaceTiming on his Instagram. Three days later on May 31, 2023, The Weeknd took to social media and teased the track "Popular" with Playboi Carti and Madonna and that it would release on June 2, 2023.
Discography[]
Studio albums[]
- Die Lit (2018)
- Whole Lotta Red (2020)
Mixtapes[]
- THC: The High Chronicles (2011) (as Sir Cartier)
- Young Misfit (2012) (as Sir Cartier)
- Playboi Carti (2017)