Playboi Carti’s ‘I Am Music’: A 30-Track Odyssey (That Maybe Should’ve Been 15)

After years of cryptic teasers, leaks, and a fanbase growing increasingly desperate, Playboi Carti finally delivered I Am Music. And when I say “delivered,” I mean he dumped 30 tracks on streaming like an overzealous DJ who doesn’t know when to leave the booth. But hey, it worked—Carti became the 39th most-streamed artist in the world in just 24 hours. That’s marketing magic, industry domination… and maybe a bit of mass hypnosis.

The Hype Machine and the Carti Cult

We need to talk about the power of the Carti brand. This isn’t just about music anymore—Playboi Carti is a movement, a digital-era enigma who knows exactly how to keep his audience hanging on his every move. The rollout was chaotic (as always), with last-minute delays, Kai Cenat playing the role of Carti’s reluctant spokesperson, and a fanbase willing to stay up all night refreshing their screens. The industry takeaway? Mystique sells. If artists like Carti can maintain a sense of scarcity and unpredictability, they don’t need to follow traditional promo cycles. They just need to show up (eventually) and break the internet.

The Music: Between Brilliance and Overload

So, what about the actual album? I Am Music is undeniably an experience—industrial synths, hyper-aggressive flows, and a production style that feels like it was designed to be played at maximum volume in underground raves. Some moments are brilliant:

• “Pop Out” is a high-energy banger with the kind of manic energy that made Whole Lotta Red a cult classic.
• “Jumpin” reunites Carti with Lil Uzi Vert in a track that feels like a fever dream from their 1629* days.
• “Mojo Jojo” features Kendrick Lamar doing his best supervillain impression, adding unexpected lyrical depth.

But let’s be real: 30 tracks is a lot. For every moment of genius, there’s at least one track that feels like filler, dragging the experience into bloated territory. If Whole Lotta Red was a concentrated burst of punk energy, I Am Music is a buffet where half the dishes are amazing, and the other half make you wonder why you’re still eating.

The Industry Paradox: 30 Songs from Carti, But No Time for Indie EPs?

One thing that blows my mind? People will happily sit through 30 tracks of Playboi Carti—an artist whose entire aesthetic is built on repetition and vibes—yet claim they don’t have the time to check out a 4-track indie EP. This isn’t even shade towards Carti, but a commentary on how streaming culture warps our listening habits. We’ve trained ourselves to marathon albums like it’s an endurance sport, but ask someone to give 10 minutes to an underground artist and suddenly they’re “too busy.” Funny how that works.

Final Verdict: A Controlled Explosion (That Could’ve Used a Timer)

I Am Music is a wild ride. When it hits, it really hits. But there’s no reason for this album to be 77 minutes long, especially when the best moments get buried under weaker tracks. That said, Playboi Carti’s ability to command attention, dictate trends, and turn chaos into marketing gold is undeniable. Love him or hate him, he’s figured out how to keep the world listening—whether the music justifies the hype or not.

Rating: 7/10 (Subtract a point if you have a short attention span, add a point if you live for the chaos.)