In late 2023, Playboi Carti made his return to the mainstream world of rap with his Instagram exclusive release of his first single that would kickstart this era for the rap superstar. With a rabid fanbase waiting for an official studio album drop for 3 years at this point, they could not wait for news regarding Carti's next project. As rumors had gone wild and leaks would come and go pertaining to new music, nothing would officially drop. Countless teases and a full year of singles dropping on socials with only one making it to streaming services, word of a new Carti album was always so close, but yet so far for his fanbase. That was until multiple billboards began appearing, including the Spotify logo as well as spellouts relating to Carti and the rollout for the album dubbed "I AM MUSIC".
Finally, Carti released his fourth studio album, "MUSIC" on March 14th.
The album consists of a wide range of sound, combining the signature adlib-based vibey tracks that have become synonymous with Playboi Carti over the course of his career while mixing it with the loud, genre-blending punk and rage aesthetic that he popularized in his 2020 release, "Whole Lotta Red".
In the buildup and rollout of the release, Carti would take to social media to post multiple outfit pictures and display his fashion sense. Bringing fans back to the 2000s with a majority of the pictures being in reverse basketball jerseys, this has become a fashion statement that has made its way back to the norm as many people have begun to once again rock the jerseys of their favorite players with the name and number in front. In addition to this, the sound of the music often indicates a dark theme that coinsides with the 'Opium' label that Carti is the head of, often wearing dark, oversized clothing, similar to the wardrobe choices that Ye popularized as well in recent years while taking things to the next level by wearing exxaguartted boots, hats, sunglasses, etc.
With the rise of Carti's sound and popularity, fashion sense has come to the forefront. It has become a staple in the lifestyle that embodies Playboi Carti and his fanbase. With the album making waves day by day, it will be interesting to monitor the way that this type of fashion continues to find new consumers over time. In the meantime, the music is speaking for Carti in terms of sound and the connection to fashion is next level.