Playboi Carti’s “I AM MUSIC”: A Nostalgic Dive into Trap’s Experimental Past
Playboi Carti, after a four-and-a-half-year wait since the groundbreaking “Whole Lotta Red,” has finally unleashed “I AM MUSIC,” a sprawling 30-track odyssey that plunges deep into the heart of trap’s contemporary vision. While the early response, particularly among Carti’s devoted fanbase, has been overwhelmingly positive, celebrating the album’s expansive range, it hasn’t been without its critiques.
Some have labeled the album too long and scattershot, questioning its cohesion and even the quality of its mixing. The barrage of random sound effects—snare rolls, gunshots, and the unmistakable shouts of legendary Atlanta DJ Swamp Izzo—has also drawn scrutiny. However, these criticisms largely miss the point. “Lack of cohesion” is an odd complaint for an artist like Carti, whose strength lies in his raw, boundless energy. This isn’t an album seeking a linear narrative or a polished throughline; the inherent messiness is part of its seductive charm.
Despite Carti’s reputation as a futuristic, boundary-pushing artist, “I AM MUSIC” is, at its core, a deeply nostalgic experience. It taps into the raw, unfiltered energy of 2010s street mixtapes, a period that shaped Carti’s own musical sensibilities. Though a cultural icon for Gen Z, Carti, at 29, is a millennial whose formative years were steeped in the raw, unfiltered rap of the late 2000s and early 2010s, a time when the streets of Atlanta laid the blueprint for the genre’s evolution.
Swamp Izzo’s presence is a masterstroke, injecting the album with the unfiltered energy of those classic mixtapes. Initially a point of confusion for some, Izzo’s role as a hype man is essential, often stealing the spotlight and acting as a vocal catalyst for Carti’s often unstructured flow. The dynamic between Carti and Izzo, particularly on the album highlight “MUNYUN,” recreates the feeling of being immersed in the raw, unfiltered energy of street rap.
“I AM MUSIC” is at its best when it embraces these nostalgic references, rewarding the older millennial rap fan with sonic callbacks to a bygone era. There’s the guitar flip from Ashanti’s “Only U” on “COCAINE NOISE,” a reimagining of SpaceGhostPurrp’s “Fuck Taylor Gang” on “CRANK,” a homage to Bankroll Fresh on “WALK,” and a sped-up rendition of Rich Kidz’s “Bend Over” on “LIKE WEEZY.”
The album also bears the undeniable influence of Lil Wayne, whose “I AM MUSIC” era seems to have directly inspired the project. From Carti’s visual aesthetic to the sonic cues within the tracks, Wayne’s influence is palpable. The album’s rollout, with its nods to “Dedication 3” and its streetwear-inspired visuals, further reinforces this connection.
“I AM MUSIC” isn’t perfect, but that’s precisely the point. It’s a mixtape in album form, a sprawling canvas for experimentation and innovation. The album’s low points, where polish and shine overshadow raw energy, are overshadowed by its exhilarating highs. Playboi Carti has delivered an album that, like the mixtapes of old, prioritizes experimentation and raw energy over pristine polish. He isn’t trying to create a perfectly polished album, but rather a snapshot of the raw energy that shaped him, and a look back while pushing forward.