‘Whole Lotta Red’ has been anticipated for nearly two years by fans

Playboi Carti has been one of the more interesting rap artists of the past three years in the industry. The artist gained wild attraction from hit singles including “Magnolia” and “wokeuplikethis*”, as well as an A$AP Rocky cosign on “New Choppa”, on his self-titled mixtape.

Less than a year later, Carti was back with his critically acclaimed debut album, ‘Die Lit’, that boasted a star-studded list of features and hits including “Shoota” and “R.I.P.” Shortly after, Carti exclaimed that his next project, ‘Whole Lotta Red’, would be dropping within the coming months.

As months turned into years, many of his core fans lost hope in the artist and believed that the project would never see the light of day. After multiple release date announcement came and went, the project was believed to become a reality soon after promotional merchandise was released on his website for the album. It wasn’t until Christmas Day that Carti fans would be blessed with their favorite gift of ‘Whole Lotta Red.’

The project, executive produced by Kanye West, delivers a consistent sound of Carti’s famed “baby voice” combined with a new element of strained hoarseness placed over electronic beats that sound as if they were made for mosquitoes.

On Carti’s sophomore effort, the artist is seen rapping more often than singing for the first time. Carti has stated on multiple occasions across social media that he took his time to perfect his flows and rhyme schemes when he dives into a new environment.

While he does rap more on this project than others, this may not be the project to come to for a sense of lyricism. For the majority of the project, the lyrics are repetitive enough to give a first-time listener a severe headache. On the upbeat track “JumpOutTheHouse”, variations of the phrase are repeated 24 times within the first 30 seconds.

After multiple listens, it’s clear that Playboi Carti isn’t making music for those that enjoy deep lyrics or a chill rap song. He’s making music for the riot-inducing concerts he’s going to perform when concerts are alive and well again in the coming months.

While many won’t be attending due to this radical transformation of sound, those that do will be experiencing a truly unforgettable experience based on this album.

If there’s one shining aspect of ‘Whole Lotta Red’, it’s that Carti must be given credit for exploring an entirely new sound that’s never been executed as this has been. While some have adored Carti for delivering a sound outside of the norm, many pray that he goes back to the sound that brought him initial success years ago.

Review: 2.5/5