Playboi Carti finally releases long-awaited album ‘I Am Music’

The wait is over. Playboi Carti, born Jordan Terrell Carter, officially dropped his third studio album, I Am Music, on Friday, March 14. The long-anticipated project arrived a few hours later than expected, but the excitement from fans has remained high. Released through AWGE and Interscope Records, the album’s launch follows months of teasing and a five-year gap since his last full-length release, Whole Lotta Red.

The album rollout was aided by Spotify, which promoted I Am Music with billboards in major cities like Los Angeles, New York City, and Miami, featuring slogans such as “STREETS READY,” “SORRY4 DA WAIT,” and “I AM MUSIC MF.” The promotional campaign had fans eagerly awaiting the release, building on Carti’s enigmatic public persona and unpredictable style.

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Before the album’s release, Carti dropped the single "All Red," which made an impact on the charts, reaching No. 15 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 3 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. Additionally, Carti shared a handful of other tracks on his YouTube and Instagram accounts, including "2024," "BACKR00MS" featuring Travis Scott, and "H00DBYAIR." These teasers gave fans a glimpse of the eclectic and experimental sound that Carti is known for.

The rapper also used live performances to preview unreleased music. During his headlining set at Rolling Loud Miami in December, he performed "Lose You" featuring The Weeknd, further stoking excitement for the album. Carti and The Weeknd have previously collaborated, most notably on the platinum-certified track "Popular," which also featured Madonna.

Continuing a tradition, Carti released I Am Music just days before his headlining performance at Rolling Loud California on Sunday, March 16. This mirrors the timing of his 2018 debut album, Die Lit, which dropped just before Rolling Loud Miami that year.

I Am Music arrives five years after Whole Lotta Red, which topped the Billboard 200 and marked Carti’s first No. 1 album. With high-profile features and his boundary-pushing style, I Am Music is set to be another defining moment in Playboi Carti’s career, solidifying his reputation as one of rap’s most innovative figures. With 30 tracks and an overall duration of one hour and seventeen minutes, the album is especially star-studded, with guest appearances by Future, Travis Scott, Young Thug, Lil Uzi Vert, Kendrick Lamar, and The Weeknd.