At long last, the prophecy will be fulfilled — probably. Playboi Carti, the self-proclaimed King Vamp and undisputed champion of album delays, finally announced the release date for I AM MUSIC. Late Wednesday (March 12), he took to social media and dropped a single word: “FRIDAY.” Yes, after what feels like an eternity, his long-awaited third album is set to arrive on March 14.
Trending
While X got a deadpan tweet, his Instagram featured a much livelier proclamation. In a short video, an enthusiastic bald British man could be heard shouting, “New Carti album this Friday!” as if the news were too significant for a simpler caption. Which, we don’t disagree with.
The announcement means that Carti, in the most Carti way possible, technically met his self-imposed deadline… just two days late. He previously vowed the album would arrive “no later than six months from September 12, 2024,” and by his own standards, that’s close enough.
Earlier this month, his Opium Records page tagged Spotify and requested their assistance with clearing “THESE H** [A** N**GAS] OUT.” Following the ransom note-styled post, the streaming giant responded with cryptic hourglass emojis. Carti subsequently escalated the situation via his Instagram Stories, writing, “Y’ALL BOYS PUSH UP, MY [N**GA].” If nothing else, the man is consistent in his ability to turn even routine industry dealings into high-stakes theater.
If we are to believe producer Cardo, I AM MUSIC looks to be a genre-defining moment. As the beatsmith stated to Billboard, the project pioneers something called “burnt music,” a sound influenced by everyone from Three 6 Mafia and DJ Toomp to horror film mastermind John Carpenter. This presumably means we can expect eerie, bass-heavy bangers that sound like they were forged in fire or, at the very least, recorded within a haunted mansion.
To say I AM MUSIC has been a long time coming is an understatement. Carti first teased the album title back in 2023, and whispers of a new project have circulated since as far back as 2020 — the same year he released its chart-topping predecessor, Whole Lotta Red. He’s previewed tracks at Rolling Loud Miami, erected cryptic billboards and dropped loose singles (check out bangers like “H00DBYAIR,” “EVILJ0RDAN” and the Travis Scott-assisted “BACKR00MS”), all of which received heaps of praise. Essentially, fans have endured so much, believing a Carti release date feels like a sports bet. Hopefully, the world will be able to celebrate a new body of work from the Atlanta star when the clock strikes midnight.
You Might Also Like
