Playboi Carti - 'Die Lit' Review

Many so-called “mumble rappers” have been influenced by Playboi Carti- directly, or indirectly. He’s arguably one of the OG’s of mumble rap. You can hear a bit of his flow, hooks, and ad-lib driven rap style in the music of today’s newest up and comers. He’s a close collaborator of Lil Uzi Vert, and a fashionable model. He’s best known for his hits, “Brokeboi” and “Magnolia.”

Die Lit is his debut album and the follow up to last year’s self-titled debut mixtape. And of course, his right-hand man, Pi’erre Bourne, is the executive producer. Carti has secured features from Travis Scott, Young Thug, Nicki Minaj, Lil Uzi Vert, Gunna, and more.

So just how lit is this project?

How about… the kind of lit that makes crowds move? The kind of lit that gets everyone hot and rowdy at a party? Or how about the kind of lit that makes you pull up in traffic bumping unapologetically?

This album is worthwhile in those particular moments and settings. Pi’erre Bourne continues to prove that he is a force to be reckoned with in the game. The production is sharp and the bold, bouncy 808s are sure to slap in your speakers.

Carti’s verses have a way of feeling like extended hooks. He loves to chant as his ad-libs swirl in the background. Sometimes he even delivers a rapid-fire flow, similar to the one Lil Uzi Vert is famous for.

But without a whole lot to say or express, Carti gets redundant really fast. When he is alongside the A$ap Mob on the Cozy Tapes, his chants and ad-libs add a youthful energy. He can be a great supporting act, but he’s static and ultra-repetitive as a lead act.

“Poke It Out” ft. Nicki Minaj and “Shoota” ft. Lil Uzi Vert are great collaborations, but most of these features are incredibly underwhelming. There’s a real lack of chemistry between him and Skepta on “Lean 4 Real" and “Love Hurts”—the project’s lead single—desperately tries to find a catchy melodic pocket.

Carti’s album is nearly an hour in length but after a while, he quickly seems like merely a vessel for Bourne’s production to live through. He sounds like a feature on his own album at times. Bourne’s production is just as much of a strength as it is a crutch for Carti.

They could’ve made this project more cohesive had they shortened this tracklist. Carti isn’t engaging enough to carry an entire body of work by himself. It’s hit or miss with him: either there’s a song that’s really good, or entirely forgettable.

He would thrive as a single’s based artist or an EP driven artist. Yet in the streaming world where more tracks mean more streams, it’s unlikely that’ll happen.

Essentials

• “Shoota” ft. Lil Uzi Vert
• “Poke It Out” ft. Nicki Minaj
• “Home”(KOD)
• “Pull Up”
• “No Time” ft. Gunna
• “Choppa Won’t Miss” ft. Young Thug

The Verdict

Just like the modeling he’s done in the fashion world, Playboi Carti’s music emphasizes style—of which he has plenty. Die Lit showcases its best moments when Bourne’s production and Carti’s hook and ad-lib driven raps dance together in harmony. Otherwise, some of the appeal of these tracks are due to Bourne’s colorful, bouncy trap instrumentals.

Carti really doesn’t have much to say and after nearly an hour, the listener comes away knowing little to nothing about him. Shorter, condensed projects from him would suit his style better. This project gets too repetitive too fast. It’s more engaging in certain settings, but overall this project is for the moment.

C+