Playboi Carti

Jordan Terrell Carter (born September 13, 1995), professionally known as Playboi Carti, is an American recording artist from Atlanta, Georgia.

Carti began his musical journey in 2010 as Sir Cartier—a twist on his last name that was also indicative of a growing interest in fashion and luxury brands. In May 2013, he changed his artist name to Playboi Carti and joined Awful Records. The production behind most of Carti’s earliest works was handled by Awful Records' in-house producer Ethereal, who helped him garner a local following. Carti frequently collaborated with family friend and fellow Zone 3 rapper UnoTheActivist on songs such as “Whole Thang” and “Every Since.”

After graduating from North Springs High School in 2014, Carti moved to New York. There, he became acquainted with fashion tastemakers Ian Connor and A$AP Bari, who introduced him to A$AP Rocky at SXSW in March 2015. Carti later became affiliated with Rocky’s creative agency, AWGE. A month later, in April 2015, Carti released singles “Broke Boi” and “Fetti,” respectively, which proved to be viral hits in the underground rap scene. On September 10, 2016, Rocky announced at a show that Carti had signed to Interscope Records.

Under Interscope and AWGE, Carti released his long-awaited debut commercial mixtape, Playboi Carti on April 14, 2017. The record featured two of Carti’s biggest singles, “Magnolia” and “wokeuplikethis*,” which propelled him into the mainstream.

After months of gaining buzz and momentum from his successful debut mixtape, Carti released his debut studio album, Die Lit, on May 11, 2018. The album included popular tracks “Love Hurts,” “Shoota,” and “Poke It Out.” Die Lit exemplifies the power of simplicity, featuring effortless vibes and hypnotic flows that result in catchy, uncomplicated tracks. On certain songs, notably “FlatBed Freestyle,” Carti explores different vocal inflections and emphasizes his Atlanta accent in his delivery.

In 2019, Carti co-founded and curated Opium, his record label based in Atlanta, Georgia.

On December 25, 2020, Carti released his widely acclaimed sophomore studio album, Whole Lotta Red. Initially, the album received mixed reviews, with many fans feeling it did not meet their expectations. However, as time passed and Carti continued performing songs from the album, the general consensus shifted dramatically. It is now regarded as one of the best modern rap albums of all time.

Carti is currently in the process of releasing his forthcoming third studio album, I AM MUSIC.