A year after the release of his debut mixtape, Atlanta rapper
Playboi Carti issued his first official studio album,
Die Lit. Featuring varied production by
IndigoChildRick, Maaly Raw, and
Carti himself, the set balances
Carti's sing-rapping with playful triplet delivery in a style similar to
Lil Uzi Vert,
Post Malone, and
Lil Yachty.
Carti also recruits an impressive list of guests like U.K. grime MC
Skepta ("Lean 4 Real"),
Travis Scott ("Love Hurts"),
Nicki Minaj ("Poke It Out"),
Bryson Tiller ("Fell in Luv"),
Chief Keef ("Mileage"),
Young Thug ("Choppa Won't Miss"), and more.
Skepta and
Minaj emerge on top, pairing with
Carti on the more memorable collaborations. Content-wise, there are few surprises, with graphic sex and youthful hedonism occupying much of the album's narrative. "R.I.P." boasts a big game about what he'd do to foes and their girls, while "Pull Up" delivers lightning-quick bars over skittering production that leans more heavily on random noises than on actual rhyming. Like
Rae Sremmurd and
Migos, these big-bass trap anthems owe much to their club-friendly vibe, but offer little in terms of substance or lasting impact. ~ Neil Z. Yeung