MUSIC - SORRY 4 DA WAIT

the take

As soon as I hit play on the first track, I realized I might officially be past the intended demographic for this album. By the time I finished it, though, I also realized I probably like it more than a lot of people in that demographic. It’s wild because, despite all the hype, I could never fully recapture my interest in Playboi Carti’s newer music. I’m still a fan, but after getting my expectations up too many times, I came into “MUSIC” a bit hesitant. And I’ll be real—30 songs (34 on the deluxe) is just too much for me, especially when you know everything isn’t hitting. That said, outside of the Kendrick Lamar features (which are obviously among the strongest moments), there are still joints I genuinely enjoyed. “RATHER LIE”, “COCAINE NOSE”, and “WAKE UP F1LTHY” all stood out, with the last two especially feeling built for a live setting. On the flip side, tracks like “OPM BABI” and “MONYUN” just aren’t for me. The rest mostly fall in line with Carti’s style—good enough to ride out, but not always memorable. I will give Carti credit, though—he continues to evolve with every release. Even if his delivery isn’t always the clearest (though he’s improved a bit), he’s still willing to take risks. What really clicked for me here are the subtle nods to Atlanta’s past. DJ Swamp Izzo’s drops throughout the album might not be for everyone, but they instantly took me back to that mixtape era. Pair that with production that echoes the Shawty Redd sound from early Young Jeezy and Gucci Mane, and it feels like Carti is channeling that era in his own way. Like “Whole Lotta Red”, this might grow on me with time. But unlike that album, I actually enjoyed this on first listen more than I expected.