Is Playboi Carti punk? The cover of his 2018 album Die Lit would suggest so, but just a brash, black
and white piece of album art isn’t enough to really be put in league with a whole artistic movement.
Punk music, in its heyday, was focused on the do it yourself attitude and the rejection of mainstream
excess. Punk rock had a stripped down, but still exciting style that carried rebellion in its lyrics and
attitude. Looking at all that I think we can make the case that Die Lit holds the spirit of punk music
pretty dearly within it.
and white piece of album art isn’t enough to really be put in league with a whole artistic movement.
Punk music, in its heyday, was focused on the do it yourself attitude and the rejection of mainstream
excess. Punk rock had a stripped down, but still exciting style that carried rebellion in its lyrics and
attitude. Looking at all that I think we can make the case that Die Lit holds the spirit of punk music
pretty dearly within it.
The first song I wanted to focus on was “Love Hurts” which comes along with a Travis Scott feature.
Travis is another artist that has been described as “punk” before, although I do not intend to make the
case for that here. My real point about this track is how minimalist it is. The beat, constructed excellently
by Pi’erre Bourne, consists of an 808 pattern, hi-hats, and a kinda zooming sound that repeats. It doesn’t
get more stripped down than that. The track has a couple more layers of sound through ad-libs provided
by Carti. These do help add to the beat and give it some more gusto. The songs hook state that “shawty
want a rockstar” and while there isn’t much substance to much of the lyrics the sentiment is there. Carti
and Travis feel like rockstars and at this point, rightly so.
Travis is another artist that has been described as “punk” before, although I do not intend to make the
case for that here. My real point about this track is how minimalist it is. The beat, constructed excellently
by Pi’erre Bourne, consists of an 808 pattern, hi-hats, and a kinda zooming sound that repeats. It doesn’t
get more stripped down than that. The track has a couple more layers of sound through ad-libs provided
by Carti. These do help add to the beat and give it some more gusto. The songs hook state that “shawty
want a rockstar” and while there isn’t much substance to much of the lyrics the sentiment is there. Carti
and Travis feel like rockstars and at this point, rightly so.
Another songs that helps to highlight Playboi Carti’s punk attitude is “R.I.P.” where he takes pride in his
label of “mumble rapper.” A lot of speculation has gone on in the current rap scene about “mumble rap”
and its place in the hip hop landscape. Many use the term to discredit a rapper for not using articulate,
or understandable lyrics in their songs. Carti takes on this term to brag that despite what people may
view him as he still “bought that crib for my mama off that mumble shit” and “made a mil’” off of it too.
Carti joins Young Thug in the upper echelon of rappers that are using the actual words as a background.
It seems like on many songs on this project that Carti plays up the amount of mumble rapping going on.
He heard the criticism for the style and double downed on it entirely.
label of “mumble rapper.” A lot of speculation has gone on in the current rap scene about “mumble rap”
and its place in the hip hop landscape. Many use the term to discredit a rapper for not using articulate,
or understandable lyrics in their songs. Carti takes on this term to brag that despite what people may
view him as he still “bought that crib for my mama off that mumble shit” and “made a mil’” off of it too.
Carti joins Young Thug in the upper echelon of rappers that are using the actual words as a background.
It seems like on many songs on this project that Carti plays up the amount of mumble rapping going on.
He heard the criticism for the style and double downed on it entirely.
Die Lit also mirrors a ton of early punk with its very faced pace and quick nature. Carti uses his quick and
short delivery to make his songs run full speed ahead, bringing the listener along for the ride. This album
makes the next step in trap and “mumble rap” soaking in all the sounds of the mainstream and upping
them to the maximum. And in this it may propel Playboi Carti to the next level of rockstar.
short delivery to make his songs run full speed ahead, bringing the listener along for the ride. This album
makes the next step in trap and “mumble rap” soaking in all the sounds of the mainstream and upping
them to the maximum. And in this it may propel Playboi Carti to the next level of rockstar.
