BEHIND THE STITCH: ALANI
June 21, 2024
No Comments
After years of speculation, cryptic teasers, and a rollercoaster of delays, Playboi Carti is finally set to release his highly anticipated third studio album, I Am Music, this Friday, March 14, 2025. The album follows his groundbreaking 2020 release, Whole Lotta Red, and has been a subject of immense curiosity and debate since its inception.
Carti initially teased the project in 2021 under the working title Narcissist, later rebranding it as Music in 2022 before settling on I Am Music in late 2023. The prolonged development process, coupled with Carti’s signature mystique, has only fueled fan anticipation to unprecedented levels.
Despite his reclusive nature, Carti has strategically built hype around I Am Music through a mix of live performances, enigmatic social media posts, and high-profile collaborations. His December 2024 headlining performance at Rolling Loud Miami offered a first glimpse into the album’s sonic landscape, with the rapper debuting five unreleased tracks, including “Crush” featuring Travis Scott, “Cocaine Nose,” “Walk!,” “Drugs Got Me Numb” produced by Metro Boomin, and “Lie,” a rumored collaboration with The Weeknd. While an official tracklist has yet to be confirmed, additional tracks such as the previously released single “All Red,” which dropped on Carti’s birthday in September 2024, are expected to make the final cut. Given Carti’s experimental nature, I Am Music is poised to push the boundaries of hip-hop, fusing punk energy with futuristic production.
Beyond the music, the album rollout has been nothing short of theatrical. Carti’s marketing team has deployed an array of attention-grabbing tactics, from cryptic billboards bearing phrases like “I AM MUSIC MF” and “MUSIC IS COMING” in major cities like Los Angeles and Miami to exclusive Spotify promotions hinting at an industry-backed push. His social media presence, often erratic and elusive, has kept fans on edge, with sporadic snippets and cryptic captions fueling endless speculation. However, the delay-ridden process has not been without backlash–frustrated fans even launched a petition demanding Carti be banned from streaming platforms until the album drops, a testament to the feverish demand for I Am Music.
With a reputation for redefining the soundscape of modern rap, Playboi Carti stands at a pivotal moment in his career. His ability to cultivate an obsessive fan base while maintaining an air of mystery has solidified his status as one of hip-hop’s most enigmatic figures. As the countdown to I Am Music draws to a close, all eyes are on Carti to see if this album will live up to the years of anticipation and speculation.
Whether it reaffirms his position as a genre-bending innovator or takes an entirely unexpected direction, one thing is certain–Playboi Carti is ready to remind the world why he is music. For the fans who have been waiting for so long for this, Friday cannot come fast enough.
