Today I will be reviewing the 2020 album Whole Lotta Red by Playboi Carti. This is one of my favorite albums from that year, and I have been a fan of Carti ever since it came out on December 25th, 2020. This album is known for its sound specific to only Whole Lotta Red, blending hip-hop, punk, and rock into one. This became Carti’s first number-one album, debuting at #1 on the Billboard 200.
1. Rockstar Made
The opening track, “Rockstar Made,” was not meant to ease you in. The song drives you into a brick wall as soon as you press play with Carti’s aggressive delivery and heavy bass. For many fans, this was a shocking start to the album as Carti had revamped his entire sound in this album, but for anyone who’s a fan of this chaotic era of Carti’s music, track #1 is a promising start.
2. Go2DaMoon (feat. Kanye West)
In track 2 of WLR (Whole Lotta Red), Carti takes more of a backseat approach to the song and lets Kanye take the reins for most of the song. Carti’s intensity blends in surprisingly well with Kanye’s more traditional, structured flow. Overall a very strong song on the album with a great feature. If you’re a fan of Kanye West, this song won’t disappoint.
3. Stop Breathing
“Stop Breathing” can be described as a song made for live performances. With another bass-heavy backing track and an almost violent delivery from Carti, this is an anthem song that you can scream with a crowd while Carti blows up the stage. This song is the unofficial king of Carti’s mosh pits, and if it doesn’t get you hyped, I’m not sure what will.
4. Beno!
On track 4 of the album, Carti finally takes a break from the explosive aggression and steps into a playful vibe. Being a song from WLR, it’s still chaotic but now in a fun way. It may seem like a basic song to some, but its carefree charm is a characteristic uncommon on WLR, which makes it a favorite to many.
5. JumpOutTheHouse
The break from aggression in “Beno!” is short-lived. As soon as the album transitions from track 4 to 5 and slaps you in the face, Carti hops back and delivers one of the most polarizing songs on the album. It’s one of the most repetitive songs on WLR, with Carti repeating the lyrics “Jump out the house!” for nearly the entire song. It may even be mind-numbing for some, but for many it’s a hypnotic chant channeling Carti’s pure energy.
6. M3tamorphosis (feat. Kid Cudi)
Simply put, this song makes me transcend into a different dimension when I listen to it. Kid Cudi’s hums add a dreamy, trance-like feel to the song while clashing with Carti’s chaotic flow, which may sound like a bad matchup but works surprisingly well together on this track. Carti’s experimental style shines on this track, and both Kid Cudi and Carti’s versatility are showcased in this song.
7. Slay3r
“Slay3r” is another banger on the album, with an upbeat-sounding beat while remaining hard-hitting. He brings a fast-paced flow throughout the entirety of the song, and Carti’s hook can easily get stuck in your head, so watch out.
8. No Sl33p
Now reaching deeper into the album, “No Sl33p” may sound like filler to many listeners, and I do agree to a certain extent. Even though this track doesn’t stick out compared to the others, the beat is very enjoyable and Carti’s performance is certainly not lackluster.
9. New Tank
“New Tank” is not only a track where Carti comes again with the aggression-heavy sound of the album, but it’s the embodiment of this new sound. For this reason and the song’s qualification for moshing, this song was very popular on social media for a time.
10. Teen X (feat. Future)
Future’s feature gives this track a cool contrast, balancing Carti’s wild style with a more relaxed flow, similar to the formula to track 6, “M3tamorphosis.” Personally, this song just isn’t my favorite, but it’s always interesting to hear how two artists work together. Besides, with an album spanning 24 songs long, there is bound to be some filler.
11. Meh
“Meh” is a more laid-back song, although not particularly groundbreaking, it’s somewhat catchy. This might be a song you play when you want to listen to WLR but don’t want it to be overwhelming.
12. Vamp Anthem
This song is a fan favorite, and for good reason. The beat samples a classical organ piece, which correlates and meshes extremely well with Carti’s persona as a “VAMP.” It has a dark, even theatrical feel, and it shines as a hype song for many.
13. New N3on
With a futuristic beat and a catchy flow, “New N3on” is a track that is hypnotic and repayable. Many fans agree that this is a track that grows on you as you come back to it. It’s just one of those songs that could get anyone hooked.
14. Control
“Control” slows things down with the first part being a skit/intro into the song, as well as showing a more reflective side of Carti. In an album of nonstop hype songs, it’s not the flashiest, but it is one of the more meaningful tracks.
15. Punk Monk
This is a track that stands out to me as well as being criminally underrated. It keeps a lower profile although continuing to rock the heavy bass and distorted backing track. In “Punk Monk,” Carti raps about frustrations with the industry, which is very rare and personal for Carti. Although he isn’t exactly known for his lyricism, this song stands out for its honesty.
16. On That Time
Track 16 is the definition of ‘in your face’. Being loud, distorted, and once again aggressive, “On That Time” is the definition of the “WLR sound”. If you’re a fan of the punk-rock sound of this album, then this is for sure a classic. I know for me it is.
17. King Vamp
As the title suggests, Carti is fully immersed in his persona as a “vamp”. “King Vamp is very catchy and keeps up the dark sound prevalent in many songs of WLR.
18. Place
“Place” will always have a special place in many fans’ hearts as a throwback to Carti’s Die Lit album and era. With a beat produced by Pi’erre Bourne, you know you’re just in for a treat as soon as you hear the producer tag. The phenomenal but simple production mixed with Carti’s relaxed flow makes it a personal favorite of mine.
19. Sky
One of the most popular tracks on the record, “Sky” is simply an infectious song with its lighter beat and catchy flow. On an average album with this long of a tracklist, being on track 19 would’ve had you asleep already, but with Carti’s consistency and ecstatic pacing on this album, he’s always able to retain the attention of listeners, even after being 19 songs deep.
20. Over
“Over” features a gritty production that is hard to ignore, as well as the energy that remains a staple of WLR songs. While this track doesn’t stray far from the album’s formula, it feels like a collection of all the good things has accumulated into one.
21. ILoveUIHateU
Arguably the best song on the album, this is the true climax of WLR. “ILoveUIHateU” is Carti’s take on a love song, and it is done perfectly down to the last-minute detail. The beat is ecstatic once again with another smooth and intense production from Pi’erre Bourne. His lyrics are surprisingly relatable on this track and are packed with emotion. This truly perfect ensemble is also reminiscent of his past work just like track 18, “Place.” On track 21, this is where Carti explodes everywhere and showcases his very best.
22. Die4Guy
A more personal song, “Die4Guy” is a song dedicated to Carti’s younger brother. Carti’s voice on this song has a slightly desperate edge to it that matches the intensity of the production perfectly. Dropping his “vamp” persona for a more vulnerable moment, this song adds some depth to an album full of wild and chaotic tracks.
23. Not PLaying
Nearing the end of the album on track 23, Carti delivers his final song containing the album’s hardcore punk-type sound. Carti gives an aggressive performance and the production is very in-your-face. Although holding all the key parts of the WLR formula, this track is honestly quite lackluster when put against the consistency of the rest of the album.
24. F33l Lik3 Dyin
Ending Whole Lotta Red on a rather soft note, “F33l Lik3 Dyin,” samples a song by Bon Iver called “iMi” to add a rather melancholic twist to the ending track of a very heavy project. It’s one of the least streamed songs on the album, but to me, it’s a perfect ending and a great conclusion to WLR as it’s exemplifying how Carti is stepping down from all the chaos to give the listener something deeper to think about.
Overall, Whole Lotta Red is for sure a lot to digest for the average listener, and I’m not going to pretend it clicked with me at first listen. But if you appreciate the punk rock influences Carti took for this project and his impeccable abilities to push the experimental boundaries of hip-hop, then this is an album worth listening to. Although it isn’t for everyone, there is no doubt that WLR had a massive influence on many artists, such as many popular artists today like Ken Karson and Destroy Lonely also adapting sounds similar to or originating from WLR. I personally enjoy the album a lot, especially when I’m in the mood for it, but I get that it’s an acquired taste.
With my opinion out of the way, here’s what other students at SHS who have heard WLR had to say about the album.
Q&A
Q: You’ve listened to WLR before, how’d you feel about it?
Ethan Lee, Senior: “Whole Lotta Red is one of my favorite albums because of its experimental and genre-bending outlook on rap. Whole Lotta Red is one of the most influential, if not the most influential rap albums to ever come out of the industry, from the hard 808s and deep voice in the song ‘Stop Breathing’ to the vibrant baby-like voice on the song ‘Teen X’, which created a whole new wave in the rap industry.”
Graham Huse, Junior: “I thought that it had a few standout songs that had a lot of replay value, but other than that, I didn’t find many of the other songs memorable.”
Q: Did this album grab you on first hearing, or did it need repeated listening before you started enjoying it? Why do you think that is?
Ethan Lee, Senior: “The album definitely took me multiple listens to like. I hated almost every song from the album’s first listen, but after more and more listens of the album I started liking more and more songs. Whole Lotta Red went from being one of my least favorite albums to being my most listened-to album ever and Playboi Carti became one of my favorite artists. I think it took so many listens to learn to love it was because of the repetition of his words in songs like ‘JumpOutTheHouse’ and ‘Vamp Anthem’ mixed with his unusual flows.”
Graham Huse, Junior: “I think it grabbed me on first hearing because of those aforementioned few songs.’
Q: If you had to rate the album out of 10, what would you give it?
Ethan Lee, Senior: “Whole Lotta Red to me is a solid 9.5. The only reason I did not give it a 10 is because I think Playboi Carti has the potential to make an even better album that changes rap again and sends it in a whole new direction.”
Graham Huse, Junior: “I’ll give it a 7.5/10.”
