On May 11, ASAP Mob affiliate Playboi Carti surprised his fanbase with the surprise release of Die Lit, the album he felt comfortable calling his debut. An undeniable improvement from his self-titled mixtape — which housed his JAY-Z-approved hit “Magnolia” — the record is ultimately a curious blend of three elements: Incredible production, intriguing features, and an incredibly low bar for lyrical content.
Production wise, Pi’erre Bourne is back at the helm (tackling 15 of the 19 songs). From the distorted bass of “R.I.P” — with its insane Jodeci sample — the atmospheric “Lean 4 Real” featuring Skepta, the sure-shot “Love Hurts” featuring Travis Scott, to the Uzi Vert featured “Shoota,” the album was set up Carti to win.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qI_i_MNR_Tk
While he was criticized in the past for the fact that his self-titled mixtape almost came across as a glorified beat-tape littered with (at times incoherent) ad-libs, Die Lit seems more polished. His flow seems more focused, especially on songs like “Right Now,” boosted by its atmospheric vibe and flows.
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Although gauging Carti’s pen game overlooks the reason for his music’s existence, his songwriting (for lack of an eloquent description) is pretty terrible. Listeners could play a drinking game that involves taking a shot every time he says “Bih” or references fucking your/a bitch during the tracklist, and they would be blackout drunk. Tracks like “Old Money” for example, feel like placeholders with dummy lyrics that were meant to be subbed out at a later date.
“Choppa Won’t Miss” featuring Young Thug also comes to mind, where he repeats “riding around drunk killing everybody” in the chorus, before proclaiming that his “choppa won’t miss a nigga.” With the exception of that song, most of THE project’s features, including names like Nicki Minaj on one of the album’s biggest records “Poke It Out” and Bryson Tiller on the infectious “Fell In Luv,” work to illustrate his inferior creativity even further.
While Carti doesn’t really stand out in any way, his magic appears to be his energy. While devoid of lyrical skill or depth, there is specific, undeniable chemistry that he and Pierre seem to share. Carti doesn’t care, as evidenced by his rambling “Bought a crib for mama off that mumblin’ shit,” on the distorted wonder, “R.I.P.” Neither does his rabid fanbase, who arguably have a different outlook on what Hip Hop is, making criticizing Die Lit on a hardline level (e.g. this review!) that much more meaningless.
Nobody appears to be on the fence with Carti and this debut — through a more respectable body of work — is unlikely to win over any naysayers. One fan’s dumpster fire is another fan’s lifetime soundtrack.
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Trash beats meets trash lyrics with trash delivery.
Its “100 round drum killin errybody” smh
i was going to say this. That song hits too smh!
Yeah….those bars are way harder….
Riley Wallace, whoever you are, how dare you give an album that you acknowledge to have incredible production a 3 out of 5. The production alone on here warrants a 3.8. You guys give rudimentary albums with run of the mill production that rating all the time. The bias here is blatant and pathetic. Learn to write yo. I listened to this album and I’m a hip hop purist in every sense of the word. I will argue that The Infamous and Hell On Earth by Mobb Deep are the two best hip hop albums of all time. I enjoyed this record because of the production. It reminds me of Clams Casino when he first started working with A$AP Rocky. The chemistry here is undeniable. So is your lack of writing talent. HHDX, please slap Riley on the wrist with a suspension or something. Giving this a 5 to offset the haters aka you.
“I’m a hip hop purist because I know the name of two Mobb Deep albums.” Ok, buddy.
Uhhh learn to read buddy. I said I would argue that they are the two best hip hop albums of ALL-TIME. My top 5 albums this year are Phonte’s, Roc Marciano’s, Black Milk’s, Jericho Jackson (eLZhi), and Evidence. I’m 100% sure I know more about hip hop than you. I just take issue with this review. It reads like one of HHDX’s Riff Raff reviews. Totally biased, clickbait. Still love you though DX. Always have, always will. <3
I’m sure you do, anonymous person that knows zero about me. Thanks for impressing me with your Top 5 — which nobody asked for, BTW. Hopefully DX starts awarding trash rappers higher ratings to keep you (specifically) happy.
Honestly beats dont make an album worthy of a high rating that’s like pushing a J Cole album to have a perfect rating just cuz he produces by himself and has no features yeah that’s impressive but can’t justify a higher rating if the bars hold it back same can be said about Russ u cant project your own bias onto others specially when it’s clear that you dick riding Carti but that’s just my opinion.
Fire Album
Carti is just pure hype, the Carti and Uzi duo is the best in rap rn
Step down from his last one, which wasn’t good.
R.I.P. was not a Jodeci sample, it was Raheem The Dream “I Wanna Fuck You” sample. ATL bass music classic.
Shit was lit
c.s.christony@
Waste of time and money … showed up 2 1/2 hours late … get off the weed and get off your high horse and show up for your own concert. Your not that good for people to wait two hours …
that sucks dude
I think you need to smoke weed maybe you would cry less about a rapper making you stay up late having fun at a club. How you like rappers like thug and gonna and Carti but don’t understand the culture. Don’t show up on time to watch pothead rappers next time. Tell mom’s that you gonna be home late
I think you need to smoke weed maybe you would cry less about a rapper making you stay up late having fun at a club. How you like rappers like thug and gonna and Carti but don’t understand the culture. Don’t show up on time to watch pothead rappers next time.
It was better than Scorpion
High 4 for me. Carti really fucking impressed to deliver one of the best trap albums of all time. Him and Pierre work together to create bangers and a flawless vibe. Only song I really dont fuck with is Old money and 3 other songs i think are just fine. One of the catchiest albums I’ve ever heard! Song writing is improved massively from self titled and i find that project hard to go back to after this. Incredibly replayable.
*+Its Lit!** ok! **
Dope ass album, never really want to skip a track other then maybe Poke It Out which is the only true whack moment.
I like how this is so punk, and the beats are mostly great. I dont mind the repetitiveness of lyrics or beats that much, it sounds great, makes the album feel like a long ass trip.
Fav Tracks: Shoota, Long Time, Pull Up, most of the rest of them
TBH if i could give it 4.5 if i could because there is a skip for me, and some aspects i dont love.
9/10
Shit was dope stop hating. I’m pretty sure he says hundid round drum Killin errbody but riding round drunk killing everybody is a million dollar rhyme right there
Why you hating it’s dope and ilike your remix riding round drunk killing everybody. That’s a million dollar rhyme right there but I’m pretty sure he says 100 round drum Killin errbody