Two years after unleashing Whole Lotta Red, his first career No. 1 album, Playboi Carti stirred up a whole lotta speculation. The drawn-out Whole Lotta Red rollout involved ambiguous release dates, viral teases, and rampant fan excitement. Now, the Atlanta rapper appears to be repeating history.
On Christmas Day (December 25), Carti sent his first tweet since October 2021 (“Hello Twitter”) and four hours later, he followed it with, “love all my supporters it’s time.” He paired that with two Instagram posts, including a screenshot of an audio preview on his Instagram Story.
Hello Twitter
— . (@playboicarti) December 25, 2022
love all my supporters it’s time
— . (@playboicarti) December 25, 2022
Playboi Carti returns to Instagram, appearing to tease new music 🚨🚨 pic.twitter.com/MEXr4YICxI
— XXL Magazine (@XXL) December 24, 2022
Carti was asked about his next album during an April interview with XXL. “I was about to name my album Music because that’s where I’m at, you know what I’m saying? Music,” he said. When pressed to clarify what the album’s name would be, he doubled down: “Music because that’s all it is at this point.”
Carti was then asked about “the topics that are important” or that he found himself rapping about or writing about while crafting the project.
“Love. Sex. Drugs. Changes in my life,” he said. “I’ve been rapping about going to rehab. I want to go to rehab because I think I’m bipolar. I want everybody to feel free. I want this album to make everyone feel free. I hope this album brings peace to the world, honestly. I’m in love with what I’m doing. Like I told you, you can’t put a genre alternative [on me]. My little brother told me that all the time.”
Below, see some of the fan reaction to Carti’s latest tease.
https://twitter.com/GrantFaucher/status/1606878003233185795
playboi carti didn’t drop again. pic.twitter.com/bQ7GsAGc6h
— khi (@stymead) December 25, 2022
PLAYBOI CARTI ILL DO WHATEVER IT TAKES MAN. ANYTHING. pic.twitter.com/SlUzaZakkp
— red🩸 (@lottareds) December 25, 2022
Playboi Carti.
I thought it was going to be different this time. pic.twitter.com/QOfoLrcqHu
— NFR Podcast (@nfr_podcast) December 25, 2022
playboi carti is the grinch
— SK⚡️ (@raptalksk) December 25, 2022
A$AP Rocky & Playboi Carti really previewed this gem & then never said anything about it again pic.twitter.com/xD81s7GoZP
— Z E N (@real_zen1) December 21, 2022
Playboi Carti when it comes to lyin
pic.twitter.com/uS3b4pVdPt— 🕶 (@29files) December 25, 2022
no way playboi carti drops new music on christmas again right
— SK⚡️ (@raptalksk) December 24, 2022
Playboi carti coming online to tease something that he is never dropping pic.twitter.com/2bWy0MvNk8
— f⌖ (@ohfold) December 25, 2022
CAUGHT U BOY @PLAYBOICARTI pic.twitter.com/Fm80gHkAWf
— гг ~ 𖤐 (@tize4PF) December 25, 2022
what is your problem @playboicarti pic.twitter.com/CjaLAv3xNG
— f⌖ (@ohfold) December 25, 2022
Playboi Carti’s IG story just made me bust at the family brunch
— red🩸 (@lottareds) December 24, 2022
If playboi carti drops, I’ll give everyone who likes this tweet $1,000,000 pic.twitter.com/aZDdbTSxiC
— red🩸 (@lottareds) December 26, 2022
JUST IN: Playboi Carti shares more audio files on his story‼️👀 pic.twitter.com/mg5Ly2p77y
— RapTV (@Rap) December 25, 2022
Playboi Carti fans seeing him tease new music on Instagram https://t.co/y8R58A5SM0
— alex (@AlexUlrichh) December 24, 2022