Playboi Carti: From High School Dropout to Hip-Hop Icon
Jordan Terrell Carter, born on September 13, 1995, is professionally known as Playboi Carti. He is an American rapper hailing from Atlanta, Georgia. An influential figure among his generation, he has contributed to the progression of trap music and its rage subgenre. Continuously exploring his sound throughout each project he releases, Carti has been at the forefront of multiple music waves throughout his career.
Early Life and Education
Jordan Terrell Carter was born in Atlanta, Georgia, and grew up in the nearby suburb of Riverdale. In a 2016 interview with Complex, he stated, "My ma couldn't tell me s. Nobody could tell me s." This type of lifestyle influenced Carter to get into trouble as a youth and sway away from the idea of pursuing a higher level of education after high school. He attended North Springs Charter High School.
Before making music, Carter had wanted to become an NBA star. In an interview with The Fader, he said, "I was a young AI and didn't go to practice. That was the time I was really ducking school and it was all hoop and no rap. I would smoke before practice, get on the court and drop 30." He stopped playing basketball after a disagreement with his coach, in which he then dedicated his time to music.
Carter had frequently skipped his classes in order to work on music or go to his job at H&M, leading to him barely graduating High School. In an interview with The Fader, he also said, "I was in class with freshmen finishing work, and if I finished the nine assignments before this time I could graduate." Carter was so close to not graduating that no one showed up to his graduation because they didn't know it was actually going to happen. Carti hated the idea of being an upcoming rapper while working at H&M, so he made the decision to quit.
Career Beginnings
Carti began rapping at an early age under the name ‘Sir Cartier’ in 2011 and soon after changed it to as we now know, Playboi Carti in 2013. He began uploading songs on SoundCloud in 2011. In 2014, after meeting producer Ethereal, he joined Awful Records. Once Carti chose to pursue music full-time, he made the decision to move to New York City with some family.
While in New York City, Carti stayed at his drug dealer's house, and members of ASAP Mob frequented the house. Eventually Carti ran into ASAP Bari, who eventually introduced him to A$AP Rocky. Carti decided to go to Texas with A$AP Rocky. In which he began to attract more attention in 2015 with his singles "Broke Boi" and "Fetti" featuring Da$h and Maxo Kream, both of which were published to SoundCloud. Around this time, Carti frequently collaborated with artists in Atlanta's underground rap scene, including his cousin UnoTheActivist, Thouxanbanfauni, Yung Bans, Lil Yachty, Ethereal, and producers MexikoDro, and ICYTWAT. He began to tour with ASAP Ferg and Lil Uzi Vert, and later signed a deal with Interscope Records.
Carti began rapping because it was the second thing he was most passionate about besides basketball. Also because in an interview with Complex, he stated, “My ma couldn’t tell me s. Nobody could tell me s,” which is what he goes by. He did anything he felt he wanted to.
When Carti graduated from high school, almost no one showed up at his graduation because no one knew it was actually taking place; he continued working with Ethereal. Ethereal would then expose Carti to a music label called Awful Records which he would start to work for. This led to Carti being co-signed to the label. Ethereal would also help Carti publish his first song to make it to streaming platforms called Beef. In an interview with Genius, Ethereal even said, “I am lucky to sit back and think. Soon after Carti and Ethereal would fall out of partnership and never work again.
Carti would then go to work with Awful Records, getting the attention of the leader, named Father, so Father took Carti in as his protege. Awful Records at the time was known as an Atlanta based rap collective in the underground scene and had a lot of hype. While Carti was a part of Awful Records he was promoted heavily by Father and Awful, featuring Carti on their channel and producing songs for him. Carti started to label himself as Ca$h Carti of Awful Records. He would drop some of his most recognizable underground songs under Awful Records like Broke Boi, Mercedez, and By Myself / No Help. When Father wanted to officially sign Carti to Awful Records he faced a problem because at this time Carti was introduced to Ian Conner. Ian Conner wanted Carti to be more than just an underground rapper and hit mainstream so he told A$ap Rocky and A$ap Mob about Carti the day Father was going to sign Carti. They flew Carti out and signed him to A$ap Mob. Carti never said goodbye to Awful Records and went so far as to even disrespect the label by stealing one of their merch designs. Carti even said he was never an Awful Records member besides previously repping them. Carti is also still signed to A$ap Mob to this day by being signed with AWGE (ASAP Worldwide Greatness Entertainment).
Before even starting to work with A$ap Mob, Carti would find himself in trouble with producers like MexikoDro, DJ Akademiks and MilanMakesBeats. They would all accuse Carti of stealing their beats without paying them and these allegations seem to be true because when the producers asked Carti to pay he would refuse. Carti went as far to even send threats to the producers saying stuff like, “Can’t wait to see u B*, Ima find u, and F everybody who you love.” He would also send texts to friends of the producers and say he would pay them if he told him where the producers lived. Carti would also share a snippet preview of his first album with a stolen beat from MexikoDro, starting more drama between the situation. Ian Conner and Carti would continue being best friends even after Ian heard about the situation. Their friendship is shown by Carti dropping a song named “Ian Conner” and even giving Ian Conner 5% of his earnings from his music, which is still happening to this day.
However there was another obstacle for Carti. The other obstacle was a previous music group named Splur Gang which quickly died off because of Carti joining Awful Records. Splur Gang consisted of UnoTheActivist (Lane) and Thouxanbanfauni, both childhood friends of Carti. However, things would start falling apart after an affiliate of A$ap Mob, BloodyDior, shot UnoTheActivist.
Carti would finally work with A$ap Mob, with whom Carti dropped his first mixtape Playboi Carti, on which A$ap Rocky would feature in the song named New Choppa. Rocky would promote Carti a lot to make him as famous as he was. At the time A$ap Rocky was recognized as a top rap artist, even getting recognized by the likes of Drake and Kendrick Lamar. At this time Carti would be exposed to actual mainstream music and artists. This is when he started making ties to people like Drake, Kendrick Lamar, Tyler the Creator, Kanye West, Frank Ocean, Kid Cudi, Lana Del Rey, Chief Keef and The Weeknd.
Rise to Fame
Playboi Carti released his self-titled debut mixtape in April 2017, which garnered significant attention from major music publications such as XXL, Pitchfork, Spin, HotNewHipHop, and PopMatters. The mixtape debuted at number 12 on the Billboard 200 and produced two successful singles: "Magnolia," which peaked at number 29 on the Billboard Hot 100, and "Wokeuplikethis" featuring Lil Uzi Vert, which reached number 76. To promote the mixtape, Carti embarked on a tour alongside Gucci Mane and Dreezy. In June 2017, he was named one of XXL's "2017 Freshman Class," a list that also included rappers such as XXXTentacion, A Boogie wit da Hoodie, and Ugly God. During this period, Carti was featured on ASAP Mob's single "Raf" from their album Cozy Tapes Vol.
In May 2018, Carter released his debut studio album, Die Lit. Billboard 200, earning 61,000 album-equivalent units, including 5,000 pure album sales, in its first week. Later that year, in August 2018, Carti announced his second studio album, Whole Lotta Red, which would be released two years later.
Work on Whole Lotta Red began in late 2018. During the next two years, numerous tracks, including the fan-favorite "Pissy Pamper" were leaked online, amassing tens of millions of streams. The following month, he was featured on Drake's single "Pain 1993," which debuted at number 7 on the Billboard Hot 100, marking Carti's first entry into the chart's top ten. In November 2020, Carti announced that Whole Lotta Red was complete and had been submitted to his label. He was also featured on Lil Yachty's deluxe album Lil Boat 3.5 on the track "Flex Up," alongside Future. On December 21, 2020, Carti confirmed that Whole Lotta Red would be released on Christmas Day.
In June 2021, Playboi Carti was featured on tracks by Pi'erre Bourne, including "Switching Lanes," and Lil 1 Dte's single "Homixide". In March 2023, he performed an unreleased track titled "Rockstar" at Rolling Loud California, teasing fans about his upcoming album. In May 2023, Carti returned to Instagram following his December 2022 arrest and posted a screenshot of him FaceTiming with the Weeknd. Just a few days later, the Weeknd announced their collaboration "Popular", featuring Madonna, set to be released on June 2, 2023. On July 7, 2023, Carti performed a new song called "Pop Out" at Wireless Festival. On July 28, 2023, Carti appeared on Travis Scott's highly anticipated album Utopia on the track "Fein".
In December 2023, Carti hinted at an album release in January 2024. He posted "I am music" on Instagram, followed by a tweet from Pharrell Williams saying "Prepare". On December 8, Carti confirmed the 2024 release date with a snippet featuring DJ Swamp Izzo. Later that day, he dropped "Different Day" on his secondary Instagram account and released "2024" on YouTube, produced by Kanye West, Ojivolta, and Earl on the Beat. He also confirmed he has a daughter named Yves with the track "H00dByAir". On January 1, 2024, he shared that he would release a song that day and dropped "Backr00ms", featuring Travis Scott. On February 4, 2024, Carti made a guest appearance during Travis Scott's performance at the 66th Annual Grammy Awards. A week later, he was featured on Kanye West's and Ty Dolla Sign's album Vultures 1 on the tracks "Carnival" and "Fuk Sumn", with "Carnival" becoming his first chart-topping single. In March 2024, he collaborated with Future and Metro Boomin on the song "Type Shit", and on March 27, he worked with Camila Cabello on "I Luv It". On September 13, 2024, Carti released "All Red", marking his first solo streaming release since 2020. He also teased his upcoming album by launching various merchandise bundles, building excitement among fans.
Musical Style and Influences
Jordan’s music style has been described as a “mumble rapper”,and his music as “playful, hard-hitting, and very melodic.” Complex called his style of rapping “spare and repetitive, more concerned with flow and catchy phrases.” Briana Younger at Pitchfork said that "Carti’s music is less about lyricism and more about atmosphere", going on to say that "whatever Carti lacks in substance he makes up in sheer audacity." In which Jordan is known for his "baby voice" technique, characterized by his voice hitting high pitches with unclear pronunciations and frantic cadences.
Carter's music primarily falls under the "mumble rap" genre, characterized by a focus on catchy hooks and infectious beats. His early work showcased a carefree and youthful vibe, often steering clear of serious themes. However, as his artistry evolved, he began to incorporate more experimental sounds, particularly in his later projects. Songs like "Earfquake" and "Pissy Pamper" reflect his exploration of various vocal techniques, including his distinct "baby voice," which features high pitches and frantic cadences. In 2020, Carter released Whole Lotta Red, which further showcased his experimentation with sound, featuring inspirations of punk and metal into his hip-hop roots. This album marked a significant shift in his artistic direction, allowing him to delve into more intense themes while maintaining his signature melodic style.
Carter has cited influences from a variety of artists, including ASAP Rocky, Kanye West, Jay-Z, MF Doom, Slayer, the Sex Pistols, and Kiss. He embodies a "rock star" persona and is known for his playful, hard-hitting, and melodic style. Almost all of Carter's raps are freestyled, which was directly inspired by Lil Wayne. Carter's approach to music emphasizes atmosphere over traditional lyricism, with critics noting that his rapping is often "spare and repetitive," focusing more on flow and catchy phrases.
Fashion
Carter developed a unique fashion sense from an early age, shopping in thrift stores. Carti started shopping in thrift stores in his youth, something that has had an effect on his fashion and music style to this day.
Carter's fashion style is one of the main features of his public image. He has called himself a "thrift store kid" and often prefers vintage garments. Carter's favorite designer label is Balmain and his favorite designer is Raf Simons, whom he met at a 2017 fashion show in New York City. Carter is featured on the song "Raf" by ASAP Mob, which was dedicated to Raf Simons. The music video for the song included Carter, ASAP Rocky, and Quavo wearing rare Raf Simons-designed clothing.
Personal Life and Controversies
In 2017, he briefly dated American model Blac Chyna. Early in his career, Carter was romantically involved with Rubi Rose, a model and rapper who rose to fame after appearing in the music video for "Bad and Boujee" by Migos. He allegedly fired a gun in the air after Rose hid his phones from him before he was due to board a flight. Later in 2018, Carter began dating Australian rapper Iggy Azalea, whom he met while he was overseas on tour. In December 2018, they moved in together in the Buckhead neighborhood of Atlanta. They split in December 2019. In 2020, Azalea gave birth to Carter's first child, a son, Onyx. In December that year, Azalea accused him of missing their son's birth and cheating on her.
In April 2020, Carter was arrested on gun and drug-related charges in Clayton County, Georgia. On September 21, 2022, Carter was arrested for reckless driving. It was reported by TMZ on February 14, 2023, that Carter had been arrested on December 29, 2022, on a felony assault charge after allegedly choking his girlfriend, who was 14 weeks pregnant. It was reported on July 15, 2025, that Carter was denied entry to Canada, forcing the cancellation of scheduled opening acts for the Weeknd on July 15, 16 and 19. On October 2, 2025, Carter was involved in an altercation with his girlfriend, Giovanna Ramos, where they both got into a heated argument over sex. Carter's limousine driver, Carl Reynolds, says Carti wound up punching his girlfriend in the chest, prompting Carl to pull over to a safer location on the highway in Heber City. However, Reynolds admitted he did not actually see Carter hitting his girlfriend, but saw her "hunched over holding near her chest." Reynolds intervened and tried to de-escalate the situation, but was later sucker punched by the rapper, leaving Reynolds bruised, swollen jaw and a whiplash effect. After police involvement and reports, Carter's girlfriend claimed that he "got in her business." Reynolds also stated how the two were smoking marijuana in the car as well.
Opium Label
Opium (occasionally stylized as 00pium) is an American record label and rap collective founded in 2019 by Carter. The label, which is based in Atlanta, Georgia, currently holds five acts: Carter himself, rappers Ken Carson, Destroy Lonely, and ASAP Nast, and rap duo Homixide Gang, all of whom are natives to the city (besides ASAP Nast). Opium artists usually feature a dark rap sound and aesthetic that is built upon the Atlanta rage rap scene and is influenced by the 70s and 80s punk rock era.
Discography
- Playboi Carti (2017)
- Die Lit (2018)
- Whole Lotta Red (2020)
- Music (2025)
tags: #playboi #carti #education
