Playboi Carti facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Playboi Carti
Playboi Carti in 2024
Born	Jordan Terrell Carter September 13, 1995 or 1996 Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.
Other names	Sir Cartier Cash Carti Carti
Occupation	Rapper singer songwriter
Years active	2011–present
Partner(s)	Iggy Azalea (2018–2019)
Children	2
Awards	Full list
Musical career
Genres	Hip-hop trap SoundCloud rap cloud rap rage punk rap
Signature

Jordan Terrell Carter (born September 13, 1995 or 1996), known professionally as Playboi Carti, is an American rapper. An influential figure among his generation, he has contributed to the progression of trap music and its rage subgenre. He first signed with local underground record label Awful Records in 2014, and later signed with ASAP Mob's record label AWGE, in a joint venture with Interscope Records two years later. Carter gained mainstream attention following the release of his eponymous debut mixtape (2017), which peaked at number 12 on the U.S. Billboard 200 and spawned the Billboard Hot 100-charting singles "Magnolia" and "Wokeuplikethis" (featuring Lil Uzi Vert).

Carter's debut studio album Die Lit (2018) saw further critical and commercial success, peaking at number three on the Billboard 200. Following a two-year hiatus, his second studio album, Whole Lotta Red (2020) debuted atop the chart and was met with critical acclaim; it was listed as among the greatest albums of that year by Rolling Stone and The Washington Post, with Rolling Stone ranking it on their list of the "200 Greatest Hip-Hop Albums of All Time". Whole Lotta Red marked a significant milestone in Carter's career as it became his first album to reach the top of the charts in the United States, securing the coveted number-one spot on the Billboard 200. He guest performed on ¥$'s 2024 single, "Carnival", which became his first song to peak atop the Billboard Hot 100. In March 2025, Carti released his third studio album Music (also known as I Am Music). The album was given positive reviews and became his second consecutive number-one album on the Billboard 200.

Early life

Jordan Terrell Carter was born in Atlanta, Georgia, on September 13; sources are divided between the birth years of 1995 and 1996. He grew up in the nearby suburb Riverdale. In his youth, Carter got into trouble a lot and decided against the idea of pursuing higher education after high school. He attended North Springs Charter High School in Sandy Springs.

Before rap, Carter wanted to become an NBA star to try and make something of himself. He stopped playing basketball after a disagreement with his coach. He then dedicated his time to music.

Carter skipped high school classes regularly to work on his music or go to his job at H&M, which led to Carter barely graduating high school. He was so close to not graduating that no one showed up to his graduation, because they didn't know it was actually going to take place.

Carter developed a unique fashion sense from an early age, shopping in thrift stores. He told Vogue that he was teased for his choices in fashion, such as sporting colored skinny jeans.

Career

2011–2016: Career beginnings

Carter performing in November 2016

Playboi Carti began his musical career under the moniker Sir Cartier in 2011, initially uploading his early tracks on SoundCloud. By 2013, he rebranded himself as Playboi Carti and expanded his reach by sharing his music on platforms like Newgrounds. In 2014, after meeting producer Ethereal, Carti joined the underground Atlanta collective Awful Records, a pivotal moment in his career. Carti credits Ethereal with helping him discover and develop his distinctive sound.

As Carti committed to pursuing music full-time, he made the significant decision to relocate to New York City. During this time, he frequently encountered members of the influential ASAP Mob, eventually meeting ASAP Bari, who introduced him to ASAP Rocky. This connection was instrumental in Carti's career, leading him to accompany Rocky on a trip to Texas, marking the beginning of his rise in the music industry.

In 2015, Carti began attracting widespread attention with the release of his singles "Broke Boi" and "Fetti," featuring Dash and Maxo Kream. These tracks, shared on SoundCloud, quickly gained traction within the underground scene. Concurrently, Carti was actively collaborating with artists in Atlanta's burgeoning underground rap scene, including UnoTheActivist, Thouxanbanfauni, Yung Bans, Lil Yachty, as well as producers MexikoDro and Icytwat. His growing influence led to tours with ASAP Ferg and Lil Uzi Vert, ultimately resulting in a record deal with Interscope Records. In 2016, he officially signed to ASAP Mob's AWGE imprint, aligning himself with one of the most influential collectives in hip-hop.

2017–2020: Playboi Carti, Die Lit, and Whole Lotta Red

Carter performing in August 2017

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. 2: Too Cozy and on Lana Del Rey's single "Summer Bummer" from her album Lust for Life.

In May 2018, Carti released his debut studio album, Die Lit, which debuted at number 3 on the U.S. 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. Despite the leaks, Carti did not release any new original music during this period, though he was featured on several singles, including "Baguettes in the Face" with Nav and A Boogie wit da Hoodie from DJ Mustard's album, and "Earfquake" by Tyler, the Creator.

In April 2020, Carti broke his musical silence by releasing the single "@ Meh", which peaked at number 35 on the Billboard Hot 100. 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. True to his word, the 24-track album was released on December 25, 2020, debuting at number 1 on the U.S. Billboard 200, becoming Carti's first chart-topping album.

2021–present: Music

Carter performing in July 2024

In June 2021, Playboi Carti was featured on tracks by Pi'erre Bourne, including "Switching Lanes," and Lil 1 Dte's single "Homixide". In August of the same year, he appeared on ABRA's song "Unlock It" and contributed to several tracks on Kanye West's album Donda, including "Off the Grid", "Junya" and "Junya Pt 2".

On December 25, 2022, after more than a year away from Twitter, Carti returned with messages hinting at new music. In March 2023, he performed an unreleased track titled "Rockstar" at Rolling Loud California, teasing fans about his upcoming album. 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 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. In October 2024, Carti and the Weeknd collaborated on the song "Timeless".

On March 14, 2025, Carti released his third studio album Music (also known as I Am Music) to streaming services, after a series of teasers by Spotify, his first tweet since 2022, and an Instagram video post of British performance artist Blackhaine promoting and confirming the release. In March 25, 2025, the album's deluxe edition, titled Music - Sorry 4 Da Wait, was released alongside a music video for "FOMDJ". On 28 March, Carti’s collaboration with Nav – “Unlimited” – was released as part of the latter’s fifth studio album OMW2 Rexdale.

Fashion and modeling

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. GQ has defined Carter as the "leader of a youth style", and said that he represents a stylistic midpoint between the "fashion gloss of ASAP Mob, the punk-rock attitude of Lil Uzi Vert, and the playful camp of Lil Yachty."

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. In 2017, Carter told Vogue that he considers Kanye West and ASAP Rocky his fashion inspirations.

Carter has modeled numerous times, including Louis Vuitton at Paris Fashion Week, Kanye West's Yeezy Season 5, VFiles, and Drake's OVO Lookbook alongside Ian Connor and John Ross.

Artistry

Influences and musical style

Carter cites ASAP Rocky, Kanye West, and MF Doom as some of his main musical inspirations.

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. 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."

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. This vocal style contributes to the playful yet edgy atmosphere of his music.

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.

Voice

Carter is recognized for his unique vocal delivery, often described as a "baby voice" technique that captures attention with its high-pitched, unclear pronunciations. He has used this technique on popular songs such as "Almeda" with Solange, "Earfquake" with Tyler, the Creator, and "Pissy Pamper" with Young Nudy and Pi'erre Bourne. After the release of Whole Lotta Red, he has also experimented with various metal-inspired vocalizations, such as his coarse “deep voice” first being displayed on the song "Mr. Miyagi" with Kanye West and Future.

The New York Times noted that Carter's style seems to emphasize performance and persona over conventional rapping skills, allowing him to create a captivating experience for listeners.

Personal life

In 2017, he briefly dated American model Blac Chyna. In 2018, 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.

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 son. Carter refused to sign their son's birth certificate.

Carter has two children: a son named Onyx and a daughter named Yves.

As of June 2019, Carter is living and working in and around the Atlanta area after relocating from Los Angeles.

Carter suffers from asthma.

Discography

Studio albums

• Die Lit (2018)
• Whole Lotta Red (2020)
• Music (2025)

Tours

Headlining

• Left Right Tour (with Lil Uzi Vert) (2016)
• Playboi Carti Tour (2017)
• Die Lit Tour (2018)
• Neon Tour (2018)
• King Vamp Tour (2021)

Supporting

• ASAP Rocky – Injured Generation Tour (2019)
• Wiz Khalifa – Decent Exposure Summer Tour (2019)
• The Weeknd – After Hours til Dawn Tour (2025)

Awards and nominations

BET Hip Hop Awards

MTV Video Music Awards

Grammy Awards

iHeartRadio Music Awards

See also

In Spanish: Playboi Carti para niños