Playboi Carti

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia, Carter began his musical career under the stage name Sir Cartier in 2011, self-releasing early tracks on SoundCloud. He signed with Awful Records in 2014 and later with ASAP Rocky's AWGE imprint, a joint venture with Interscope Records, in 2016. Carter gained mainstream attention with his eponymous debut mixtape (2017), which peaked at number 12 on the Billboard 200 and produced the singles "Magnolia" and "Wokeuplikethis" (featuring Lil Uzi Vert). His debut studio album, Die Lit (2018), was met with commercial success, debuting at number three on the Billboard 200. His second album, Whole Lotta Red (2020), became his first number-one album on the Billboard 200 and was later ranked among the greatest hip-hop albums by Rolling Stone. After a series of high-profile collaborations, including Travis Scott's "Fein" (2023), The Weeknd's "Timeless" (2024) and Kanye West and Ty Dolla Sign's "Carnival" (2024) — the latter becoming his first number-one single on the Billboard Hot 100 — Carter released his third album, Music (2025). The album received generally positive reviews and became his second consecutive number-one on the Billboard 200. It yielded the promotional single, "Evil J0rdan", which debuted at number two on the Billboard Hot 100.

In Their Own Story

In April 2017, Carter released his self-titled debut mixtape, 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, Carter embarked on a tour alongside Gucci Mane and Dreezy, as well as embarking on his own tour later that year. In June, Carter was featured on the cover of XXL, as part of its annual "Top 10 Freshman List", along with fellow up-and-coming rappers such as XXXTentacion, A Boogie wit da Hoodie, Ugly God, and PnB Rock. In May 2018, Carter released his debut studio album, Die Lit. Marketed with no radio play or much press coverage, it was a commercial success and was positively reviewed by several publications. To support the album, Carti embarked on the Die Lit Tour during the summer of 2018, performing across various cities in North America. In December 2020, Carter released his second studio album, Whole Lotta Red, on Christmas Day, after announcing its release date four days earlier. The album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, becoming Carter's first chart-topping album on the chart. Rolling Stone deemed it "one of the most forward-thinking rap records since Yeezus", and later crowned it the best rap album of 2021. In 2022, the magazine also included it in "The 200 Greatest Hip-Hop Albums of All Time".

Reader's Guide

Carter developed an interest in music at a young age, first participating in choir, which he admitted he initially joined to meet girls but later found creatively inspiring. During his teenage years, he began rapping under the name Sir Cartier and recording songs influenced by Wiz Khalifa, Currensy, and Odd Future, releasing projects and music videos that circulated locally in Atlanta. His earliest videos show him performing in South Atlanta strip malls and parking lots with friends, and he credited his older brother with introducing him to Gucci Mane and other Atlanta rappers who shaped his early style. Alongside music, Carter developed a strong interest in fashion. He recalled being among the first in his neighborhood to wear skinny jeans and ride a skateboard, drawing inspiration from punk aesthetics he observed at Atlanta's Historic Fourth Ward Skatepark. He frequently shopped at thrift stores, experimenting with clothing that set him apart from peers, sometimes attracting ridicule for his unconventional style. He later said he rarely attended school in his later high school years, focusing instead on recording and attempting to secure a record deal, which prevented him from being recognized in categories such as "best dressed" despite cultivating a reputation for fashion among classmates. At 18, he left Atlanta for New York City, where he lived with family and friends while further pursuing a music career.

Did You Know?

• Carter began his musical career under the stage name Sir Cartier in 2011, self-releasing early tracks on SoundCloud.
• He signed with Awful Records in 2014 after meeting fellow Atlanta native Ethereal, a producer and member of the underground collective.
• Carter's debut studio album Die Lit (2018) was marketed with no radio play or much press coverage, yet still became a commercial success.
• His second album Whole Lotta Red (2020) debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 on Christmas Day, after being announced just four days earlier.
• The song 'Carnival' (2024) with Kanye West and Ty Dolla Sign became Carter's first number-one single on the Billboard Hot 100.