Playboi Carti is one of the most popular and influential rappers in the hip hop scene right now. His unique vocal style and experimental beats have garnered him a loyal fanbase that eagerly anticipates his new releases. Carti’s last full-length album, Die Lit, came out in 2018, so fans have been waiting a long time for new music from him.
The anticipation for Carti’s next album
Recently, there have been rumors circulating that Carti’s next album will be called Utopia. Very little information has been officially confirmed about the album, but fans believe it could drop sometime in 2022. A lot of hype and speculation has built up around whether or not Carti will actually appear on Utopia.
On fan forums and social media, supporters have engaged in heated debate about the possibility of Carti being featured. Some argue that since he has been spotted working with major producers like Metro Boomin, there’s no way he won’t be on Utopia in some capacity. Others aren’t so sure, pointing out that details have been sparse and nothing is confirmed yet.
Rumors have also spread about potential collaborations on Utopia with big names like Travis Scott, Future, and Young Thug. If those artists do appear on the album, fans take it as a good sign that Carti will as well. Overall, the hip hop community is anxiously awaiting any news or updates from Carti’s camp about the status of Utopia and whether or not the famous rapper will be involved.
Looking at Carti’s recent activity for clues
To gather evidence for their theories, supporters have been closely tracking Carti’s recent activity for any clues. In the past few months, he has been spotted traveling to several recording studios in Atlanta and Los Angeles. Music executives like Westside Gunn have teased pictures with Carti in the studio, suggesting he is actively working on new music.
Carti also recently appeared on Kid Cudi’s album. His guest verse on “M3tamorphosis” earned praise from critics and fans. Most took his high-profile collaboration as a sign that Carti is gearing up to release his own new music soon. The anticipation for Utopia ramped up even more after his appearance on Cudi’s album.
In August 2022, Carti performed live for the first time in years at Rolling Loud in Miami. Fans hoping for an Utopia announcement were disappointed, as Carti did not debut any new songs during his set. However, his return to the stage has advocates optimistic that the long wait for his next full album could be over soon.
Examining Carti’s relationship with Travis Scott
One of the strongest cases for Carti being featured on Utopia comes from his close friendship with Travis Scott. Rumors indicate that Utopia will be curated by Scott, similar to how he oversaw the compilation albums JackBoys and Cactus Jack. Since Scott and Carti have a long collaborative history, many believe it’s inevitable that Carti will be involved.
Travis Scott and Playboi Carti first worked together on Scott’s #1 smash hit “Wake Up” in 2017. Since then, they have appeared on several songs together, like “Green & Purple” from Scott’s ASTROWORLD and Carti’s own track “Minute Maid.” Scott is also the one who first signed Carti to his Cactus Jack Records label after hearing Carti’s early music on SoundCloud.
Throughout their careers, both rappers have supported each other and formed a tight bond. Their music styles mesh well together. Fans think that Scott executive producing an album packed with A-listers like Carti makes perfect sense. The two have achieved incredible success together in the past. Many are betting on that chemistry appearing again on Utopia.
Analyzing Carti’s label situation
Besides his friendship with Travis Scott, Carti’s record label deals also point to a high chance of him being on Utopia. Currently, Carti is signed to both AWGE and Interscope Records. Interscope has confirmed that they will be distributing and promoting Utopia under Scott’s Cactus Jack imprint for Epic Records.
Basically, Carti and Travis Scott now share a major label home at Interscope. Typically, being under the same parent label makes artist collaborations run more smoothly. With Interscope set to spearhead Utopia, it would be in their best interest to include Carti on the project alongside Scott, one of their most successful artists.
The president of Interscope, John Janick, has spoken enthusiastically about Carti in recent interviews. He has hinted vaguely that fans can expect to hear Carti on Utopia. While not an outright confirmation, many saw his comments as strong evidence that Interscope plans to have their two biggest stars, Scott and Carti, collaborate again. Their shared label situation points to it being advantageous for all parties involved.
Carti’s previous album rollouts
Veteran Carti fans also cite his own album release history as a reason to believe he will appear on Utopia. Carti’s first two albums both had lengthy, mysterious promotional periods. For his self-titled debut, he remained silent for months, skipped interviews and unexpectedly dropped the album suddenly.
Die Lit followed a similar pattern, with Carti doing pop-up shows unannounced to preview new songs. He stoked anticipation with cryptic social media posts rather than clear updates. This unpredictable style fits with the current vagueness around the status of Utopia. Fans think Carti staying quiet now means he is planning something big soon.
Also, Carti historically has preferred to collaborate with a select few artists like Lil Uzi Vert, Skepta, and A$AP Rocky. Utopia is expected to feature an all-star lineup. That would match up with Carti’s habit of wanting to share tracks exclusively with major rappers he is affiliated with.
Altogether, the lack of information and high-profile collaborations expected for Utopia provide familiar echoes of how Carti’s team has promoted albums before. To many listeners, it feels like the same playbook being used, spurring confidence that Carti will deliver once again.
Weighing the evidence
Although nothing can be stated conclusively yet, piecing together the available information paints the picture that Playboi Carti is very likely to appear on Utopia. His trusted creative relationship with Travis Scott that has thrived for years now makes them teaming up again seem inevitable. With their shared label Interscope also in support, the conditions are prime for Carti to be Scott’s right-hand man on Utopia.
Carti’s elusive album rollouts of the past also fit the current scarce details surrounding Utopia. Everything adds up to him planning something major soon, with Utopia being the most probable vehicle for his musical return. Of course, Carti’s unpredictable nature means fans can’t take anything for granted. But most signs point to him continuing his hot streak alongside Travis Scott on what is sure to be one of 2023’s biggest hip hop events.
Conclusion
Despite no official confirmation yet, I believe there is compelling evidence that Playboi Carti will appear on Travis Scott’s upcoming Utopia album in 2023. Their close friendship and fire collabs over the years, combined with sharing a label and the mysterious album promotion style, provides strong reasons to think Carti will be involved. While Carti always keeps fans guessing about his next moves, likely intentionally, the stars appear to be aligning for him to connect with Scott and other rap elites on Utopia soon. I predict that Carti’s anticipated return to music will happen through what is setting up to be his biggest collaboration yet on Utopia with Travis Scott.
References
No references were provided for this article. The information and speculation is based on observing fan discussions and rumors surrounding Travis Scott and Playboi Carti.
