Atlanta rapper Playboi Carti is a pretty much heavy metal act when you see him live.
For the uninitiated, Carti has been amassing a pretty dedicated, huge audience since his debut self-titled mixtape in 2017. After Die Lit helped define the energetic, intense rap he was aiming for, he truly found himself on 2020’s Whole Lotta Red.
The record combines blown out production and noise in a way few others on his level were doing. It also saw his vibe crystalize into what most fans love him for, an adoption of goth aesthetics with plenty of heavy metal influences.
That metal edge was more than just simple aesthetics though. Take a look at any recent video from one of his festival appearances at Rolling Loud and the like. Unlike other rappers, Carti shrouds his entire stage in fog, creating an atmosphere not unlike Nine Inch Nails. There’s a palpable atmosphere that Carti creates, having members of his OPIUM crew come out to mosh onstage to model what the crowd should be doing.
But most notable is the inclusion of a metal guitarist during all of these performances. On record, the Whole Lotta Red tracks feature minimal guitars, but as Carti and crew reinterpret these for a live setting, there’s a much heavier edge to everything.
In this clip, Carti’s guitarist emerges from the wall of fog, riffing out a heavy intro as the crowd amps up for WLR cut “Die4Guy.” As the song hits, the stage is engulfed in pyro, Carti jumping around like a metal frontman.
The bass on “Stop Breathing” is transformed to chugging guitar riffs at shows, making crowds like those at Rolling Loud this year break out in mosh pits.
This past week, Carti announced his fall Antagonist tour, alongside OPIUM crew labelmates Ken Carson, Destroy Lonely and Homixide Gang. The rest of the tour shouldn’t be discounted either, with Destroy Lonely readily sampling Deftones, Team Sleep and more in his own music.
If you’re up for something different, we can pretty much guarantee it’s going to be a hell of a time for any fan of heavier music. Check out dates below and what you can expect. Grab tickets here.
Watch Playboi Carti’s very metal Rolling Loud 2023 Performance