Holiday season is here, and you know what that means… The 5-year anniversary of Playboi Carti’s Whole Lotta Red, of course! It’s definitely possible that this is someone’s favorite holiday, so we’re coming down the chimney with a neatly wrapped list of the very best songs on the album.
Here is our ranking of the Top 10 Best Songs on Playboi Carti’s WLR.
10. “F33l Lik3 Dyin”
Carti closes the album on a completely different wave than it starts, with an almost angelic vibe after purging all of the rage. The choir, paired with his signature crooning, conveys a level of pain we rarely heard from Carti up until that point—with the exception of a track a lot higher up on this list.
While the vamps are here for the rage and opening the pit, “F33l Lik3 Dyin” is an excellent palate cleanser and showcases Carti’s range as an artist.
9. “On That Time”
Not only is Playboi Carti a Billboard-topping, multi-platinum music artist, he’s also a spelling bee champion—at least when it comes to what kind of weapons he’s carrying for the opps. “On That Time” spends its 1-minute, 42-second runtime letting the world know Carti means business.
WLR is full of songs that exist for the sole purpose of getting in the pit and going crazy. If you’re not on that time, this might not be the album for you.
8. “New Tank”
New tank, same Carti. He’s robbing banks, and he has a Lamborghini parked outside, and it’s purple (like lean). He’s posted with his brother, and he got a mop. What more can you ask for?
On a serious note, “New Tank” is a signature Carti song. Not only for the rage, but also for the outlandish things he says, making each track impossible to get out of your head.
7. “Over”
“Over” is a perfect example of where Carti’s sound was during the WLR era. Futuristic and hypnotic are the first words that come to mind, and Carti creates an easy listening environment before kicking it up a notch. The last verse is him on 10, revealing that his newfound fame and lifestyle also come with trust issues, and the feeling of having his back against the wall.
Along with being a staple of the album, “Over” captures a specific era in hip-hop when the Playboi Carti and Lil Uzi Vert sound was taking the game by storm.
6. “Die4Guy”
Whenever Carti decides to add storytelling to his already captivating sound, it brings another dimension to the listening experience. In “Die4Guy,” he reflects on conversations with his brother and wanting to be like him.
In the track, he even refers to his brother—and himself—by their real names. While this might seem like a small detail, the personal connection it created for Carti fans says otherwise. Then, in signature Carti fashion, he lets the beat breathe at the end so listeners can go crazy.
5. “Teen X” (feat. Future)
Looking back, 2020 was the year Future truly ushered in a new wave. After doing an entire project with Lil Uzi Vert titled Pluto x Baby Pluto, he hopped on WLR and gave Carti a Pink Diamond-level feature. Considering his rap name, it only makes sense that he’s always ahead of his time.
That said, on “Teen X,” Carti sounds a lot more like a toddler than a teenager. The baby voice is definitely not for everyone, but those who get it, get it.
4. “ILoveUIHateU”
On the surface, “ILoveUIHateU” sounds like a spaced-out, drug-influenced vibe you can throw on and just kick it to—when in reality, it’s one of the most layered songs on the album. The song delves into Carti’s relationship with drugs and how they can potentially hurt him and the people around him. He’s so in love with the feeling, that he would dye his hair red to be a reflection of the drugs themselves.
While Carti is known to mumble here and there, even calling himself “the Jay Electronica of mumble rap,” it’s done intentionally here, showcasing how deeply the drugs affect his communication with people. The contrast between the celebratory, bright chords, and the truth he’s telling, shows his artistry.
3. “Rockstar Made”
“NEVER TOO MUCH!” Whole Lotta Red starts on a completely new energy from Carti, the kind we only got glimpses of on tracks like “R.I.P.” and “Pull Up” (from his previous album, Die Lit). A two-and-a-half-year gap transformed Jordan Carter into a full-time rockstar and morphed his cult-like fanbase into an army that moves on his every word.
Plenty of songs on Die Lit had a lot going on, but they look sparse in comparison to “Rockstar Made.” The intro is Carti going full maximalist, and his fans rocked with it.
2. “Stop Breathing”
Now, if “Rockstar Made” wasn’t enough to convince listeners that they were in for a completely new experience, Track 3 made it undeniable. “Stop Breathing” is rockstar shit at its purest, raging about the girls at the shows, screaming each and every lyric, you name it. But what makes it one of his best? The voices.
Every Carti voice is present on “Stop Breathing.” It starts with his regular voice, whatever that means, then instantly transitions to the deep voice, followed by a verse of intense rage that, somehow, incorporates the baby voice for certain inflections. It’s a crowd favorite at every show, and one of the best tracks on WLR.
1. “Sky”
It’s rare when the hit song from an album is also the single best song from the project, but Carti is known for straying from the norm. “Sky” sits at the perfect middle ground for every kind of Playboi Carti fan, blending together his flex-heavy, nonchalant attitude with rage-inducing adlibs and bass hits.
Futuristic chords set the backdrop for the atmospheric hook, where he details getting so high he can’t feel anything. But this definitely isn’t a song to roll up some indica too, as Carti’s energy makes this more of a sativa-dominant hit. Considering he’s been venturing into weed brands lately, his love for getting lifted is obvious. “Sky” is the rare turnt-up smoker’s anthem, made for any diehard Carti fan that wants to put one in the air.
