Edited by Nora Lee (@noralee33)
Playboi Carti's Whole Lotta Red is hands down one of the most anticipated albums of all time. Since the release of his second studio album, Die Lit, a ton of tracks have surfaced across the internet leaving fans even more anxious for the Atlanta rapper to drop what's supposed to be a modern-day classic. Leaks have always been a part of Hip-Hop, but no rapper has been more associated with leak culture than Carti. He is undoubtedly the king of leaks, with some of these tracks already gaining the same number of plays that official leaks would receive. As a result. let's cover Carti's top 5 leaks.
“Woah/Hellcat”
“Woah/Hellcat” was produced by Pi'erre Bourne and leaked on November 7, 2019. It was recorded on August 20, 2018, and Yung LB previewed it soon after on an Instagram story.
It’s rare to see a producer and a rapper come together to co-create an entirely original sound—and, many would even argue, redefine an entire subgenre. “Woah/Hellcat” is truly a testament to one of the world’s inevitable truths: Carti is at his best when he’s working with Pi’erre.
"Kid Cudi!*/Pissy Pamper " (ft. Young Nudy)
“Kid Cudi!*/Pissy Pamper” was produced by Pi'erre and previewed on Instagram Live by an affiliate of Young Nudy in March 2019. On April 19th, a snippet was uploaded to Spotify and it charted to #1 on Spotify’s Viral 50. Since then fan-made versions that sound completely mixed have surfaced with verses from Lil Uzi Vert and A$AP ROCKY.
Carti brings his signature baby voice to Pi’erre’s hazy, dreamy, synth-heavy production, and the result is truly spectacular. Young Nudy, another frequent Pi’erre collaborator, turns in an excellent verse as well.
“Butterfly Doors”
“Butterfly Doors”, produced by Pi’erre Bourne, leaked on September 4, 2019. The track was originally recorded on August 9, 2018—most likely for Whole Lotta Red, which fans have been not-so-patiently awaiting since Carti announced the album’s title nearly two years ago. Most recently, Carti teased the release of WLR in mid-April: though many hoped for this mid-quarantine dream to come true, he hasn’t uttered a word about it since.
I suppose we’ll take what we can get for now. On “Butterfly Doors,” Carti’s melodic, enunciated flows blend seamlessly into Pi’erre’s ethereal synths. Ad-libs become echos, as what sounds like a singular piano chord fades in and out.
“Shawty in Love”
“Shawty in Love,” produced by 808 Mafia’s Southside and TM88, leaked on February 22, 2018. Since then 3 versions have appeared: the most recent version, which is playing in the video above, surfaced on May 21, 2019, and is the most widely known and streamed.
Carti’s lyrics have always been less important than the way his words—ad-libs and all—weave throughout the beat. On “Shawty in Love,” Carti’s flows dance energetically through bellowing 808s and zippy hi-hat rolls brought to you by the best of the best in Atlanta trap production.
“Choppa Right Beneath Me”
"Choppa right beneath me” was first heard on Benjamin Kickz’s Instagram story on May 21st, 2018, and was joined by Ugly God and Rubi Rose who played different snippets of the song on their stories months apart. The completed version leaked on October 23rd, 2019.
With its melancholy strings, airy flute, and delicate piano, “Choppa right beneath me” is immediately sonically endearing. All throughout, Carti’s voice is perfectly-hoarse, simultaneously breathy, and invigorated.
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