Whole Lotta Red, released on December 25, 2020, is the second studio album by Playboi Carti, an American rapper. It was released by Interscope Records and ASAP Rocky’s AWGE label. The album, comprising 24 tracks, features notable guest appearances from Kanye West, Kid Cudi, and Future. Executive production was handled by Kanye West, who also appears on the track “Go2DaMoon”. Production credits include Pi’erre Bourne, a frequent collaborator of Carti, as well as Maaly Raw, Wheezy, and F1lthy, among others.
Receiving mostly positive reviews from music critics, Whole Lotta Red debuted at the top of the US Billboard 200 chart, selling 100,000 album-equivalent units, with 10,000 being pure sales. This achievement marked Carti’s first number-one album in the United States.
The album’s journey began in August 2018, shortly after the release of Carti’s debut studio album, Die Lit, when he mentioned the upcoming project, referring to it as Whole Lotta Red. In March 2019, Carti revealed that Virgil Abloh would serve as the album’s creative director during an interview with GQ. Over time, several unreleased songs, including “Pissy Pamper” with Young Nudy, leaked and gained popularity on platforms like TikTok. These leaks, along with others surfacing on YouTube and SoundCloud, reportedly led Carti to remake the album.
Carti released the single “@ Meh” on April 16, 2020, which showcased his distinctive “baby voice” style. In May, he collaborated with Drake on the track “Pain 1993,” which further highlighted his use of the “baby voice” and became his first top ten hit on the Billboard Hot 100, reaching number seven.
After a social media break, Carti returned on November 23 to share blurry photos of himself and announce that the album had been submitted to his label. In a GQ profile, he described the album as “alternative” and “psyched out.” He also revealed collaborations with Kanye West, Kid Cudi, Travis Scott, and Future. DJ Akademiks, in a livestream and on Twitter, stated that the album, executively produced by Kanye West, would be released on Christmas Day, noting his extraordinary efforts to obtain this information.
On December 21, Carti unveiled the album cover art, release date, and merchandise pre-orders through his social media platforms. Whole Lotta Red, executively produced by Kanye West, was one of the most highly anticipated follow-ups to Die Lit.
