Playboi Carti’s highly anticipated album I AM MUSIC is finally here—and it features a guest verse from Kendrick Lamar that seems to address the fallout of his feud with Drake.
Adopting some of Carti’s distinct vocal quirks, Lamar delivers a braggadocious verse on “Good Credit,” where he makes a cryptic reference to “conspiracy theories.”
Kendrick Lamar’s Cryptic Bars
“The numbers is nothing, the money is nothing, I really been him, I promise / Say Kenny been heavy out West and I carry the weight, n-gga, I’m Luka Dončić / Conspiracy theories is given, but I must admit it, you got the wrong person,” Lamar raps.
The lyrics appear to reference Drake’s lawsuit against Universal Music Group, in which he accused the label of conspiring with Interscope, Spotify, and other entities to artificially boost Kendrick’s diss track, “Not Like Us.” The lawsuit claims UMG used bots and payola to inflate the song’s success, allegedly to damage Drake’s reputation.
While Lamar is not named as a defendant, his verse on “Good Credit” marks the first time he has alluded to the controversy in his music.
Subtle Jabs & Star-Studded Features
Lamar’s verse also appears to nod to Drake’s 2016 hit “Fake Love” (“The hate get realer, the love get fake / But when you this great, that’s how you should like it”). Additionally, he references A$AP Rocky’s shooting accuser, A$AP Relli:
“Eliantte chain go big, white gold link fall on the belly / The emerald cuff for hers and his, that bitch on point like A$AP Relli.”
Beyond Lamar’s contributions, I AM MUSIC features a stacked guest list. Kendrick also appears on “Backd00r” alongside SZA and “Mojo Jojo.” The 30-track album includes appearances from Future, Travis Scott, Young Thug, Lil Uzi Vert, The Weeknd, Skepta, and Ty Dolla $ign.
Delayed But Worth the Wait
I AM MUSIC arrived on streaming platforms on the morning of March 14, a few hours past its scheduled midnight release. Playboi Carti messaged Kai Cenat to explain the delay:
“If it wasn’t for the samples and clearances it would [have] been out at 12 east but we good err thing cleared it should be out in any sec.”
Originally announced in 2023, I AM MUSIC has been one of hip-hop’s most eagerly awaited releases. As Carti’s first full-length project since 2020’s Whole Lotta Red, the album cements his experimental style and keeps fans buzzing about his next move.
