Nothing makes sense with Playboi Carti.
Ever since he burst onto the scene in 2017, he’s been at the cutting edge of hip-hop, pioneering sounds that would soon become staples of the genre, even when many didn’t understand or appreciate them.
Carti became perhaps the quintessential rapper of the 2020s despite mostly lying dormant. After his beloved “Whole Lotta Red” and its corresponding tour ruled 2021, his “aura” — a term for which he’s become the poster boy — not only kept him afloat, but also helped his popularity grow while fans waited for his next drop.
Carti visited the United Center on Thursday for his “Antagonist Tour,” which was finally underway this month — two-and-a-half years after it was originally announced. The show featured a slew of openers: ApolloRed1 and Carti’s Opium labelmates Homixide Gang, Destroy Lonely and Ken Carson. Their performances gave the audience a taste of what was to come stylistically.
The last moment of normalcy on Thursday came as the lights went out before Carti’s set, as the packed arena of almost exclusively teenagers and young adults wearing all black chanted Carti’s name.
From there, chaos ensued.
Pyrotechnics and flashing lights pulsed as the screeching instrumental of “POP OUT” boomed through the speakers and Carti let out a signature screech of his own. The track served as an ideal tone-setter, just as it does on his most recent album, “MUSIC.”
The fans, especially those in the general admission section on the floor of the arena, came ready to rage. There were moshpits galore, and the audience’s resounding recitation of Carti’s repetitive lyrics — like during “Stop Breathing,” a highlight of the show — made for an electrifying atmosphere.
However, it must be said that Playboi Carti was not a perfect performer. He didn’t rap many of the lyrics to his songs, mostly throwing in a few “SEEYUH” adlibs while the backing track did most of the work. He also didn’t move much, and most of the space on the balcony stage was occupied by his not-so-hype men who didn’t add anything meaningful to the show.
But none of that mattered — because nothing makes sense with Playboi Carti.
Many of the beats on Carti’s songs are already robust. However, the added overlays of electric guitar and boosted bass that thundered through the arena created a sonic experience that undeniably dwarfs the studio versions of every track.
There were some surprising omissions, however. Most notably: “RATHER LIE” with The Weeknd, the most successful song on “MUSIC,” “wokeuplikethis*,” featuring Lil Uzi Vert, and “Magnolia,” one of his most popular songs to date.
Though he normally doesn’t, Carti did perform the Billboard #1 hit “CARNIVAL” by Kanye West, which he is featured on. Carti said that West, a Chicago native, “changed (his) life.”
Despite the holes in the setlist and his shortcomings as a traditional performer, Carti engaged more directly with his fans toward the end of his set. He walked down the steps of the stage and through the crowd as he performed the airy “Long Time – Intro,” from his debut album “Die Lit.” The lyrics “Just to feel like this it took a long time,” hit a little harder as he dapped up fans in general admission who clamored around the pickup truck hood he stood on.
Carti continued to work his way through the crowd in a U-shape for the final five songs of his set before standing atop another pickup truck and finishing his set with the melancholic unreleased track “24 Songs.”
It seemed fitting for Carti to end the show standing with his fans. He’s not a master of performance, but rather a ringleader of chaos. A Playboi Carti concert isn’t about precision or polish, but audiences don’t care. Whether it makes sense or not, it is a sight to behold.
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