Playboi Carti’s “2024” is a chaotic, flex-heavy anthem that thrives on swagger, surreal bravado, and ominous undertones. Blending aggressive energy with cryptic lines, Carti crafts a vision of dominance and untouchability set against a backdrop of fame, power, and distorted morality. With fragmented storytelling and repetition that feels hypnotic, “2024” taps into his signature style - equal parts menace and mystique.
Verses of Flex and Fury
Verse 1: Southside Origins to Superstardom
You came back and you failed / Second place, can't be in my face
Carti sets a confrontational tone, dismissing competition and reinforcing his self-perception as #1. There’s no room for second best in his world.
Done grew me some horns, baby, I'm from hell
This line plays into his demonic alter ego (“King Vamp”) persona. The imagery of horns evokes something unholy, rebellious, and untouchable - further deepening his outsider aesthetic.
Southside, I was in Riverdale / Off molly, that two-tone pill
Referencing his Atlanta roots (Riverdale), Carti blends street references with drug use, suggesting that his come-up has been wild, gritty, and fuelled by risk.
She's next, I told her she my girl / Oh, you like that?
There's a mocking tone in how he treats relationships - temporary and performative. His repeated “Oh, you like that?” taunts both women and listeners, as if he's fully aware of the theatricality of his own image.
The Chorus: Death or Fame?
Put 'em on the news or somethin’
This hook - repeated like a chant - serves as both a threat and a flex. It implies that those who oppose or disrespect him could end up as headlines, either literally (violence) or metaphorically (overshadowed, humiliated). It blurs the line between street vengeance and celebrity notoriety.
Verse 2: Full Supervillain Mode
I'm evil like Luci' son
A reference to Lucifer, this bar amplifies Carti’s “devil-may-care” persona. He’s leaning into the villain role fully.
Shawty, you gotta be cancer, you make me feel some type way
And no, I can't be canceled ‘cause you feel some type way
Carti plays with astrological signs and cancel culture, brushing off emotional vulnerability and criticism with absolute detachment. He’s untouchable, or at least he believes he is.
I told her, "The glove don't fit," I'm feelin' like O.J.
This O.J. Simpson reference is chilling - it’s cocky, dark, and inflammatory. It reinforces the idea that he operates above accountability, mirroring how O.J.’s trial became a symbol of celebrity immunity.
Two fours in the Sprite, got me feelin' like Kobe, R.I.P.
Referencing Kobe Bryant's jersey numbers (8 and 24), Carti sips double cups while nodding to a fallen legend. It’s both homage and flex, showing how Carti sees himself in that same league of icons.
Walk inside the party, bitch, we all narcissists
A perfect summation of Carti’s aesthetic. This is a world of self-worship, excess, and performance.
Production & Delivery
The beat is distorted, murky, and minimal - almost ghostlike - serving as the perfect backdrop for Carti’s fragmented, punk-like flow. The repetition of lines like “put 'em on the news” creates a hypnotic, trance-like loop, almost like a threat being drilled into your head. His vocal delivery - wild, erratic, high-pitched - further enhances the chaotic energy.
Themes & Symbolism
- Power & Violence: The phrase “put 'em on the news” symbolizes domination, danger, and consequence.
- Fame as Warzone: Carti presents his life like a battleground - you're either winning big or getting erased.
- Detached Relationships: Love and lust are fleeting. He treats intimacy as a prop, a game to be won or discarded.
- Alter Ego & Rebirth: References to hell, Lucifer, O.J., and Kobe show Carti transforming himself into a mythic figure - part villain, part god, part ghost.
Conclusion: A Glimpse Into Carti’s Dark, Vamped-Up Empire
"2024" is about aura. Carti turns cryptic bravado into a performance art piece, casting himself as an untouchable figure in a world ruled by chaos, sex, style, and revenge. With its hypnotic chorus and demonic confidence, the song plays like a declaration of war from an artist who refuses to play by anyone else’s rules. It's raw, theatrical, and pure Carti.
