Playboi Carti Bio
Jordan Terrell Carter, known professionally as Playboi Carti, is an American rapper, singer, and songwriter noted for his eccentric vocal delivery, fashion influence, and role in the rise of the rage microgenre. Emerging from Atlanta, he first released music in 2011 under the name Sir Cartier and reached mainstream audiences with his 2017 self-titled mixtape and singles including “Magnolia.” His debut studio album Die Lit (2018) and follow-up Whole Lotta Red (2020) established his commercial and critical profile, and his third album, Music (2025), continued that success. Carter founded the Opium label and collective, helping launch artists such as Ken Carson and Destroy Lonely. His music emphasizes mood and experimental vocal techniques, including his well-known “baby voice,” over traditional lyricism.
Early Life and Background
Jordan Terrell Carter was born in Atlanta, Georgia, on September 13, 1995, or 1996, and grew up in the nearby suburb of Riverdale. He has one older brother and attended North Springs Charter High School in Sandy Springs. In a 2016 interview with Complex, Carter stated that he had little interest in pursuing higher education or military service, instead focusing on finding ways to make money. Before beginning his rap career, he aspired to play professional basketball and dedicated significant time to the sport during his youth, eventually quitting following a disagreement with his coach. He then began spending more time on music, sometimes skipping class to record songs or to work at an H&M.
Carter developed an interest in music at a young age, first joining his school choir, which he admitted he initially joined to meet girls but later found creatively inspiring. During his teenage years, he began rapping under the name Sir Cartier and recording songs influenced by Wiz Khalifa, Curren$y, and Odd Future, releasing projects and music videos that circulated locally in Atlanta. His earliest videos show him performing in South Atlanta strip malls and parking lots with friends, and he credited his older brother with introducing him to Gucci Mane and other Atlanta rappers who shaped his early style. Alongside music, Carter developed a strong interest in fashion, recalling that he was among the first in his neighborhood to wear skinny jeans and ride a skateboard, drawing inspiration from punk aesthetics he observed at Atlanta’s Historic Fourth Ward Skatepark.
Path to Rap
Carter began his musical career under the moniker Sir Cartier in 2011, initially uploading his early tracks on SoundCloud. By 2013, he rebranded himself as Playboi Carti and expanded his reach by sharing his music on platforms such as Newgrounds. In 2014, after meeting fellow Atlanta native Ethereal, a producer and member of the underground collective Awful Records, Carter joined the Awful roster and credits Ethereal with helping him develop his distinctive sound. As he committed to pursuing music full-time, he relocated to New York City, where he temporarily stayed with a drug dealer he knew and frequently encountered members of the influential ASAP Mob.
He eventually met ASAP Bari, who introduced him to ASAP Rocky, a connection that proved instrumental in his career. In 2015, Carter attracted wider attention with the release of his singles “Broke Boi” and “Fetti” featuring Dash and Maxo Kream, which quickly gained traction within the underground scene. He was also collaborating with artists in Atlanta’s burgeoning underground rap scene, including UnoTheActivist, Thouxanbanfauni, Yung Bans, and Lil Yachty. In 2016, he officially signed to ASAP Rocky’s AWGE imprint, a joint venture with Interscope Records, supporting ASAP Ferg on the Turnt & Burnt Tour and later co-headlining the Left Right Tour alongside Lil Uzi Vert. That same year, he was featured on two tracks from ASAP Mob’s debut studio album Cozy Tapes Vol. 1: Friends, contributing to “Telephone Calls” and “London Town.”
Playboi Carti Career
Early Career (2011–2016)
Carter’s earliest years in music were spent building a presence on SoundCloud under the name Sir Cartier and performing locally with friends in Atlanta. After joining Awful Records in 2014 and relocating to New York City to pursue his career more seriously, he drew the attention of the ASAP Mob, a connection that ultimately led to a recording contract. In 2015, his singles “Broke Boi” and “Fetti” spread through the underground, and he collaborated with a wide circle of Atlanta peers, including UnoTheActivist, Yung Bans, and Lil Yachty.
By 2016, he had signed to AWGE and Interscope Records, supported ASAP Ferg on tour, co-headlined with Lil Uzi Vert, and appeared on two tracks from ASAP Mob’s Cozy Tapes Vol. 1: Friends. These early milestones laid the groundwork for his breakthrough the following year.
Breakthrough (2017–2020)
In April 2017, Carter released his self-titled debut mixtape, which drew attention from XXL, Pitchfork, Spin, HotNewHipHop, and PopMatters. The project debuted at number 12 on the Billboard 200 and produced the singles “Magnolia,” which peaked at number 29 on the Billboard Hot 100, and “Wokeuplikethis” featuring Lil Uzi Vert. In June 2017, he was featured on the cover of XXL as part of its annual Top 10 Freshman List. He was also featured on ASAP Mob’s “Raf” and Lana Del Rey’s “Summer Bummer.”
In May 2018, Carter released his debut studio album Die Lit, which debuted at number three on the Billboard 200 and was supported by the Die Lit Tour. Two years later, in December 2020, he released Whole Lotta Red, which debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, becoming his first chart-topping album. Rolling Stone later deemed the album “one of the most forward-thinking rap records since Yeezus” and crowned it the best rap album of 2021, also including it in “The 200 Greatest Hip-Hop Albums of All Time” in 2022.
Notable Works and Milestones
Playboi Carti’s signature works include the self-titled mixtape (2017), Die Lit (2018), and Whole Lotta Red (2020), with the latter two cementing his reputation as a leading voice in modern rap. His pioneering use of the “baby voice” technique and his founding of the Opium label in 2019 further shaped his career, while his high-profile collaborations with Tyler, the Creator, Solange, Travis Scott, and Kanye West broadened his reach. In 2025, he released his third studio album Music, which became his second consecutive number-one album on the Billboard 200.
Playboi Carti Family
Jordan Terrell Carter was raised in Atlanta, Georgia, and has one older brother, whom he has credited with introducing him to Gucci Mane and other Atlanta rappers who shaped his early musical style. Carter attended North Springs Charter High School in Sandy Springs.
Personal Life
Early in his career, Carter was romantically involved with model and rapper Rubi Rose, and he briefly dated American model Blac Chyna in 2017. In 2018, he began dating Australian rapper Iggy Azalea, and the couple moved in together in the Buckhead neighborhood of Atlanta in December of that year before splitting in December 2019. In 2020, Azalea gave birth to Carter’s first child, a son named Onyx. In December 2023, Carter revealed that he has a second child, a daughter named Yves. As of June 2019, Carter lives and works in and around the Atlanta area.