The internet practically folded in on itself when the tracklist for Playboi Carti’s long-delayed album, MUSIC, finally leaked in early 2025. People had been waiting years. Literally years. We’re talking about a man who recorded in a cave in Paris and then just… didn't drop anything for an eternity. But when March 14, 2025, actually rolled around, the shocker wasn't just that the album existed.
It was the three-track run featuring Kendrick Lamar.
The standout, of course, is "GOOD CREDIT." It’s a weird, jagged, Cardo-produced fever dream that somehow bridges the gap between the "vampire" aesthetics of the Opium camp and the Pulitzer-prize-winning lyricism of Compton. If you’ve been on TikTok or Twitter lately, you’ve heard the snippet. It’s unavoidable.
The "GOOD CREDIT" Breakdown: Why It’s Not Just a Meme
Most people expected a Kendrick feature on a Carti album to be a throwaway verse. Maybe some ad-libs. Maybe a quick eight bars where he tries to match Carti’s high-pitched "baby voice."
Instead, Kendrick went full "boogeyman."
In "GOOD CREDIT," Kendrick delivers a verse that’s been dissected more than a high school biology project. He name-drops Slovenian NBA star Luka Dončić, which sounds like a random sports bar until you realize he’s using it to pivot into a commentary on "bundles" and "merchants" in the music industry. It’s a direct shot at the way numbers are manipulated in the streaming era.
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He also didn't hold back on the industry drama. There’s a very pointed reference to A$AP Relli and the legal drama involving A$AP Rocky. Hearing Kendrick Lamar speak on Harlem street politics over a beat that sounds like a haunted Nintendo 64 game is... an experience.
Carti, for his part, stays in his lane. He provides the atmosphere. His energy on the track is kinetic, acting as the chaotic foil to Kendrick’s surgically precise delivery. They call each other "evil twins" on the track. It shouldn't work. On paper, it’s a disaster. In your headphones? It’s arguably the most interesting rap collaboration of the decade.
Why Kendrick Lamar and Playboi Carti Are the "Evil Twins"
The two other songs they have together on MUSIC—"MOJO JOJO" and "BACKD00R"—are a bit more experimental.
"BACKD00R" features Jhené Aiko and feels like a late-night drive through a rainy Atlanta. It’s slower, more melodic, and shows a side of the Playboi Carti Kendrick Lamar song collection that focuses on "vibe" over "violence." Kendrick’s presence here is more about textures, adding rumbles and pitched-down background vocals that make the track feel alive.
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Some critics, including some loud voices on Reddit's r/Fauxmoi, have pointed out the irony of this pairing. Kendrick, who often positions himself as the moral compass of hip-hop, working so closely with Carti—who has a well-documented and controversial personal history—has sparked a lot of "hypocrisy" debates. It’s a valid point. Kendrick has always been a fan of "the art" above all else, previously collaborating with polarizing figures like Kodak Black on Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers.
The Impact on the Drake Feud
You can't talk about a Kendrick feature in 2025 or 2026 without mentioning the "6 God" in the room.
DJ Akademiks famously claimed that Kendrick used the MUSIC sessions to keep his foot on Drake’s neck. While "GOOD CREDIT" doesn't have a "Not Like Us" level of directness, the subtext is heavy. When Kendrick talks about "merchants" and "white gold links," the internet immediately assumes it’s a jab at the OVO aesthetic.
Whether it is or isn't, the mere presence of Kendrick on an album as "cool" as Carti’s is a strategic win. It keeps him connected to the youth culture that Carti dominates, while Drake has spent the last year trying to regain his footing after the 2024 beef.
Seeing It Live: The Grand National Tour
If the studio versions weren't enough, the live debut solidified these songs as classics. On April 29, 2025, during the Atlanta stop of Kendrick and SZA’s "Grand National Tour," Carti popped out at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
The place lost its mind.
They performed "GOOD CREDIT" together, and the contrast was hilarious. Kendrick was out there rapping every single syllable with 100% accuracy. Carti was mostly jumping around, screaming ad-libs, and looking like a silhouette in a cloud of red smoke. It was the perfect distillation of their dynamic.
How to Actually Listen to These Tracks
If you’re looking to get the full experience, don't just hunt for leaks. The official versions on MUSIC are mixed specifically for high-end speakers or good headphones—there’s a lot of low-end frequency work by Cardo and Ojivolta that gets lost in a grainy YouTube rip.
Actionable Steps for Fans:
- Listen to "GOOD CREDIT" first: It’s the "main" collab and the one with the most lyrical depth.
- Check the Credits: Look for producer Cardo’s influence; he’s the secret sauce that makes Kendrick sound comfortable in the Opium world.
- Watch the Live Footage: Search for the Atlanta 2025 tour footage to see the "Evil Twin" energy in person.
- Ignore the Fakes: There are dozens of AI-generated "Carti x Kendrick" songs on YouTube. If the beat sounds like a generic "Type Beat" and Kendrick’s voice sounds flat, it’s probably a bot. Stick to the official 30-track MUSIC LP.
The collaboration proves that Kendrick isn't ready to retire to the "conscious rapper" retirement home just yet, and Carti is more than just a "mumble rapper"—he's a curator of some of the biggest moments in modern music.