"HBA" (initialism for Hood By Air, stylized as H00DBYAIR) is a song by American rapper Playboi Carti. The track was originally teased on social media with the title "H00dByAir" in 2023 and was later officially released with the title "HBA" on Playboi Carti's third studio album, Music, on March 14, 2025.[1][2] The song's title is a reference to Hood By Air, a New York City-based clothing brand.[3] The song was produced by Cardo Got Wings and KP Beatz.[4]
In 2023–2024, Playboi Carti released several snippets of upcoming music to be released in his third studio album, Music. On December 19, 2023, nearly ten days after releasing "2024" on YouTube, Playboi Carti uploaded a video to his Instagram story announcing that he would drop a new song later that night. On December 20, Playboi Carti released "H00dByAir" with accompanying visuals on Instagram; the video features appearances from Opium rappers Destroy Lonely, Ken Carson, and Homixide Gang.[5] Playboi Carti then performed "H00dByAir" live for the first time as his set-opening song, followed by other Music snippets, at the Summer Smash 2024 festival.[6]
On March 14, 2025, Playboi Carti released his third studio album, Music, and included "H00dByAir," renamed to "HBA," as the twenty-eighth song in its track listing.[7]
Production
In the song's outro, Playboi Carti reveals that he had a second child: a daughter named Yves.[8][9]
The official version of "HBA" includes new drums added to the teased "H00dByAir" snippet.[10]
Critical reception
Rolling Stone ranked the song in twentieth place in a list of the best hip-hop songs of 2024, calling it "a distillation of Carti’s grip over the culture. The track's marauding bass and menacing drums loomed large over 2024, a beacon to Carti’s loyal horde of adoring fans."[11]
In a ranking of "loosies" released by Playboi Carti in the lead-up to Music's release in 2025, Complex placed "H00dByAir" in second place, calling it his "best pure rapping performance ... like he's in a live playground cypher, embracing Young Thug-style techniques and improvisation as he stutters, growls, and hiccups through his verses."[12]
Billboard called "HBA" the 14th best song in Music, lauding Playboi Carti's sense of personal and career reflection but criticizing the song's changed drum production.[10]
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