Opium | |
---|---|
Parent company | Universal Music Group (UMG) |
Founded | 2019 |
Founder | Playboi Carti |
Distributor(s) |
|
Genre | |
Country of origin | United States |
Location | Atlanta, Georgia |
Official website | opiumopium |
Opium is an American record label and rap collective that was founded in 2019 by American rapper Playboi Carti. [1] The label, which is based in Atlanta, Georgia, currently holds three acts all of whom are natives to the city; rappers Ken Carson, Destroy Lonely, and the duo Homixide Gang. The label is also affiliated with a variety of producers including KP Beatz and F1lthy, who all worked extensively on Playboi Carti's second studio album, Whole Lotta Red . [2]
Opium artists usually feature a dark rap sound and aesthetic that is built upon the Atlanta rage rap scene and is influenced by the 70s and 80s punk rock era. The niche style of its artists strays away from mainstream trap rappers and has garnered its own cultlike fanbase. [3]
On July 8th 2022, Ken Carson, who signed to Opium in 2019, released his second studio album X , which debuted at number 115 on the US Billboard 200 chart, and number 50 on the US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. [4] [5] [6] On August 12th 2022, Destroy Lonely, who signed to Opium in 2021, released his fifth mixtape No Stylist , which debuted at number 91 on the US Billboard 200 and number 57 on the US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. [5] [6] [7] [8] In October 2022, Ken Carson released deluxe edition to X , titled Xtended , containing 5 additional tracks. [9] [10] In November 2022, Destroy Lonely released a deluxe edition to No Stylist , titled NS+ (Ultra) , containing several new tracks. [11] [12]
In May 2023, Destroy Lonely released his debut studio album If Looks Could Kill , [13] [14] [15] which was supported by the lead single of the same name, released on March 3, 2023, after the unreleased snippet became viral on TikTok. [16] [17] The single debuted at number 30 on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. [18] If Looks Could Kill received mostly positive reviews from music critics. The album debuted at number 18 on the US Billboard 200, earning 29,000 album-equivalent units in its first week, becoming Lonely's highest-charting album. [19] [20] In July 2023, Playboi Carti announced the dates for a global tour called "Antagonist Tour", alongside Ken Carson, Destroy Lonely, and Homixide Gang. [21] [22] Later in September 2023, the U.S. leg of the tour was rescheduled to early 2024. [23] [24] [25] [26] [27]
In September 2023, Destroy Lonely released the deluxe edition of If Looks Could Kill , subtitled Director's Cut, containing all tracks from every edition (including vinyl, CD and digital versions). [28] [29] In October 2023, Ken Carson released his third studio album A Great Chaos , which debuted at number 11 on the US Billboard 200, earning 49,000 album-equivalent units in its first week, and becoming Carson's first US top 20 album. [30] The album was supported by the release of one single: "I Need U", which released on Valentine's Day. [31] On May 31, 2024, Homixide Gang released their third studio album I5u5we5, being the duo’s first release under Interscope Records. [32] [33] On July 5, 2024, Ken Carson released the deluxe version of A Great Chaos, containing 7 new additional tracks; one of them being the single, "Overseas". [34] [35]
Destroy Lonely released his second studio album, Love Lasts Forever , on August 30, 2024. [36] The album debuted atop of the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, marking his first number one on the chart. The album had also debuted at number 10 on the US Billboard 200, earning 37,500 album-equivalent units in its first week. [37] On September 4th, 2024, Destroy Lonely released the deluxe version of his album Love Lasts Forever subtitled V2.5 which added 10 new tracks to the project. [38]
Artists | Year signed | Releases under the label | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
Ken Carson | 2019 | 3 | Jointly with Interscope, formerly with Foundation |
Destroy Lonely | 2021 | 3 | Jointly with Interscope and Ingrooves |
Homixide Gang | 4 | Jointly with Interscope, formerly with Foundation and Ingrooves | |
Seven studio albums and two mixtapes have been released through the label.
Artist | Album | Details |
---|---|---|
Ken Carson | Project X [39] (released with Foundation) |
|
Ken Carson | X [40] (released with Interscope) |
|
Homixide Gang | Homixide Lifestyle [42] (released with Foundation) |
|
Homixide Gang | Snot or Not [43] (released with Foundation) |
|
Destroy Lonely | If Looks Could Kill [44] (released with Interscope) |
|
Ken Carson | A Great Chaos [46] (released with Interscope) |
|
Homixide Gang | I5u5we5 (released with Interscope) |
|
Destroy Lonely | Love Lasts Forever (released with Interscope) |
|
Artist | Album | Details |
---|---|---|
Destroy Lonely | No Stylist [48] (released with Interscope and Ingrooves) |
|
Homixide Gang | 5th Amndmnt (released with Ingrooves) |
|
The Cross of Saint Peter, also known as the Petrine Cross, is an inverted Latin cross traditionally used as a Christian symbol, but in recent times, it has also been used as an anti-Christian and Satanic symbol. In Christianity, it is associated with the martyrdom of Saint Peter. The symbol originates from the Catholic tradition that when sentenced to death, Peter requested that his cross be upside down.
Project X is the debut studio album by American rapper Ken Carson. It was released on July 23, 2021, by Opium and Foundation. The album serves as a sequel to Carson's Teen X EP and its Relapsed deluxe edition. In addition, the album and its artwork are named after and pay tribute to the 2012 film Project X. The album was executively produced by producers Star Boy and Outtatown, who produced a majority of the album.
Symere Bysil Woods, known professionally as Lil Uzi Vert, is an American rapper, singer, and songwriter. Born and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, they gained initial recognition following the release of the commercial mixtape Luv Is Rage (2015), which led to a recording contract with Atlantic Records, to whom they signed under DJ Drama's Generation Now imprint.
Jordan Terrell Carter, known professionally as Playboi Carti, is an American rapper. An influential figure among his generation, he has contributed to the progression of trap music and its rage subgenre. He first signed with local underground record label Awful Records in 2014, and later signed with ASAP Mob's record label AWGE, in a joint venture with Interscope Records two years later. Carter gained mainstream attention following the release of his eponymous debut mixtape (2017), which peaked at number 12 on the U.S. Billboard 200 and spawned the Billboard Hot 100-charting singles "Magnolia" and "Wokeuplikethis".
Playboi Carti is the debut commercial mixtape by American rapper Playboi Carti. It was released through AWGE and Interscope Records on April 14, 2017. The mixtape contains 15 tracks and features guest appearances from American rappers Lil Uzi Vert, A$AP Rocky and Dutch singer Leven Kali. Production was executively handled by ASAP Rocky and was primarily handled by Pi'erre Bourne, alongside several other record producers, including Harry Fraud, Hit-Boy, Jake One, Ricci Riera, and Southside. The physical version of the mixtape was released on October 6, 2017, and a vinyl edition was released on November 17, 2017.
The discography of American rapper Playboi Carti consists of two studio albums, two extended plays (EPs), four mixtapes, one promotional single, and 27 singles. Under the alias Sir Cartier, Playboi Carti released his first two mixtapes, THC: The High Chronicles and Young Misfit, between November 2011 and November 2012. These early works helped him develop his unique sound, which would later gain him a substantial following. In 2015, Playboi Carti gained significant attention after releasing the singles "Broke Boi" and "Fetti" on SoundCloud. The tracks quickly went viral, establishing Carti as a prominent figure in the underground rap scene. In 2016, Carti signed with Interscope Records and ASAP Mob's imprint label, AWGE. His debut commercial mixtape, Playboi Carti (2017), debuted at number 12 on the US Billboard 200, driven by the success of the single "Magnolia", which peaked at number 29 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was certified triple platinum by the Recording Industry of America (RIAA). Another notable track from the mixtape, "Wokeuplikethis" featuring Lil Uzi Vert, reached number 32 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.
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Kenyatta Lee Frazier Jr., known professionally as Ken Carson, is an American rapper and record producer from Atlanta, Georgia. Carson initially gained attention for his SoundCloud releases and collaborations with fellow Atlanta rapper Playboi Carti. In 2019, Carson signed with the latter's record label Opium, an imprint of Interscope Records to release his debut studio album, Project X (2021).
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