Playboi Carti’s Opium label used to feel untouchable. It defined an entire sound and aesthetic that shaped the new generation of rage rap—dark, distorted, high-energy music that ruled the underground. But right now, Opium feels stuck. The creativity that once separated it from everyone else has slowed down. The rage sound they built is starting to feel overused, and it seems like the artists are just running in circles trying to keep it alive.
Ken Carson has been teasing Lost Files 5 with a bunch of old unreleased tracks fans already know and love. He just dropped Yes, which was supposed to be on More Chaos, and honestly—it feels like we’ve heard it all before. It’s getting repetitive, and fans are starting to notice. Ken’s biggest issue isn’t talent—it’s that he’s stuck in what feels like an endless More Chaos loop. He’s not pushing forward anymore, just reusing what worked.
Ken has been promoting The Xperiment as a project where he’ll test new sounds, but everything he’s previewed so far sounds exactly like his past work. The production, flow, and energy all blend together into something safe. It’s not bad, but it’s predictable—and that’s dangerous for an artist who was once seen as the future of rap.
Recently, Ken called out media pages, saying their opinions are “bought.” That caused tension in the underground because he’s attacking the same platforms that built him up. The irony is that he preaches “have your own opinion,” but then went after NickAtNite for calling him repetitive. You can’t ask for honest criticism and then get mad when someone gives it. If anything, that shows how fragile the current Opium image has become—they can’t handle the same critique they once thrived on.
Playboi Carti, the leader of the movement, hasn’t helped either. BABY BOI has gone silent, and now there are rumors about a Whole Lotta Red deluxe or another compilation of old songs. It feels like he’s recycling leftovers instead of evolving. What made Carti special was his unpredictability—but now even his mystery feels predictable.
Destroy Lonely arguably had the best Opium release this year with </3^3, but it underperformed with only around 15k first-week sales. That’s barely more than underground artists like Osamason, who dropped Psykotic with no major label backing. The difference is that Lonely’s album actually showed growth—clean production, solid concepts, and range—but it still didn’t connect commercially. That says a lot about where Opium stands in the current rap landscape.
Beyond the music, the Opium brand is also getting hit with bad press. Every member has faced legal issues or allegations—from Ken Carson’s 2021 domestic violence arrest, to Destroy Lonely’s 2024 allegations, to Playboi Carti’s assault accusations involving his girlfriend Gio and even a limo driver. The constant controversy is overshadowing the music, and the label’s once “mysterious” image is now just messy.
Opium’s biggest problem isn’t talent—it’s direction. They built a wave that changed rap, but now they’re struggling to evolve past it. The sound, the visuals, even the rollout patterns all feel like copies of themselves. Fans are starting to crave something new, not recycled rage beats and old leaks. Unless Carti and his camp reinvent what Opium stands for, they risk fading out like so many collectives before them. The truth is, being mysterious isn’t enough anymore—you actually have to move the culture forward.