After the highly anticipated and commercially successful release of Playboi Carti’s album “MUSIC” in March of this year, he and his many confidants in the Opium record label kicked off a nationwide tour in October titled “ANTAGONIST 2.0.”
The crew stopped in St. Louis to perform at the Enterprise Center on Oct. 25 and left quite an impression on the surprisingly small but passionate group of fans.
The show featured performances from the entire Opium label, including Homixide Gang, Destroy Lonely, Ken Carson, Apollo Red and Carti himself.
The show started with Apollo Red, whom the crowd didn’t appear to recognize. Red is a young rising star in the modern field of rage rap and trap. His performance lasted approximately 10 minutes. While he did not appear to be a major hit with the audience, he certainly fits the overall vibe that their label portrays.
After a short intermission, Homixide Gang took the stage and lifted the energy to another level. The intense, aggressive duo is perhaps the most underrated act in the broader Opium canon. They have the least commercial success of the entire group, but possess a cult-like following that is particularly active online.
The group typically produces short and to-the-point songs, often over metal-influenced beats featuring lyrics that explore themes of gang violence. Their style unites sounds from the rage sub-genre with more classic styles of the contemporary online hip-hop like the drill scene, influenced by artists like Chief Keef.
Their performance was also not particularly long, but Homixide Gang played many of their greatest songs like “REDRAG,” “UZI WORK” and “ADHD.” They closed with a throwback to the project that launched them to fame, playing their first viral track “5unna.”
After another short intermission, Destroy Lonely took the stage. He has a markedly different vibe than the other label members, one which has been relatively polarizing in the camp of rage fans more broadly. Using a high-pitched and nasally delivery, he often sings over guitar-heavy, slow beats rather than rap like many of his contemporaries.
After Destroy Lonely performed for about 25 minutes, and another short intermission, Ken Carson took the stage. Ken is likely the most popular member in Opium beside Carti himself, finding immense commercial success with his 2023 project “A Great Chaos” and more recently, his April release “More Chaos.”Ken really brought the energy to his performance, screaming and jumping all over the stage. Fire was raging up and down in the background as the bass thumped louder and louder.
Ken’s setlist was a superfan’s dream. He played the extremely detailed and jarring “Me n My Kup,” the blown out and heavy “It’s Over,” the happy-go-lucky and whimsical “Ran+Run” and the viral TikTok hit “Freestyle 2.”
The crowd was extremely animated – even the people with seats, not in the pit, were jumping, dancing, and singing every lyric they knew.
After Ken rocked out for nearly 45 minutes, Carti finally took the stage. The energy was palpable, and the young crowd was restless with excitement to see their favorite artist in the flesh. Carti’s performance was over an hour, with highlights from all of his albums and the many unique aesthetics he has cultivated over the years.
The stage itself changed dramatically as Carti’s performance began. The performers before him were played from an elevated, industrial-looking platform that towered over the floor section. But when Carti himself came out, two semitrucks drove out from below the platform, revealing a smaller platform just below the main stage. The trucks’ headlights became part of the show, strobing with the bass to produce a disorienting effect.
He began with the industrial masterpiece “POP OUT,” playing it twice, back to back, for added intensity. He played many of the greatest tracks from his latest album, like “OPM BABI,” “LIKE WEEZY” and “OVERLY.” He did the same for his 2020 album “Whole Lotta Red,” playing other experimental hits like “Rockstar Made” and “Stop Breathing.”He even played a throwback from his 2018 project “Die Lit,” the aggressive and punchy “R.I.P.”
As his performance came to a close, Carti came down from the stage and moved through the crowd to the top of a strategically placed truck along the side of the floor. As one of the most coveted snippets -“24 Songs/Made it This Far” – in Carti’s history played in the background, he gave out autographs and merch to lucky fans.
Playboi Carti’s “ANTAGONIST 2.0” tour is an experience that is almost impossible to find anywhere else when it comes to hip-hop concerts. Even though the show was certainly undersold, the energy in the arena was something to behold.
Carti brings a level of passion in his fandom that is seemingly unparalleled in the modern era. Carti’s success is something of an enigma and it’s difficult to pin down exactly what he does that makes it all work and makes it all so popular. But when it can be experienced, it can be understood.
