All Things Opium*

Playlist & Intro by TFN Writer: Sasha Vry

Spotify Link: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0sy0xlX9bgUtarIqGbDupM?si=e9643950a35a4800

Apple Music Link: https://music.apple.com/us/playlist/all-things-opium/pl.u-NpXmm27Tmr0m2Bj

Atlanta is known for bringing out the best in the music scene. You might know some artists like Young Thug(Free Thug), Future, Metroboomin, Young Nudy, and Playboi Carti. What if I told you Playboi Carti had a little something up his sleeve in 2019? That’s when Opium came to be, and in his search for adding to the label, he came across the new wave of rappers, producers, and a signature style that we see all around us today.

Known for some things more than just music, members Ken Carson, Destroy Lonely, Homixide Gang, and head honcho Playboy Carti all rock black, but think of it more than that. Wearing Rick Owens, Balenciaga, Vetements, and Alyx in their sleep, each member is on their own page. Still, all of them are rock stars with a combined vision for the Atlanta fashion scene that has bled everywhere, including social media. They flex in their songs and custom jewelry, but the choices of brands, like Rick Owens, are all about the textures, fit, and lack of physical branding, which makes it all more mysterious. They are the new wave of consumerism within Gen Z and the vision of musical trajectories.

Back to the impact of social media on members of Opium, it’s important to talk about some of the members came to be on the Label. “Bane” by Destroy Lonely took Tiktok by storm in 2021, but Carti saw the vision beforehand, to the point where they became good friends and eventually signed Lone to Opium in early 2021. After “Sky” off of Whole Lotta Red also popped off on Tiktok, a video was released where Destroy Lonely was featured with other members of Cartis posse. Ken Carson, a frequent collaborator and soon friend of Destroy Lonely, was the first signed to Opium in 2019 after Playboi Carti spotted him on Soundcloud making beats. Carti took a liking to Carson, to the point where he has points of production on Whole Lotta Red’s “Beno!”

I remember when Whole Lotta Red dropped, and the hype was insane after Carti's release of Die Lit in 2018. Carti delivered a new sound on the album, which impacted the listener's vision of how he ties to rock, hip-hop, and trap. The album had everyone talking Christmas morning in 2020, debating if the album was good and met expectations. The album was a perfect example of how a vision can be executed and how everyone might not be on the same page. The sound still took over the music we hear today and stuck with Opium’s vision. All of these elements embody the members' sound, creating inspiration for music coming out today. This talent and visionary mindset does come with some nasty history, though.

Disclaimer: I feel like this should be discussed: multiple members of Opium*, leaving out Destroy Lonely, have been accused of multiple things. Playboi Carti has been accused of abusing his then-pregnant girlfriend. Homixide Gang was accused of grooming underage girls. Ken Carson was arrested and accused of domestic violence but was let go. Acknowledging that those we listen to might not be the best people is essential. It brings up the discussion of differentiating art from the artist, which is something to consider when you’re listening to someone you might admire or romanticize.