Playboi Carti Explains How MF DOOM (Indirectly) Inspired Him

Playboi Carti spoke with Inked Magazine about how MF DOOM influenced his career.

Inked Magazine has announced its 2021 Music issue, where Atlanta rapper Playboi Carti graces the cover. Writer Christina Lee spoke with Carti about his love of punk rock, his latest album Whole Lotta Red, and more. The interview also revisits a line from the album's track "Stop Breathing," which references the legendary MF DOOM. According to Carti, despite his music not sounding anything like DOOM, the masked MC was still an influence on his aesthetic.

"I had to tell my boy, my best friend, my engineer. He’s the person recording the song, and he didn’t know who MF DOOM was,” Carti said. “I’m like, you don’t know MF DOOM? You don’t know who this dude is? I had to play songs for him, because he didn’t know who he inspired. The mask! I’m anonymous myself, but he’s king of that."

Carti did acknowledge that the two's music sounds nothing alike. He countered by admitting that he recently realized DOOM's approach to his public persona is where they find common ground.

"I don't have to sound like MF DOOM to be inspired by him," Carti continued. "Nobody can keep a leash on him. Nobody can keep a leash on me. That’s definitely his impact. Even if I didn’t know that at first, I had to look up and think about this shit right here—it had already been done.”

Stream "Stop Breathing" on Whole Lotta Red on all major digital streaming platforms.