Prior to 2024, Playboi Carti collaborated several times with Travis Scott—most recently on Scott’s UTOPIA track “FE!N,” which contains the most popular lyric of 2023 on this website according to annotation data—and yesterday, on New Year’s Day, the pair returned with “BACKR00MS,” the fourth pre-release single from Carti’s eagerly anticipated third studio album, apparently titled Music.
As with last month’s “H00DBYAIR,” “BACKR00MS” is a chilling trap track, released solely as a music video, that finds Carti very much in control of his business. The song opens with the chorus, wherein Carti is ready to take charge of the situation like an NFL signal caller.
In the middle of the field, throw me a bomb, I’m throwin’ that bih’ like a quarterback
Standin’ in the field, holdin’ a bomb, throwin’ that ho like a quarterback
At the end of the first verse, Carti is packing loads of cash and looking to hook up with a certain Bronx rapper who’s been killing the game lately.
Ooh, I’m walkin’ around with a lot, pockets is filled with them knots
Bitch tryna sneak pictures, I don’t give a fuck ’bout much
I think I need me a Ice Spice, yeah, I want me a munch
Travis begins his verse by comparing himself to former NFL great Tom Brady, whose jersey number happens to be a slang term for police.
Throw it like 12 (Yeah), just so you know we don’t fuck with 12 (Fuck with 12)
Not in this bitch by myself, but I’m by myself (By myself)
Later in his verse, Travis reveals why he doesn’t like his women messing with weight-loss drugs.
She doin’ Ozempic, tryna be different, tryna be a newer woman (Nah)
That shit a look iffy, need her thick, he need her to move somethin' (Iffy)
Scott ends his verse with a shoutout to Chicago Bulls center Andre Drummond, who has the 20th-most career double-doubles in NBA history. Travis is hoping to post similar numbers in the bedroom. (Shoutout to Genius user @hoodtoyota0 for making the Drummond connection.)
In the “BACKR00MS” music video, Carti and Travis chill in a dark parking lot and in an eerily lit office building, sometimes with a female companion.
You can read all the lyrics to “BACKR00MS” on Genius now.
