Playboi Carti, born Jordan Terrell Carter on September 13, 1996, could be one of the most influential rappers from the 2010s into the 2020s. The innovative music and styles of this musician have deeply influenced the way people represent themselves in the rap world and within the fashion industry.

First gaining widespread popularity with his mixtape Playboi Carti in 2017, Carti sounded different. However, he didn’t lean into as deep of lyrics as other rappers. He focuses more on catchy beats, ad-libs, and a fun energetic vibe. And then his songs just blew up, like “Magnolia” and “Flex”. People just loved it. He wasn’t rapping about the usual topics, things like money or cars; instead, he focused on mood and vibe. Music was like a party, and that made his sound unique. This sparked a new wave of rappers.

Artists like Lil Uzi Vert, Lil Keed, and Juice WRLD have all found inspiration in his style. The auto-tune articulation, repetitive hooks, and memorable melodies by Carti made for basically a blueprint for so many up-and-coming artists. One of the progenitors of this new wave of rap, now coined “SoundCloud rap,” puts a lot more emphasis on creating atmosphere rather than storytelling.

The influence inspired by Carti didn’t stop with music. He also changed the game with how rappers approach fashion. In ways, he is truly a fashion icon, often wearing bold and weird outfits. Thus, be it high-end designer brands, Raf Simons, Balenciaga, or Louis Vuitton-he does it all by adding streetwear and experimental pieces to his looks. That means breaking the rules of style: oversized clothes, making up crazy looks, and breaking the rules of fashion. The fashion decisions of Carti inspired his followers and other artists to be more daring in their outfits, and now more rappers wear high-fashion brands than ever.

You see today’s music and fashion all over; it is influenced by Carti. He managed to make rap sound different, while his daring fashion sense has given an entire generation the confidence to be lenient with what they wear. From incomparable fashion to experimental music, the impact that Playboi Carti has left is just about everywhere.