Released: 2020
Stepping into the world of “New Tank” by Playboi Carti, we dive headfirst into the ambience of gritty street culture, extravagant lifestyle, and impactful bravado that’s been Carti’s signature style. This track unfolds Carti’s narrative of his urban experiences, his successes, his indulgences, and not forgetting, his classic defiance.
Opening verse, “Yeah, I’m in the coupe with a cutter, yeah, sippin’ on Wock'” paints the picture of Carti cruising in his luxurious car, cutter referring to a gun as his defense mechanism, while sipping Wockhardt, a brand of cough syrup often illicitly repurposed for making lean, a type of narcotic drink. The use of ‘cutter’ and ‘Wock’ instantly places the listener into Carti’s world of high-risk, high-reward life.
“Posted with my brother, yeah, he got a mop” is a recurring line amplifying Carti’s loyalty to his crew or his brotherhood. The term ‘mop’ here again is a street slang referring to a firearm, communicating a sense of protection they provide each other in their shared experiences.
“I’m robbin’ the bank… I ride in the tank” gives an insight into Carti’s audacious claim of being a self-made millionaire. The word ‘tank’ could be interpreted as a fortified vehicle, symbolizing his strength and invincibility that he rides on in his life filled with high-stakes actions.
Borrowing from his personal life, “I love all my thots and codeine” and “I’m tryna fuck on a thot and sip on some lean”, ‘thots’ being slang for women viewed as sexual objects, while ‘lean’ and ‘codeine’ referencing his indulgence in the recreational drug, Carti lays bare his lifestyle unconventional to societal norms yet normalized within his urban realities.
“I’m a rockstar, bitch, this what I bleed. Nigga tryna play me, I’ma make him bleed”. Carti declares his unapologetic lifestyle, asserting that anyone who crosses him will face dire consequences, a testament of his retribution code in his street-centric life.
Through “New Tank”, Playboi Carti puts forth the juxtaposition of his extravagant, risky lifestyle and his commitment to his brotherhood. Reminding listeners that beneath the glitz of stardom, there’s a fierce reality, fueled by loyalty, grit, and relentless ambition. As much as this could be seen as a celebration of success, it’s also a hard-hitting commentary on the realities many struggle with in their climb to the top of the hip-hop game.
