Hubbry Logo
A Great ChaosA Great ChaosMain
Open search
A Great Chaos
Community hub
A Great Chaos
logo
7 pages, 0 posts
0 subscribers
Be the first to start a discussion here.
Be the first to start a discussion here.
A Great Chaos
A Great Chaos
A Great Chaos
View on Wikipedia
from Wikipedia

A Great Chaos
A low quality close-up shot of Ken Carson smiling as he stands in front of a gray backdrop; Carson is wearing a black t-shirt, diamond chains, and an earring.
Studio album by
Ken Carson
ReleasedOctober 13, 2023 (2023-10-13)
Recorded2022–2023
GenreRage
Length46:59
Label
Producer
  • AM
  • Bart How
  • Bhristo
  • Clif Shayne
  • Epreme
  • F1lthy
  • Gab3
  • KP Beatz
  • Lbw
  • Legion
  • Lil 88
  • Lucian
  • Lukrative
  • Lvis
  • MaxFlames
  • Misogi
  • Nick Spiders
  • Outtatown
  • Semsi
  • Skai
  • Ssor.t
  • Star Boy
  • TM88
  • Warpstr
  • Warren Hunter
Ken Carson chronology
X
(2022) 		A Great Chaos
(2023) 		More Chaos
(2025)
Singles from A Great Chaos
  1. "I Need U"
    Released: February 14, 2023

A Great Chaos is the third studio album by the American rapper Ken Carson, released on October 13, 2023, through Opium and Interscope Records. The album's production was handled by various producers, including F1lthy, Lil 88, Star Boy, Outtatown, and TM88, and features guest appearances from Destroy Lonely and Lil Uzi Vert. A rage album, A Great Chaos is characterized by its maximalist production with glitchy, digitized instrumentation, hedonistic attitude coupled with moments of vulnerability and angst, and horror references. The album's lead single, "I Need U", was released on February 14, 2023. A deluxe edition with seven bonus tracks was released on July 5, 2024; it was preceded by the single "Overseas", released on April 12.

A Great Chaos received critical acclaim, with praise for its appeal and production. Considered Carson's breakout album,[a] it earned 48,000 album-equivalent units in its first week to debut at number 11 on the US Billboard 200, becoming Carson's first top 20 album, and performed well in Canada and Europe. The album was certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) in August 2025. Carson embarked on the Chaos Tour of Europe and the United States in support of the album from July to November 2024. As of April 2025, the album has earned 1.3 million album-equivalent units worldwide.

Background and recording

[edit]

In July 2022, Ken Carson released his second studio album, X, through Opium and Interscope Records.[6][7] While it was his first album to chart on the US Billboard 200 chart,[7] it was not well received by critics.[6] According to Lavender Alexandria of HotNewHipHop, Carson's style on X was compared unfavorably to Opium labelhead Playboi Carti and led to Carson being dismissed as a "Playboi Carti rip-off".[8] Despite this, Carson said he was not influenced by the reception of X when making A Great Chaos, as he "[does not] make [his] music for critics".[6]

The production of A Great Chaos was handled by more than a dozen producers,[3] including F1lthy, Lil 88, Star Boy, Outtatown and TM88.[6] Carson said he would go to the studio every night to record material,[9] including when he was on tour,[10] and try and work out an idea from beats his producers sent him beforehand.[6] He considered potential crowd reactions when recording his songs.[11] Lucian, one of the album's producers and a frequent collaborator, said that Carson would sometimes "instantly know what to do on [a beat]" and come out with a song in a single take.[9] Examples of this occurring include "Hardcore",[6] and "Overseas".[9] The album was completed by August 2023.[10]

Composition

[edit]

Overview

[edit]

[The title] literally just speaks for itself. It's a great chaos. It's a great work, but it sounds massive.

—Ken Carson[10]

A Great Chaos is a rage album.[12][13] According to David Crone of AllMusic, it sees Carson "[push] his signature sound even further with wilder flows and more forward-thinking beats".[7] Characterized by its maximalist production,[4][14] it features "digitized, crunchy instrumentation",[15] and "excessively" loud mixing[16] centered on Carson's vocals, whose delivery was described as "radically blunt" by Mano Sundaresan of Pitchfork.[17] Matt Mitchell of Paste called Carson's delivery "ferocious and meticulous" and highlighted its influences from Young Thug and Carti.[15] Abe Beame of GQ described its tracks as dense, layered "walls" and "squalls of sound featuring dueling pluggy arpeggios laid under droning liquid-metallic bass lines and soft, gorgeous Kraftwerk melodies".[3] Zachary Horvath of HotNewHipHop highlighted "Fighting My Demons", "SS", and "Overseas" for their "glitchy, booming, and futuristic trap-like beats" and Carson's "slurred deliveries and blunt lyricism".[18] Will Gedron of HipHopDX, Jeff Ihaza of Rolling Stone, and Sundaresan also highlighted the album's tighter pacing compared to Carson's previous works, particularly X.[4][17][19] Opium labelmate and frequent collaborator Destroy Lonely appears with Carson on "Singapore", "Paranoid", and "Like This", with Lil Uzi Vert joining both artists on the latter track.[20]

In a 2023 interview with Clash, Carson said that he aimed to express energy in relation to where his life was on A Great Chaos.[11] Brandon Brown, a former Vice President of A&R at Interscope, told XXL in a 2024 interview that he felt Carson was "talking about different experiences, different phases of things he's experiencing now, from pre-signing to being signed and more famous".[9] Hedonism is a pervading attitude throughout the album,[6][15][17] though John Norris of VMan highlighted moments of vulnerability.[6] Sundaresan said that Carson's lyrics sometimes fall into "Opium-core" angst.[17] Yannik Gölz of laut.de highlighted the concept of "internet horror"—with references to creepypastas, nightcore and low-quality true crime uploads—as pervasive in the album's visuals, song titles and "timbres", which he felt provided context to its "muddy mixing" and "confrontational demeanor".[16][b] Lucian recalled that horror films would often be played in the background during studio sessions to cultivate a mood.[9] Gölz did not categorize the album as horrorcore despite its horror influences.[16] Grant Rindener of XXL shared this sentiment regarding Carson's lyrics, though felt "[he] and Opium can be clearly traced to that lineage".[9]

Songs

[edit]

"Jennifer's Body" features "glitchy" production and Auto-Tuned vocals from Carson,[15] atop a synth instrumental.[16][21] The song drew inspiration from the cult horror film of the same name,[9] with its "stuttered" intro being a homage to "Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)" by the American punk rock band Green Day, one of Carson's influences and his favorite band.[3] The song's hook displays Carson's mixed feelings towards loving, but not necessarily needing, women.[6] On "Fighting My Demons", Carson asks "Where the fuck my blunt? Where the fuck my cup? Where the fuck my reef?",[22][23] before the song breaks into "off-the-wall production"[24] featuring 808 drums, "chiming" synths and organ-like bass.[23] Carson moves from "straight-line raps and pagan chants" in the song's verses,[19] "spewing out unhinged one-liners, sports references, and weirdly addictive noises", according to Eric Skelton of Complex.[22] Norris described its lyrics as "confessional". Carson said that they were not just about himself, as "everybody's got their own demons. [...] And even if they don't call them 'demons', they're problems."[6] Following a "haunting" instrumental break, he ends the song with a "cognizant yet repetitive" refrain that Yousef Srour of HipHopDX likened to the 2023 Travis Scott and Carti song "Fein".[23] "Singapore" is an "icy duet"[17] between Carson and Lonely that "evokes stripper parties", according to Norris.[6] "Lose It" features heavily distorted 808s[25] and was described by Jordan Darville of The Fader as "the sound of a panic attack", with Carson rapping "joylessly" about his drug use and the weapons he keeps for safety.[26] "Hardcore", which Sundaresan compared to The Wizrd (2019) by Future, sees Carson repeating four words over changing sonic textures.[17] "Me n My Kup" was influenced by Gucci Mane's "Shirt Off"[27] and features tightly stacked synths.[16] On the overdriven "Florida trap"[16] song "Succubus", Carson obsesses over an ex-partner atop a "blinding fog" of heavy bass.[17]

"Paranoid" is a trap song[21][28] that displays Carson and Lonely utilizing eccentric flows to rap about wealth, women, and guns.[28] Norris highlighted one of the song's lyrics—"I fuck Barbie bitches/All my hoes be plastic"—as a reference to Barbie, whose Ken doll line is Carson's namesake, and his debut extended play Boy Barbie (2020).[6] "Pots" features a glitchy,[19] hypnotic atmosphere,[16] with a "rolling beat" that Sundaresan likened to the robotic spiders from the 2002 film Spy Kids 2: The Island of Lost Dreams.[17] Alphonse Pierre, also of Pitchfork, viewed it as playing the "Opium handbook" with its lyrical allusions to the occult.[27] "Like This" centers around a chorus by Lil Uzi Vert, who asks in varying alterations: "Why my jeans fit like this?".[29] A writer for AllMusic credited Uzi's appearance with providing some "pop stability" to A Great Chaos.[21] "Overtime" features a "continuous ticker of hi-hat and snare rolls", per Gedron.[19] A favorite of Carson's,[6] "Vampire Hour" was cited by AllMusic's writer as an example of the album's moments of "unsophisticated, raging fun".[21] On "Rockstar Lifestyle", Carson embraces a rockstar persona; when asked what the term meant to him by Pierre, he said it was "about pushing the boundaries and doing whatever the fuck you want".[27] A writer for AllMusic highlighted his use of "Young Thug-influenced vocal inflections and haunted melodic hooks" on "I Need U".[21]

The deluxe edition of A Great Chaos features seven bonus tracks which show Carson "stick[ing] to the script" of the main album, according to Vibe's Preezy Brown.[30] "SS" sees Carson compare the size of his gun's drum magazine to the breasts of the American actress Sydney Sweeney.[31] "Overseas" is driven by 808-heavy production, an "electric" beat,[32][33] and subtle melody.[9] Its lyrics see Carson offer an update on his recent life—spent mostly on tour—and reflecting on his rise to prominence.[32][34] He also mentions the European cities London, Paris, and Amsterdam, the first three stops of his Chaos Tour.[34]

Release and promotion

[edit]
Ken Carson performing in Milwaukee on the Chaos Tour in November 2024

Carson began teasing A Great Chaos in late 2022, when he posted a snippet of "Paranoid". After releasing his fourth mixtape, Lost Files 4, in January 2023, Carson released the album's lead single, "I Need U", on February 14.[6] Fans on Reddit speculated the album would be released in July 2023, coinciding with the release months of his debut album, Project X (2021), and X.[6] On June 2, Carson announced the album's title and an initial release date of July 17; an early version of its tracklist was shared on June 25.[35] "It's Over" was intended as the second single, but never released,[35] and the album ultimately missed its original release date due to sample clearance issues.[6] It was ultimately released on October 13, 2023.[36] The album was leaked in its entirety on a Discord server four days prior to its release, much to Carson's chagrin.[6] On October 12, an album launch party was held at the Silo dance club in Brooklyn. Carson performed "Singapore" and "Paranoid" with Destroy Lonely. The show ended with a headlined performance by Carti.[37] Music videos for "Jennifer's Body", "Fighting My Demons", and "Succubus" were released after the album.[38]

On April 12, 2024,[39] Carson made his debut performance at Coachella, where he performed material from A Great Chaos live for the first time.[40] That same day, he released "Overseas" as the lead single from the album's forthcoming deluxe edition.[33] Between May 28 and June 2, 2024, Carson supported the Red Hot Chili Peppers on the first three dates of the North American leg of the band's Unlimited Love Tour.[41] Following the release of A Great Chaos (Deluxe) on July 5,[32] Carson embarked on his headlining Chaos Tour of Europe and the United States, which took place between July 8 and November 21, 2024.[42][43] Footage filmed during the tour's first three dates was used in a music video for "Overseas", released on October 19.[43] During the tour, Carson worked on finishing tracks for his fourth album More Chaos (2025).[27] The tour has been credited with raising the profile of its supporting act, 2hollis.[2][44][45] On December 15, 2024, Carson performed at Rolling Loud Miami.[43]

Critical reception

[edit]
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusicStarStarStarStar[21]
HipHopDX3.9/5[19]
laut.deStarStarStarStar[16]
Pitchfork7.8/10[17]
Tom Hull – on the WebB+ ((2-star Honorable Mention)(2-star Honorable Mention))[46]

A Great Chaos received critical acclaim;[7][33] according to Elias Andrews of HotNewHipHop, the album garnered Carson "the best reviews of his career".[47] A writer for AllMusic praised Carson for taking greater creative risks, deeming it "a fun and engaging listening experience" and a "huge step up" from his prior output.[21] Brown, for Vibe, called the album "some of [Carson's] best work yet", highlighting "Fighting My Demons", "Hardcore", "Overtime", "Vampire Hour", and "Nightcore" as standouts showcasing him "hitting on all cylinders".[20] Chris Richards of The Washington Post called it "the most flat-out exciting album" of 2023, praising its production.[14] The Face's Davy Reed called it an "impressive album" that "dragged the scuzzy rage rap sound in new directions."[13]

Mano Sundaresan of Pitchfork described A Great Chaos as "a creative breakthrough, flipping the script on Atlanta rap production" and opined that the album "may well be the next crucial LP" in the development of rage music, after Carti's Whole Lotta Red (2020).[17] Paul Meara of BET viewed it as one of Opium's "more memorable drops" and said it "proved the [rage] genre is in great hands."[12] Gölz of laut.de remarked that although the album was not "great art or revolutionary", it had a "coherent look and a coherent mood" that distinguished Carson from other rage music artists, including Carti and Yeat.[16][c] Mitchell, Sundaresan and Gölz all felt that whilst Carson's lyricism was weak, it ultimately came secondary to his delivery and presentation.[15][16][17] Gedron of HipHopDX felt that Carson had managed to make an album matching with his attempts to cultivate an "enigmatic persona", but its "expertly constructed" production made it hard to "recognize [his] humanity".[19]

A Great Chaos was listed as one of the best albums of 2023 by Complex,[48] Slant Magazine,[49] and The Washington Post,[14] with Rolling Stone and Paste listing it as one of 2023's best hip-hop albums.[4][15] HotNewHipHop, HipHopDX and Complex listed "Fighting My Demons" as one of the best songs of 2023.[22][23][24] The Fader ranked "Jennifer's Body" as the 60th best song of 2023,[50] whilst Rolling Stone ranked it as the year's sixth best rap song.[51] Pitchfork included "Lose It" in its list of the best rap songs of the year.[25] Complex ranked "SS" as the 42nd best song of 2024.[52] Also in 2024, Pitchfork ranked A Great Chaos at number 86 on its list of "The 100 Best Albums of the 2020s So Far".[53] The album is considered Carson's breakout album.[a] According to Vivian Medithi of The Fader, the album "notched new commercial and critical highs" for rage music, with Carson establishing himself as "the face of [the genre] in 2024" through his greater "consistency" compared to his Opium labelmates.[54] Writing in Complex that same year, Kieran Press-Reynolds believed that the album's "hyper-cluttered" style of rage was already proving influential on rappers such as OsamaSon.[55] In 2025, Elania Bernstein of Hypebeast opined that it had become "the very blueprint for post-SoundCloud rage-trap as a whole."[56]

Commercial performance

[edit]

A Great Chaos debuted at number 11 on the US Billboard 200,[57] earning 48,507 album-equivalent units in its first week, with 1,336 coming from pure album sales.[58] It was Carson's first top 20 album in the United States.[42] The album was certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) on September 18, 2024, and Platinum on August 28, 2025.[59] "Fighting My Demons", "SS", and "Overseas" were also certified Platinum by the RIAA;[60] the latter became Carson's first charting song on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, debuting at number 79.[61] "Jennifer's Body", "Succubus", and "I Need U" were certified Gold.[60] A Great Chaos also performed well in Canada and Europe.[9] The album debuted at number 18 on the Billboard Canadian Albums chart,[62] and was certified Platinum by Music Canada on August 7, 2025.[63] As of April 2025, A Great Chaos and its deluxe edition have earned over 828,000 album-equivalent units in the United States and 1.3 million wordwide, according to Billboard.[1]

Track listing

[edit]
A Great Chaos track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Green Room"
3:09
2."Jennifer's Body"
  • Frazier
  • Kenneth Pannu
  • Cișmigiu
  • KP Beatz
  • Lucian
2:39
3."Fighting My Demons"
  • Frazier
  • Anton Martin Mendo
  • Bart van Hoewijk
  • Olle Elvis Zijstra
  • Tobias Dekker
  • Warren Hunter
  • Bart How
  • Lvis
  • Outtatown
  • Star Boy
  • Hunter
2:30
4."Singapore" (featuring Destroy Lonely)
  • LBW
  • Lil 88
  • Nick Spiders
  • TM88
2:32
5."Lose It"
  • Frazier
  • Gabriel Rousseau
  • Keifa Carter
  • Gab3
  • Legion
2:21
6."Hardcore"
  • Frazier
  • Mendo
  • Arman Andican
  • Christopher Quillin
  • Ethan Andrade
  • Dekker
  • AM
  • Bhristo
  • Outtatown
  • Star Boy
  • Warpstr
2:05
7."Me n My Kup"
  • Frazier
  • Mendo
  • Lowe
  • Carter
  • Dekker
  • Hunter
  • Legion
  • Lil 88
  • Outtatown
  • Star Boy
  • Warren Hunter
3:54
8."It's Over"
  • Frazier
  • Mendo
  • Andican
  • Lowe
  • Johnny Peng
  • Dekker
  • Zain Siddiqui
  • Star Boy
  • Lil 88
  • AM
  • Misogi
  • Skai
  • Outtatown
1:36
9."Succubus"
  • Frazier
  • Andican
  • Ortiz
  • AM
  • F1lthy
2:30
10."Paranoid" (featuring Destroy Lonely)
  • Frazier
  • Sandimanie
  • Thevenot
  • Ortiz
  • Cișmigiu
  • F1lthy
  • Lucian
  • Lukrative
2:08
11."Pots"
  • Frazier
  • Clifton Shayne
  • Thevenot
  • Clif Shayne
  • Lucian
2:10
12."Like This" (featuring Lil Uzi Vert and Destroy Lonely)
Semsi3:13
13."Overtime"
  • Frazier
  • Erik Cordova
  • Lowe
  • Epreme
  • Lil 88
1:47
14."Vampire Hour"
  • Frazier
  • Mendo
  • Wang
  • Quillin
  • Dekker
  • Bhristo
  • Outtatown
  • Star Boy
2:34
15."Nightcore"
  • Frazier
  • Thevenot
  • Cișmigiu
  • Lucian
  • Lukrative
3:07
16."Nightcore 2"
  • Frazier
  • Andican
  • Shayne
  • Cișmigiu
  • AM
  • Clif Shayne
  • Lucian
3:03
17."Rockstar Lifestyle"
  • Frazier
  • Salvino
  • Thomas Ross
  • Semsi
  • Ssor.t
3:13
18."I Need U"
  • Frazier
  • Max Rafael
  • Cișmigiu
  • Lucian
  • MaxFlames
2:29
Total length:46:59
A Great Chaos (Deluxe) bonus tracks
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
19."Loading"
  • Frazier
  • Shayne
Clif Shayne3:07
20."More Chaos"
  • Frazier
  • Shayne
  • Spiders
  • Clif Shayne
  • Nick Spiders
2:21
21."Toxic"
  • Frazier
  • Carter
  • Johnny Peng
  • Legion
  • Skai
2:45
22."Leather Jacket"
Perto2:38
23."Mewtwo"
  • Frazier
  • Shayne
Clif Shayne2:08
24."SS"
  • Frazier
  • van Hoewjik
  • Danny O'Brien
  • Lowe
  • Kylian Kante
  • Bart How
  • Lil 88
  • Mnclzy
  • Kyl
  • Star Boy
3:04
25."Overseas"
  • Frazier
  • Spiders
  • Thevenot
  • Oliver Brown
  • Cismigiu
  • Lucian
  • Lukrative
  • Nick Spiders
  • Esko
2:21
Total length:65:23

Notes

  • "It's Over" samples an earlier Ken Carson song, "Freestyle 3".
  • "Pots" is a backronym for "Pouring Out the Syrup".
  • "I Need U" and all the songs included in the deluxe edition are stylized in lowercase.
  • "SS" is short for "Sydney Sweeney".

Personnel

[edit]

Credits adapted from AllMusic,[21] Apple Music,[64] and Tidal.[65]

  • Benjamin Lidsky – recording engineer (1, 2, 6, 9, 11, 13, 15, 16, 18, 19), mixing (19–25)
  • Ben Thomas - recording engineer (12, 17)
  • Corey Moon – recording engineer (3–5, 7, 10, 14, 20–25)
  • Ellantre "Tre5" Williams - recording engineer (8)
  • Roark Bailey - mixing engineer (1–18)
  • Colin Leonard - mastering

Charts

[edit]

Certifications

[edit]
Certifications for A Great Chaos
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[63] Platinum 80,000‡
New Zealand (RMNZ)[88] Gold 7,500‡
Poland (ZPAV)[89] Gold 10,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI)[90] Silver 60,000‡
United States (RIAA)[59] Platinum 1,000,000‡ / 828,000[1]
Summaries
Worldwide — 1,300,000[1]

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Notes

[edit]

References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

A Great Chaos

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
A Great Chaos is the third studio by American rapper , released on October 13, 2023, through and . The project features 18 tracks, primarily produced by collaborators including Starboy, Outtatown, F1LTHY, and Lucian, with guest appearances from on "Singapore", "Paranoid", and "Like This" (with ). It debuted and peaked at number 11 on the US Billboard 200 chart, marking Carson's highest-charting release at the time, and has been certified gold by the RIAA. Marking a significant evolution in Carson's sound, A Great Chaos delves into the rage rap subgenre with cybernetic, hard-edged beats that blend Atlanta trap influences and hedonistic energy. Themes of personal turmoil, excess, and emotional vulnerability recur throughout, as heard in introspective cuts like "Fighting My Demons" and "Paranoid", contrasted by high-energy anthems such as "Jennifer's Body" and "Lose It". The album's production emphasizes distorted synths, aggressive percussion, and layered vocals, showcasing Carson's expanded range beyond his earlier, more uniform efforts on Project X (2021) and X (2022). Critically, A Great Chaos received widespread acclaim for its cohesive sequencing and innovative approach to rage aesthetics, earning a 7.8 out of 10 from , which hailed it as a "creative breakthrough" and included it among the 100 best albums of the so far. Reviewers noted its fun, engaging listening experience and Carson's ability to infuse Opium's signature chaos with richer, more detailed sonic elements, though some critiqued occasional lyrical repetition. A deluxe edition was released on July 5, 2024, adding seven bonus tracks.

Background and development

Conception and songwriting

The album A Great Chaos was conceived amid Ken Carson's experiences on tour, where he drew inspiration from the high-energy chaos of his lifestyle, including moments of and personal turmoil. Carson described the project as an expression of his daily energy and emotional battles, stating, "I was just expressing a lot of energy, a lot of it. That’s usually how I make music so it went along with how my life was going." Songwriting for the album emphasized themes of chaos, tumultuous relationships, and self-destructive tendencies, reflecting Carson's inner conflicts and the excesses of fame. Tracks explored in , and , often portraying relationships as fleeting and materialistic, while self-destruction manifested through references to and emotional demons. Carson wrote primarily through freestyling, punching in lines directly over beats rather than pre-writing, allowing for spontaneous captures of his mindset. Much of the writing occurred during late-night sessions in hotel rooms while on tour, a process Carson found grounding and solitary, as he worked while others slept to maintain focus. He noted, "I work whilst everyone is asleep so I feel like I’m the only person working in my mind," which contributed to the album's raw, introspective edge. Early demos highlighted influences from Playboi Carti’s experimental, rule-breaking approach at the Opium label, which encouraged Carson's unbound creativity, alongside broader Atlanta rap roots. Pre-production collaborations began with producers like F1lthy, who helped shape the glitchy, rage-infused sound through distorted beats and high-energy production. Carson recalled the intuitive process: "With songs like that I just hear the beat, and then I just magically already know what I want."

Recording and production

Recording for A Great Chaos began in late 2022 at Ken Carson's home studio in , with sessions extending into 2023 as Carson balanced studio work with touring commitments. He often recorded vocals late at night, either in hotel rooms or makeshift setups , adopting a freestyle "punching in" approach without written to capture spontaneous energy. The album was completed by August 2023, ahead of its October release, allowing time for final clearances and mixing. Over a dozen producers contributed to the project, drawing from Atlanta's trap scene and international talent, including F1lthy (Richard Ortiz), , Lil 88 (Jalan Lowe), Starboy (Anton Mendo), bart how (Bart van Hoewijk), and members of the Neilaworld collective like (Stefan Cismiglu). The production emphasized a maximalist style, featuring heavy 808 basslines, glitchy synths, and tumbling keyboard patterns to create a chaotic, high-energy sound suited for live performances at upper BPM ranges around 160. Key techniques included layered glitch effects in beat construction and horror-inspired samples, evident in tracks like "" with its cybernetic start-stop rhythms and thematic nods to elements. was heavily utilized to enhance Carson's vocal inflections and stunts, adding to the album's distorted, otherworldly texture. Carson handled primary vocals throughout, with no major personnel changes disrupting the core creative team. was led by Benjamin Lidsky, who managed recording on multiple tracks and mixing on several others, alongside Corey Moon for additional recording duties. This collaborative yet focused process resulted in an 18-track album that flipped traditional rap production into a more experimental, rage-infused direction.

Composition and themes

Musical style and influences

A Great Chaos is primarily classified as rage rap, a subgenre of hip-hop characterized by aggressive, high-energy deliveries and distorted, abrasive production, incorporating elements of trap through rolling 808 basslines and patterns, as well as glitch-like manipulations in its beats. The album's sonic palette features maximalist arrangements with blown-out soundscapes, heavy bass frequencies that dominate the mix, and cybernetic synth elements including tumbling keys and organ glissandos, creating an otherworldly and anarchic atmosphere designed for intense listening experiences. Vocals are heavily processed with and pitch-shifting effects, ranging from numbed, low-pitched flows reminiscent of to higher-pitched, melodic hooks, often layered with ad-libs for a chaotic, immersive texture. The album draws significant influences from Playboi Carti's energetic, vampiric style and the experimental rap production pioneered in works like , which recontextualizes trap with punk and rock edges, including live guitar riffs and overdriven elements. Young Thug's vocal inflections and melodic innovation also shape Carson's delivery, blending hedonistic bravado with glitchy electronic experimentation, while broader nods to 2000s trap figures like and inform the trap foundations. Additional genre fusions pull from , , and heavy metal, evident in the moshing-ready, genre-amalgamating beats that evoke a sense of joyful unholy chaos. Thematically, the sound design amplifies motifs of and personal turmoil through aggressive, disorienting arrangements that mirror chaos and inner demons, contrasting with Carson's prior releases by heightening the intensity and restlessness across its . The standard edition runs for a total of 46:46, delivering a concise yet relentless barrage of sound.

Individual tracks

"Green Room" (3:08) opens the album with themes of transitioning from to and the isolation that accompanies . Ken Carson reflects on by those around him and the superficiality of relationships in fame, with key lyrical motifs including "How I went from broke to rich?" and references to luxury brands like and . The track features a booming produced by F1LTHY, evoking the anticipation of a pre-performance space that mirrors Carson's rise. "" (2:38) employs glitchy, Auto-Tuned vocals over a cybernetic beat that starts, stops, and restarts, creating a of . Drawing from the 2009 of the same name, the song explores toxic, seductive relationships through motifs of a "boy eater" and distrust, as in "Two things I ain't ever seen: a truck in front of a ." Produced by KP Beatz and , it highlights Carson's gleeful embrace of disorder with lines boasting about diamonds and independence. "Fighting My Demons" (2:30) delves into introspective themes of struggles and , structured as a two-part track with a bass-heavy that builds tension. Key address and inner conflicts, such as battling personal vices amid success. The song's heavy 808s and synth layers underscore the emotional turmoil, marking a vulnerable moment in Carson's catalog. "Singapore" (2:31), featuring , adopts an icy duet style with a descending snare roll reminiscent of productions. Themes center on global excess and bravado, with motifs of international travel and luxury, transitioning seamlessly into the album's high-energy sequence. The amplifies the track's trap-infused rage elements through shared verses on opulence and detachment. "Lose It" (2:20) captures a late-2000s Gucci Mane-inspired vibe with blown-out production, focusing on hedonistic release and losing control in party settings. Lyrical motifs emphasize wild nights and substance-fueled abandon, contributing to the album's moshpit-ready flow without deeper introspection. "Hardcore" (2:04) features a bludgeoning beat and repetitive structure, where Carson reconfigures just four words into varied textures, echoing Future's experimental style from his era. Themes revolve around intense, unyielding energy and aggression, with the highlighting raw vocal delivery over pounding bass. "Me N My Kup" (3:54) showcases tumbling keys and an organ glissando in an epic production that flips traditional trap for a monstrous, generational . The track's themes include camaraderie with indulgences—symbolized by "kup" as lean—and boastful resilience, with extended runtime allowing for layered synth builds. "It's Over" (1:35) serves as a brief, sampling interlude drawing from Carson's earlier "Freestyle 3," emphasizing finality in relationships and cycles of chaos. Its short and sparse provide a pivotal breather, with motifs of closure amid ongoing turmoil. "Succubus" (2:29) continues the album's chaotic energy with dark, seductive themes inspired by mythical temptresses, blending rage rap with horror elements over distorted beats. "Paranoid" (2:07), featuring , addresses from fame and trust issues, with heavy bass underscoring anxious delivery. Motifs include fears and isolation, building on the duo's collaborative chemistry for a tense, atmospheric vibe. "Pots" (2:09) explores excess and street life through trap motifs, with references to substance use and success, maintaining the album's hedonistic tone. "Like This" (3:12), featuring and , highlights party anthems and triumphant excess through explosive verses. Themes of success and dominate, with the extended runtime accommodating guest flows over chaotic, festival-ready production. "Overtime" (1:46) delivers short, intense bars on relentless hustle and fame's demands, with aggressive production emphasizing perseverance. "Vampire Hour" (2:34) evokes nocturnal excess with dark, pulsating beats, thematizing late-night vices and predatory energy. Motifs of blood-sucking metaphors tie into vampiric imagery, aligning with the album's horror-tinged chaos. "" (3:07) experiments with sped-up, high-energy flows over glitchy synths, focusing on and . " 2" (3:02) builds on the previous with similar hyperactive production, reinforcing themes of endless partying and detachment. "Rockstar Lifestyle" (3:12) embodies the highs of through upbeat synths, focusing on non-stop and fame's allure. Key celebrate the chaotic perks of , providing anthemic relief amid darker tracks. "I Need U" (2:28) incorporates emotional rage elements through fast-paced production, exploring dependency in relationships and . Key motifs include on "dark days" contrasted with boasts of wealth like fits, blending intimacy with bravado. The 2024 deluxe edition extends the original with seven additional tracks, including "Loading" and "Toxic," which further amplify the rage aesthetic through bonus explorations of excess and relational strain, but maintain focus on the core motifs.

Release and promotion

Announcement and singles

On June 2, 2023, Ken Carson announced the title of his third studio album, A Great Chaos, and an initial release date of July 17, 2023, via Twitter (now X). An early version of the tracklist was shared on June 25, 2023. This announcement built on the momentum from his rising profile in the Opium collective, following the release of his debut project Project X in 2021 and subsequent works that solidified his place in the rage rap scene. The album was ultimately delayed and issued in its standard edition on October 13, 2023, through Opium and Interscope Records. The lead single, "i need u," arrived on February 14, 2023, serving as an early indicator of the album's chaotic, introspective energy and marking Carson's first major release of the year. Over a year later, amid ongoing buzz from the standard edition, "overseas" emerged as the second single on April 11, 2024, previewing the expanded sound of the forthcoming deluxe version with its high-energy production and themes of excess and . On July 5, 2024, Carson announced and released the deluxe edition of A Great Chaos, expanding the original 18-track project with seven additional songs, including "more chaos", "leather jacket", and "Like This" featuring and , which further amplified the album's aggressive, futuristic aesthetic. This rollout capitalized on the initial edition's reception, providing fans with fresh material that extended the project's narrative of personal turmoil and triumph.

Marketing and tour

The marketing campaign for A Great Chaos centered on amplifying the album's chaotic and youthful energy, leveraging teasers and the label's distinctive branding to engage fans in the rage rap scene. Promotional efforts included graffiti tags in and visual aesthetics inspired by bands, footage, and designer , creating a sense of underground urgency ahead of the , 2023, release. The album's cover art presents abstract chaotic visuals through a low-resolution, glitch-distorted close-up of Ken Carson smiling faintly against a muted gray background, designed to evoke the raw, disruptive rage aesthetic central to the project. Following the album's release, Ken Carson headlined the Chaos Tour from July 8, 2024, to November 2024, covering major cities across the and Europe, including stops in Orlando, , and . Setlists during the tour heavily featured tracks from A Great Chaos, such as "Hardcore," "Lose It," and "," alongside select earlier material to showcase the album's live energy. Additional promotion encompassed music videos for key singles, notably "," which incorporated horror themes drawing from the 2009 cult of the same name, directed by Oliver Shore, Nick Spiders, and Kevin von Puttkammer. Merchandise tie-ins were integrated into the rollout, with official items like album-themed t-shirts, hoodies, and vinyl editions available through Ken Carson's store, often bundled with tour dates to extend fan engagement.

Reception

Critical response

A Great Chaos received generally positive reviews from music critics, who praised its innovative production and Ken Carson's energetic delivery within the rage rap subgenre. awarded the album 4 out of 5 stars, highlighting its glitchy and describing it as a significant step up from Carson's prior work, with a and engaging balance despite tenuous elements. gave it a 7.8 out of 10, commending the creative breakthrough in rap production that channels hedonistic tendencies into joyously chaotic energy, though critiquing occasional uninspired lyrics and basic . HipHopDX rated it 3.9 out of 5, appreciating the improved pacing, compelling language, and bone-rattling impact that passes the litmus test for rage music, while noting the rigid production sometimes obscures lyrical humanity and leads to listener fatigue over time. Similarly, German outlet laut.de assigned it 4 out of 5 points, lauding the coherent aesthetic drawn from horror and moshpit energy, but pointing out limitations in MC talent, minimal wordplay, and a muddy, overly loud sound. Critics frequently highlighted tracks like "" for its cybernetic beats and infectious hooks, and "Fighting My Demons" for its exciting cadences and spooky production. Overall, the album was viewed as Carson's strongest to date, solidifying his arrival in the mainstream rap scene through evolved rage elements and charismatic presence.

Commercial performance

A Great Chaos debuted at number 11 on the US Billboard 200 chart in its first week of release on October 13, 2023, marking Ken Carson's highest chart entry to date and surpassing his previous album X, which peaked at number 115. The project earned 48,500 album-equivalent units during that debut week, establishing it as the highest first-week performance for any Opium Records artist aside from at the time. The album was certified gold by the RIAA in the United States on September 18, 2024, for 500,000 units. A deluxe edition followed on July 5, 2024, adding seven tracks including a collaboration with and on "Like This". The album's commercial success was further propelled by robust streaming numbers on platforms such as , where the deluxe version has surpassed 1.78 billion total streams as of November 2025, largely driven by standout singles including "" and "Fighting My Demons."

Credits

Track listing

The standard edition of A Great Chaos, released on October 13, 2023, features 18 tracks with a total runtime of 46:46.
No.TitleFeaturingDuration
13:08
2Jennifer's Body2:38
3Fighting My Demons2:30
4Singapore2:31
5Lose It2:20
6Hardcore2:04
7Me N My Kup3:54
8It’s Over1:35
92:29
10Paranoid2:07
11Pots2:09
12Like This & 3:12
13Overtime1:46
14Vampire Hour2:34
153:07
16Nightcore 23:02
17Rockstar Lifestyle3:12
18I Need U2:28
The deluxe edition, released on July 5, 2024, expands the album to 25 tracks with a total runtime of 65:08. It includes the original 18 tracks plus seven new additions.
No.TitleFeaturingDuration
19Loading3:06
20More Chaos2:21
21Toxic2:45
22Leather Jacket2:37
23Mewtwo2:08
24SS3:04
25Overseas2:21
All tracks on both editions were written by (Kenyatta Frazier Jr.) in collaboration with the album's producers.

Personnel

provides lead vocals on all tracks of the album. The production team consists of more than a dozen contributors, including F1lthy (on tracks such as "" and ""), (on ""), Bart How (on multiple tracks including ""), AM (on tracks such as "" and ""), (on tracks including "i need u," "," "Lose It," and ""), Clif Shayne (on tracks such as "," "," and "Loading"), Lil88 (on tracks including "Hardcore" and ""), Star Boy (on tracks such as "Vampire Hour" and ""), Outtatown (on tracks such as "Vampire Hour" and ""), Nick Spiders (on tracks such as "" and ""), Perto (on "Like This"), MaxFlames (on "Singapore"), Gab3 and Legion (on "Paranoid"), KP Beatz (on "i need u"), Bhristo (on "Vampire Hour"), Lukrative (on ""), Einthismf (on "Hardcore"), Skai (on ""), and LBW (on ""). Guest appearances include on "Singapore", "Paranoid", and "Like This" (with ); and on "Like This". No other primary additional musicians are credited. Engineering duties were handled primarily by Corey (on tracks including "Paranoid," "Vampire Hour," "Rockstar Lifestyle," "Like This," "," and others) and Benjamin Lidsky (on tracks including "i need u," "," "Lose It," "Hardcore," "Green Room," "," and mixing for several others). Mixing was led by Roark Bailey (on tracks including "i need u," "Paranoid," "," "Lose It," "Hardcore," "Vampire Hour," "Green Room") and Benjamin Lidsky (on tracks including "," "Rockstar Lifestyle," "Like This," ""). A&R support included Brandon Brown (on select tracks such as "Vampire Hour"), Teclemariam (as coordinator on tracks including "i need u," "Paranoid," "," "Lose It," "Hardcore," "Vampire Hour," and ""), Marissa Wickliffe (administrative A&R on later tracks), and Ela Talu (coordinator on later tracks). The album was mastered at facilities by various engineers.

Chart performance and certifications

Weekly charts

A Great Chaos debuted on several international weekly album charts following its October 13, 2023, release, with its strongest performance in the . The album entered the at number 11, marking Ken Carson's highest charting position there to date, and has remained on the chart for over 60 weeks as of November 2025, including renewed activity after the deluxe edition's release in July 2024. It spent one week in the top 15 but did not enter the top 10, and peaked at number 4 on the chart. In , it peaked at number 18 on the Canadian Albums chart, charting for at least four weeks. The album saw more modest placements elsewhere, reflecting its growing international appeal within the hip-hop and rage genres. It reached number 43 on the for one week. In , peaks included number 13 in (four weeks), number 15 in (one week), and number 155 in (one week). The deluxe edition, adding seven tracks and featuring collaborations, provided a streaming boost that extended its presence on charts like the 200.
Chart (2023–2025)Peak positionWeeks charted
Australian Hitseekers Albums ()41
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums ()4—
US 1160+
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)134
Polish Albums (ZPAV)151
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)212
Canadian Albums ()184
UK Albums (OCC)431
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)451
French Albums ()1551

Year-end charts

The album's performance improved notably in 2024, reaching number 134 on the US year-end chart, bolstered by the release of a deluxe edition in July 2024 that added seven bonus tracks and reignited interest, alongside Ken Carson's supporting tour that drove additional streams and sales. It also reached number 47 on the US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums year-end chart for 2024.
YearChartPosition
2024US 134
2024US ()47

Certifications

The album A Great Chaos by has received certifications in , reflecting its commercial success through combined shipments and streaming equivalents. In the United States, it was certified Platinum by the () on August 28, 2025, denoting 1,000,000 units. In Canada, awarded it Gold certification in October 2024 for 40,000 units. As of November 2025, no certifications have been issued outside by major industry bodies such as the . Worldwide, the album has accumulated equivalent sales of 1.3 million units as of April 2025, including contributions from the deluxe edition released in 2024, which boosted streaming metrics and led to certification upgrades.
CountryCertifying BodyCertificationUnitsDate
CanadaMusic CanadaGold40,000October 2024
United StatesRIAAPlatinum1,000,000August 28, 2025

References

  1. https://www.discogs.com/master/3292909-Ken-Carson-A-Great-Chaos
  2. https://music.apple.com/us/album/a-great-chaos/1710472300
  3. https://genius.com/albums/Ken-carson/A-great-chaos
  4. https://www.billboard.com/music/chart-beat/ken-carson-more-chaos-number-one-billboard-200-chart-1235950942/
  5. https://www.billboard.com/lists/ken-carson-explainer-2025-playboi-carti/
  6. https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/ken-carson-a-great-chaos/
  7. https://www.discogs.com/artist/9161845-Ken-Carson-3
  8. https://pitchfork.com/features/lists-and-guides/the-100-best-albums-of-the-2020s-so-far/
  9. https://open.spotify.com/album/58iEeJbYd6OBGRM0TiwltL
  10. https://www.clashmusic.com/features/natural-born-rebel-ken-carson-talks-a-great-chaos/
  11. https://hhsbanner.com/top-stories/2023/10/17/ken-carsons-a-great-chaos-a-dizzying-ride-through-hedonism-and-heartache/
  12. https://vmagazine.com/article/on-his-third-album-a-great-chaos-ken-carson-is-more-than-just-ken/
  13. https://www.discogs.com/release/28628668-Ken-Carson-A-Great-Chaos
  14. https://wobcblog.substack.com/p/album-review-ken-carson-a-great-chaos
  15. https://www.newwavemagazine.com/single-post/let-the-chaos-ensue-ken-carson-s-a-great-chaos-reviewed
  16. https://rateyourmusic.com/release/album/ken-carson/a-great-chaos/
  17. https://genius.com/Ken-carson-green-room-lyrics
  18. https://genius.com/Ken-carson-jennifers-body-lyrics
  19. https://genius.com/Ken-carson-fighting-my-demons-lyrics
  20. https://genius.com/Ken-carson-i-need-u-lyrics
  21. https://genius.com/albums/Ken-carson/A-great-chaos-deluxe
  22. https://genius.com/albums/Ken-carson/Project-x
  23. https://www.udiscovermusic.com/news/ken-carson-a-great-chaos/
  24. https://genius.com/Ken-carson-overseas-lyrics
  25. https://music.apple.com/us/song/overseas/1739187310
  26. https://hypebeast.com/2024/7/ken-carson-a-great-chaos-deluxe-announcement-release-info
  27. https://www.complex.com/music/a/joshua-espinoza/ken-carson-a-great-chaos-deluxe-edition
  28. https://pitchfork.com/news/ken-carson-announces-2024-world-tour/
  29. https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/ken-carson/2024/ovo-arena-wembley-london-england-ba87d26.html
  30. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt29545266/
  31. https://shop.kencarson.xyz/
  32. https://hiphopdx.com/reviews/ken-carson-a-great-chaos-album-review/
  33. https://www.allmusic.com/album/a-great-chaos-mw0004119118
  34. https://laut.de/Ken-Carson/Alben/A-Great-Chaos-121985
  35. https://www.hotnewhiphop.com/726538-bad-bunny-first-week-sales-offset-ken-carson
  36. https://thetubmag.com/one-year-of-ken-carsons-a-great-chaos-milestones-and-moments/
  37. https://kworb.net/spotify/artist/3gBZUcNeVumkeeJ19CY2sX_albums.html
  38. https://www.discogs.com/release/28687825-Ken-Carson-A-Great-Chaos
  39. https://www.discogs.com/release/31593940-Ken-Carson-A-Great-Chaos
  40. https://ca.billboard.com/charts/billboard-canadian-albums/2023-10-28
  41. https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2024/top-billboard-200-albums/
  42. https://www.riaa.com/gold-platinum/?tab_active=default-award&ar=Ken+Carson&ti=A+Great+Chaos
  43. https://musiccanada.com/gold-platinum/?_gp_search=A+Great+Chaos+Ken+Carson
  44. https://www.facebook.com/EricAlperPR/posts/ken-carsons-a-great-chaos-his-third-studio-album-has-been-certified-platinum-in-/1349772476818425/
Add your contribution
Related Hubs
User Avatar
No comments yet.