Released March 14, 2025, Rather Lie by Playboi Carti is a hypnotic collaboration with The Weeknd, blending themes of deception, desire, and emotional recklessness.
With haunting production by F1LTHY and Mike Dean, the track explores the fine line between love and self-preservation.
The Weeknd’s vocals provide an eerie calm while Carti brings his signature erratic energy, making Rather Lie a standout moment in both artists’ catalogs.
Some collaborations feel inevitable. Playboi Carti and The Weeknd together on Rather Lie? That’s a sonic mix that hovers between seduction and self-sabotage.
Carti delivers his signature brand of unfiltered chaos, while The Weeknd drapes it in velvet, making the song both hypnotic and volatile.
A Love Song That’s Anything but Soft
At first listen, Rather Lie might sound like a love song, but it’s more of a hazy confession.
The Weeknd’s voice slides through the production like smoke, setting the stage for Carti’s verses, where affection collides with impulsiveness.
I’d rather lie than to lose you, girl—a sentiment that sits somewhere between devotion and damage control.
Carti leans into the mess. His verses flex wealth, temptation, and a need to keep things moving, whether it’s cash, cars, or emotions.
“Hundred thousand racks in the bando”—a line that could mean stability or chaos, depending on the moment.
And then there’s the offhanded, almost reckless romanticism: I might just tell you that this true love, give you my kidney.
Carti doesn’t do subtle, but he does make you feel something.
The Weeknd’s Haunting Contrast
The Weeknd’s presence shifts the song’s tone, adding a weight that contrasts with Carti’s unpredictable energy.
His delivery is polished but uneasy, threading a line between confidence and uncertainty.
Truth is, we lapped them, they want us gone—a moment that could be about love, fame, or both. The ambiguity is what makes it work.
Production That Warps Reality
F1LTHY and Mike Dean craft a soundscape that feels like a slow-motion hallucination. The bass drags you under, the synths leave just enough space for the vocals to cut through.
The track creates an atmosphere that pulls listeners into the emotional tension between love and deception, amplifying the song’s theme of blurred reality.
Playboi Carti Rather Lie Lyrics Meaning and Review
The Rather Lie by Playboi Carti lyrics revolve around themes of power, trust, and emotional survival.
The Weeknd’s chorus presents lying as a necessary evil, while Carti’s scattered and impulsive lines paint a picture of extravagance mixed with detachment.
His unpredictable delivery mirrors the instability of the song’s message—one moment it’s about devotion, the next, it’s an unapologetic display of self-interest.
The dual meaning of Rather Lie is another reason why the track stands out.
While The Weeknd’s parts can be interpreted as a desperate attempt to preserve love, Carti’s words shift toward a different kind of relationship—his bond with fans.
He plays with perception, deciding what to reveal and what to withhold, making deception an art form rather than a flaw.
The Legacy of Carti and The Weeknd’s Collaborations
Rather Lie is the third official collaboration between Playboi Carti and The Weeknd, following their previous joint efforts.
The song was first teased at Rolling Loud’s 10th-anniversary festival, where Carti previewed four additional unreleased tracks from his album, MUSIC.
The anticipation was immediate, and the final release didn’t disappoint.
Their recent track Timeless further cemented their ability to create genre-blurring music that leans into both excess and introspection.
While Timeless played with neon-drenched nostalgia and futuristic bravado, Rather Lie strips things down to raw emotion, proving that both artists thrive when they balance each other out.
Lying as a Form of Love
Rather Lie plays with the idea that deception might be easier than the truth. But it’s not just about dishonesty—it’s about keeping the illusion alive.
The Weeknd croons, I’d rather spare you the details, my love, not as an excuse, but as a justification.
Meanwhile, Carti isn’t concerned with justifications—he’s moving too fast for them.
Where It Sits in Carti’s Universe
This isn’t the first time Carti and The Weeknd have linked up, and it likely won’t be the last.
Rather Lie fits somewhere between Carti’s unpredictable world and The Weeknd’s late-night storytelling, giving both artists space to exist without compromise.
It’s a song built on contradiction—smooth yet chaotic, affectionate yet evasive. And that’s exactly what makes it unforgettable.
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Playboi Carti Rather Lie feat The Weeknd Lyrics
Chorus: The Weeknd & DJ Swamp Izzo
I’d rather lie than to lose you, girl
I’d rather lie than confuse you, girl
Truth is, we lapped them, they want us gone
Truth is, they can’t handle me at the top
I’d rather spare you the details, my love
Oh, I’d rather (Wake up, F1LTHY)
I’d rather lie than lose you, I’d rather lie (Swamp Izzo, hahaha)
I’d rather, I’d rather
I’d rather lie than lose you, I’d rather lie
I’d rather, I’d rather
I’d rather lie than lose you
Verse 1: Playboi Carti
She wanna fuck, let’s make up
Ex got a problеm, tell him say somethin’ (Schyeah)
Housе in the hills, we’ll lay up (Schyeah)
Bae, you could stay, we could play fun
She don’t do much, just lay
Anything she want, I can get done
Hundred thousand racks in the bando (Schyeah)
Hundred thousand racks in the bando
She want a bag and I get that
She tryna leave, told me she— uh
Said that she leavin’, she wanna— uh
I’m off a bean, it’s gettin’ me— uh
She bend right back then we bool
At the top, we could swim in the pool (Schyeah)
In the penthouse, I’m lovin’ on you (Ha)
Said she fuckin’, she fuckin’ with me, yeah (Ha)
Oh, you already know I’d lie to you than lose and break your heart
I’d rather tell you a lie than tell you the truth and leave you stuck (Schyeah)
How you gon’ take it this far?
Baby, know that you fuck with a star (Yeah)
Baby, know that you fuck with a star (Yeah)
Chorus: The Weeknd & DJ Swamp Izzo
I’d rather lie than to lose you, girl
I’d rather lie than confuse you, girl
Truth is, we lapped them, they want us gone
Truth is, they can’t handle me at the top
I’d rather spare you the details, my love (Hahaha)
Oh, I’d rather
I’d rather lie than lose you, I’d rather lie
I’d rather
Verse 2: Playboi Carti
I’m back on the track gettin’ off like this
I’m back on the lean, I’ma talk like this
I’m back on that shit, I’ma walk like this
House got a view, we could fuck like this
Niggas get mad when I talk this shit
Niggas be mad ’cause I offed his bitch (Hol’ on)
This nigga mad ’cause I fucked her
Bagged me a cougar, I’m younger
I’m diggin’ deep like a plunger
I took her panties up off her
Opposites always attract, how you happy then get mad?(Schyeah)
But I want you bad and she wanna make up
I might just tell you that this true love, give you my kidney
Wrist filled up, while I’m spinning
I’m off the lean and molly at the same damn time, I can’t even stay up (What?)
Wrist in the freezer
I’ma cash out ’cause you mine
I’ma pull up, get behind you
All of that ass, let me bite that
Give you my card, tell you, “Swipe that”
It wasn’t you, it’s me, it ain’t me, it’s you
I know it’s hard to see, but I’d rather lie than lose
I’d rather, I’d rather, I’d rather
Chorus: The Weeknd & DJ Swamp Izzo
I’d rather lie than to lose you, girl (Swamp Izzo, hahaha)
I’d rather lie than confuse you, girl
Truth is, we lapped them, they want us gone
Truth is, they can’t handle me at the top
I’d rather spare you the details, my love
Oh, I’d ratherI’d rather lie than lose you,
I’d rather lie (Wake up, F1LTHY)
I’d rather, I’d rather
I’d rather lie than lose you, I’d rather lie
I’d rather, I’d rather
I’d rather lie than lose you
