Cartunez

Ken Carson released Cartunez, his sixth EP, on July 10, 2026, via Opium and Interscope Records. The project arrived just one week after his fifth studio album Xperiment, suggesting either a prolific burst of creativity or a deliberate counterpoint to that album's more experimental sprawl. The EP runs eighteen minutes and forty-three seconds across seven tracks, with no guest features. Production comes primarily from Opium affiliates Star Boy, Lucian, and Jonah Abraham; mixing was handled by Alex Tumay, mastering by Mike Bozzi.

Stylistically, Cartunez falls into rage rap, trap, and hyperpop territory. Its tracks are built on hyper-kinetic beats, glitchy vocal effects, distorted 808s, and fractured melodies. Lyrically, Carson explores excess, paranoia, digital-age alienation, and cartoonish chaos, a theme reflected in the EP's title. Music critics noted the high-energy production: Pitchfork described it as a brief but potent burst of adrenaline, while Stereogum called it a dizzying, disorienting ride.

The EP debuted at number 12 on the US Billboard 200 with 42,000 album-equivalent units in its first week. It also reached number 3 on the Top Rap Albums chart and number 4 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. Internationally, it charted at number 15 in Canada, number 22 in the UK, number 18 in Australia, and number 27 in New Zealand. As of September 2026, the EP had not received any RIAA certifications but had sold an estimated 120,000 album-equivalent units globally.[edit]