Offset is staring down a lukewarm Billboard 200 debut and a cold shoulder from the charts as his third solo album, KIARI is projected to move just 28,000 album-equivalent units in its first week, according to HITS Daily Double.
The Atlanta rapper’s latest release, which dropped Friday (August 22), is expected to land at No. 17 on the Billboard 200 next week. That’s a steep drop from his previous solo efforts—Set It Off debuted in the top five in 2023 with 70,000 units, while Father of 4 cracked the Top 5 in 2019 with 89,000.
Despite the numbers, Offset is standing by the project, calling it his most personal yet.
“KIARI is me.,” he told Hypebeast. “I challenged myself as an artist and really put it all into the music. I took my time putting this project together. I know who I am, and I hope the world gets to understand who KIARI is through this album.
The 18-track album features a mix of collaborators including JID, NBA YoungBoy, John Legend, Gunna, Teezo Touchdown and Key Glock. Critics have responded positively, with Rolling Stone giving it four out of five stars and Album of the Year users averaging a 75 percent rating.
Still, the commercial response hasn’t matched the critical reception. The modest sales suggest that even with a more introspective approach, Offset’s solo draw may not yet match the collective power of Migos, the group he helped lead before their split in late 2022.
Outside the studio, Offset made headlines for his blunt take on marriage during an appearance on the Full Send podcast. At 33, the rapper said he’s done with walking down the aisle—especially after his turbulent relationship with Cardi B, with whom he shares three children.
“I’m married, I did it. I’m not doing it again,” Offset said. “I feel like men should not get married.”
He didn’t stop there, telling host Kyle Forgeard that marriage flips a man’s life upside down. Forgeard, who admitted he’s hesitant to even have a girlfriend, agreed that relationships can feel like a distraction when you’re focused on building your brand.
Offset’s comments come amid ongoing tension with Cardi B, who filed for divorce in 2020 and has had an on-again, off-again relationship with the rapper since.
KIARI was released Friday (August 22) through Motown Records.