On “H00DBYAIR,” Playboi Carti harnesses his alternate deep voice, confronting hate he’s received throughout his career, especially for his signature high-pitched sound. Beyond pushing away negativity, this track serves as a canvas for Carti’s personal growth, unveiling the arrival of his second child, Yves Carter.

The title derives from the fashion brand, Hood By Air, which Carti notably sported at a Destroy Lonely performance in 2023. Carti also uploaded a photo of Kanye West wearing Hood By Air to his Instagram Story shortly after this song released.

On December 13, 2023, a snippet of “H00DBYAIR” was posted to Carti’s alternate Instagram account with an accompanying behind-the-scenes video that showed Playboi Carti and all members of his label present at the music video shoot.

Homixide Meechie’s younger brother, Homixide Mali, posted the snippet’s lyrics in the comment section of the post, which was pinned.

On December 19, similar to the release of “2024,” this song’s release was announced by Opium affiliate Blackhaine on Carti’s Instagram Story saying:

Carti dropping again ***** tonight!

At 9 PM Eastern Standard Time, the music video was uploaded to Carti’s alternate Instagram account.