As Ken Carson fans await the imminent arrival of Cartunez, the Opium artist is opening up about his prolific studio process in a new Complex cover story.
Carson, joined on the new cover by WWE superstar Danhausen, is known for keeping studio time at the center of his life. Fans know this, and the 26-year-old ComplexCon performer—whose new WWE collection is available on Complex now—already boasts a catalog that proves it.
Another Carson project on the horizon that has fans constantly pining for updates is a joint full-length with fellow Opium artist Destroy Lonely. As Carson told Dimas Sanfiorenzo for Complex, that project is currently about halfway finished and remains on track for an October rollout. When asked to detail the key differences between a longer recording process, and those that are more focused on in-the-moment creations, Carson pointed to the sheer breadth of his individual artistic output.
“Just giving yourself that time and space to do what needs to be done,” he said. “It’s personal with every artist. It's about how you feel at that time when you drop it. Because me, personally, I record every day, bro. I make a lot of songs. So a lot of songs get left out.”
The Opium roster at large is frequently targeted with leaks, and Carson is keenly aware of how this points to a ferocious and consistent demand for new music. Leaks aside, Carson estimated during his conversation with Complex that fans have actually only heard a fraction of the music he’s made since first stepping into his role as an artist.
“Probably like seven percent,” he offered when asked to get specific, adding that making something, and then getting all the proverbial ducks in a row for a proper release, are two distinctly different things.
“Sometimes putting it out is energy-draining,” he explained. “You got everybody telling you how they want to hear you or how you supposed to be doing something.”
Carson also sat down with Jordan Rose for the latest episode of Re-Rank to debate the greatest WWE stars of all time. Catch the full episode below, then be sure to share your own ranking.
In October, Carson will join Playboi Carti, Destroy Lonely, and more as part of the ComplexCon 2026 lineup. Tickets are available now.
