Lil Wayne has finally released his highly anticipated album The Carter V on his birthday, again, on his birthday. But was the five year wait worth what the New Orleans rapper had to offer? Weezy faced a number of obstacles within the Cash Money label to stay in control of his creativity and ensure the album would be released at its very best. Lawsuits, hospitalizations, and an attempted suicide pulled at the hearts of many fans who only had a few projects to enjoy while waiting for Tha Carter V. Often told that the album was off the table, people began to wonder if it would ever come out at all. However, here we are and Lil Tunechi is back with his lighter in hand, experimenting with new songs and beloved artists. Featuring verses from rappers he has strongly influenced like XXXTENTACION, Travis Scott and Kendrick Lamar.
Aware of his impact on the culture, Lil Wayne gets the album going with “Dedicate,” with an opening line saying “if it wasn’t for Wayne it wouldn’t be” and a repeating statement that “he started this shit.” Closing the song with Obama recognizing him in a speech where fans chanted Weezy. Seamlessly transitioning to “Uproar” a Swizz Beatz and his nostalgic millennial flow. Followed up by “Let It Fly” feat. Travis Scott, a subtle reminder that he was one of the first to lay the foundation for experimenting with autotune and trap rap.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BoQWyc9B6P4/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
Throughout the album, Lil Wayne explores the depths of all the emotions his mind has traveled to in the past few years. Addressing all the incidents and struggles he has faced leading up to this moment. Although “Can’t Be Broken” and “Dark Side of the Moon” are not my favorite, they build up to the hottest track so far, “Mona Lisa.” An ode to the worlds most famous work of art and a friendly back and forth between what some may argue are the two best rappers alive.
The album doesn’t really pick up until “Took His Time,” a Freeway produced track sure to be the caption of many IG photos with the line “God took his time when he made me.” My personal favorite is “Open Safe,” an upbeat DJ Mustard song ready to hit all the local clubs. As the album begins to wind down, an unexpected Ashanti feature is on “Start The S**t Off Right.” Which Genius says “originally featured Christina Milian. This is one of the few songs saved from the first version of this album.”
With 23 tracks on Tha Carter V, “Dope New Gospel” wraps up the rest of the project featuring his ex-fiance Nivea. Sharing the inner battles he experiences on a regular basis, one of my favorite lines is “keep in mind I’m a negro. So my open mind got a screen door.”
“Used 2” and “Let It All Work Out” are the songs fans have been looking forward to. Potentially addressing his beef with either Pusha T who previously dissed him or Birdman allegedly taking shots at his tour bus. Either way, revealing his growth as a person in the industry. The last lighter flick on “Let It All Work Out” perfectly closes the album. A calming feature by Sampha in the background compliments Lil Wayne’s effortless flow which picks up at the end as he talks about his battle with suicide. The album proves to be an artwork of dedicated passion and is clearly worth the five-year delay.
For more information:
Lil Wayne