Lil’ Wayne - The Carter II

We're Waiting.

His voice is unmistakable. That N.O. gumbo flow mixed with the raspy Louisiana cadence hits the track running rarely missing a step. We have seen Lil’ Wayne grow from Hot Boyz fame to his current grown man swagger. He has definitely come into his own as one of the premier rappers in the south if not the entire game. Influenced by Hov and driven by home, this New Orleans rapper creates a sound that appeals to fans all across the country. The Carter II just might be the beginning of the rise from regional dominance to superstar status.

Wayne took putting your best foot forward to heart when he made Tha Mobb the first track. Hands down the best track on the whole album, it is five and a half minutes of fire that the fireman should come with on every song. There seems to be a pattern with Lil Wayne and the hot cuts on this album. If there is no hook, then most likely it’s going to be a keeper. Fly In and Fly Out, produced by T-Mix both shine along with Tha Mobb. And Oh No is yet another example of Weezy getting loose without a chorus. Huslter Musik has that sit back track sound with a funky mellow beat that Wayne rides relentlessly. The Heatmakerz come with their familiar sample sound on Receipt and Weezy raps and ode to his woman over snares and bass. Shooter seems a little uncharacteristic to Wayne’s usually edgy flow but this has to be a favorite of The Carter II. The sounds are so contrasting that it makes the final product unique. Weezy Baby is a personal favorite because I now know what the hell “weezy f. baby, please say the baby” means. It still doesn’t make much sense but I get the meaning.

After perusing The Carter II, I am positive that Wayne is the best no hook rapper out right now. No contest. Wayne is at his premium when he just gets on a beat and straight spits, whether written or free, and he has numerous examples on The Carter II. In these cuts he thinks of the cleverest one liners that I’ve heard from any rapper in a long time. The production was good and rather fitting for this album. T-Mix and Heatmakerz supplied the bulk of the beats and created a sound that fits with Wayne’s style. Overall, the album was par but nothing more. If you want to hear Weezy at his finest, get a mixtape, don’t buy an album. His albums don’t reflect what he is capable of as a complete rapper. The flow is bananas, apples, oranges and all that but the lyrics are lacking and his songs are not entirely cohesive. He reminds me of that kid with ADD. You know he has the potential to excel, but he’s all over the place.

Rating: 3.5 of 5 matches

Hot Trax: Tha Mobb, Shooter, Feel Me, Hustler Musik