mcheadcase's Full Review: Tha Carter III [PA] by Lil Wayne
Lil Wayne. Weezy F Baby. Birdman Jr. Dwayne Michael Carter. The most popular rapper out today. The multi-tattooed, self confessed cough syrup addict. The nonsensical genius. The representative of New Orleans. The motherfuckin' Cash Money Millionaire; the one-time president of Cash Money Records. Mr. "Party like a rock star, rap on stage and play guitar" Carter. The most unpredictable rapper since 2Pac. The croaking goblin who sounds like Gollum on crack. The rapper everyone wants to emulate, the one Time Magazine recently compared to Bob Dylan. The mixtape monster and guest verse bodier. The Martian, who has no brain and is retarded. The "Dear Mr. Toliet, I'm the shit" guy. And last but not least, he's unquestionably, undeniably, and undisputedly the best rapper alive.
I got news for you people, I ain't buying it; "Tha Carter III" is the biggest con job since Genghis.
I will give Wayne credit for one thing though: he is a master of self-mythologizing. In a matter of just 4 or 5 years, he's gone from being just another forgettable southern rapper to becoming the biggest rapper alive today. And throughout that time period, he's been able to convince the general public that he was the best rapper alive, mostly by saying it over and over again. Of course, it doesn't matter that he discredited such modern day contemporaries as Nas and Jay-Z, or even old school legends like Rakim and KRS-One, the fact is the fans are gonna believe what they hear. But even at the height of his fame, there are still skeptics, such as yours truly, who don't see what is so special about him. I mean, 2004's "Tha Carter" was hardly the success the critics claimed it was, with generic topics, uninteresting production, and sub par lyricism. 2005's "Tha Carter II" was more of the same, but it was definitely an improvement over the original; above all else, it showed that Wayne had potential and could deliver when he really wanted to. Over the next three years, Wayne made his mark by jumping on other rappers songs and putting out tons of mixtapes. It was here that his "legend" was established, as his mixtapes were better than his actual albums (I'll take "Dedication II" and "Lil Weezyana" over both Carters any day). But an emcee's reputation can't be based on mixtapes and guest spots alone, he's gotta have that one album that solidifies his "superstar" status. And that's where his new album, "Tha Carter III", is supposed to come in. With the public clamoring for the album since late last year, I don't think its any exaggeration to say it's the most anticipated rap album since 50 Cent's "Get Rich or Die Trying". And that's because after the numerous mixtapes and guest spots, C3 was going to be the record that marked his official ascent into legendary status, and proved once and for all that he really was 'the best rapper alive'.
Surprise, surprise, surprise.... it doesn't.
Now before people accuse me of sipping the haterade, it's not like I'm saying the whole album is wack. For instance, there's the major stand-out track "Mr. Carter", a soulful anthem that builds to an effective ending involving a choir and hand claps. For once, Wayne is on point with his lyricism, trying his damnedest to solidify his greatness. But even though he is impressive, he's swiftly outshined by his idol Jay-Z, who comes on the track with the unparalleled demeanor of a seasoned vet. But even though he steals the show, he does it while co-signing Wayne and passing the proverbial torch: "I'm right here in my chair, with my crown and my dear / Queen B, as I share mic time with my heir / young Carter, go farther, go further, go harder / Is that not why we came? And if not, then why bother?" It's a heavy endorsement, but it's a bit unfounded, as at least 2/3rds of the album fails to live up to the hype due to too much inconsistency. Depending on the song, Wayne can be an excellent emcee with mind-boggling wordplay, or a pathetic amateur who sounds like he barely has a grasp of the English language. On C3 you see both sides of Wayne, but sadly you see the latter more often. For example, take the tailor-made radio singles "Lollipop" and "Got Money", two of the worst rap songs I've heard all year. On both songs, he shamelessly exploits the current trend of vocoder-style voice modulation that T-Pain apparently brought back in style, and for good measure, he actually features T-Pain on the hook of the latter. Despite what some of you might think, I am NOT an 'emo Hip-Hop' fan who is anti-mainstream, and I don't hate club songs either. If it's catchy and gives off the good vibes, I can at least enjoy it. These songs may be kinda catchy, but overall, they're both just too generic for me to enjoy. The first one uses the same tired sexual metaphor that 50 Cent has used time and time again, while the second finds Wayne bragging about his cash flow, something he's done many times before himself. It's unoriginal, uninspired, and in the end, completely forgettable, as Wayne creates two of the dumbest songs I've heard in quite a while. Dumb like beating yourself over the head with a hammer cause you got nothing better to do.
However, the street single "A Milli" is somewhat of a different story. It actually falls right in the middle of the two sides of Wayne that I mentioned earlier. It's not necessarily a bad song, but it's not really that good either. The disjointed production, supplied by Bangladesh, is the first faux pa: following in the steps of the Rick Ross hit "Hustlin'", and Wayne's own "Money on My Mind" (which were both produced by The Runners), we find a screwed vocal sample repeated for the hook. But the problem here is the vocal sample isn't just for the hook... it's repeated throughout the entire track. And it gets irritating REALLY quick. Add a hard-hitting 808 kick and some hand claps and that's all the track is. It sounds like something you could put together in literally three minutes! Its one of the simplest, most annoying beats I ever heard, yet somehow Wayne manages to make it kinda listenable. Wayne spazzes out here, basically freestyling (this would be evidenced by the line " I don't write shit cause I ain't got time"), being random as hell, and not making any sense whatsoever. It shows just how inflated his view of his own rap skills is, but it sort of works cause Wayne is the only rapper in the world that could get away with being as random and senseless as he is here: "My seconds, minutes, hours go to the all mighty dollar / and the all mighty power of that ch-ch-ch-ch chopper / sister, brother, son, daughter, father, motherfuck a copper / got the Maserati dancin' on the bridge, pussy poppin' / tell the coppers HA HA HA HA, you can't catch 'em, you can't stop 'em / I go by them goon rules: if you can't beat 'em, then you pop 'em / you can't man 'em, then you mop 'em, you can't stand 'em, then you drop 'em / you drop 'em cause we pop 'em like Orville Redenbacher". If any other rapper were spitting these lyrics he'd be universally ridiculed, yet because it's Wayne it's instantly likable. But in that same respect, it's also disappointing because this bit of randomness and nonsensical lyricism serves as template for how the rest of "Tha Carter III" sounds.
See, I realized something right before listening to this album. I've spent the last few months listening to a lot of Wayne's material, both albums and mixtapes, trying to realize what separates him from the rest of the emcees out there. Obviously, what makes him unique is his free-association approach to songwriting. He fills his rhymes with nonsensical punchlines and metaphors, simple non-sequiturs strung together in such a haphazard way that it sounds like he's freestyling on every song. If you've read my other two Wayne reviews, you already know how I feel: while it may be an interesting approach, when his lyricism is so basic and stripped down that his one-liners come across as stupid instead of clever or witty, it's sort of hard to consider him an accomplished lyricist. But even so, it's this corny style that seems to be what draws people in. Wayne obviously realizes that that's what the people want to hear, so he's made them his strong suit. THAT'S what I realized: his nonsensical punchlines are now his niche, and that's what separates him from the other emcees. But even if he's different, that doesn't make him a good emcee. Look at Nickelback; as a rock group their niche is to write the same song over and over again (see "How You Remind Me", "Someday", "Savin' Me"), but that doesn't make them talented. It makes them formulaic and predictable, and Lil Wayne is basically the same way.
It's even more discouraging when you realize that after hearing Wayne's haphazard raps time and time again on mixtapes, his stream-of-consciousness style now sounds exhausted and uninspired. I let it slide on "A Milli" cause it's a bit more likable for some reason, but the rest of the album sounds like Wayne phoned in his rhymes. For example, take "Let the Beat Build" which finds Wayne rhyming over Kanye West's looped sample of a gospel-esque piano/choir combination. For the track, we find Wayne rhyming over the sample until Kanye brings the drums in for the hook (a technique that Kanye previously did for his own song "Roses" a few years back). It's an interesting premise, but Weezy lets the track down with his uninspired lyricism, which is all over the damn place so you can't tell what the hell he's talking about, and a lazy delivery. "Playing With Fire" is a little bit better, especially in terms of delivery, but Wayne still lets down another powerful musical backdrop (which includes an emotionally powerful hook from Betty Wright) with haphazard rhymes that don't make too much sense. The third verse however actually sticks to a point, discussing his childhood, and it turns out to be pretty dope. But even so, it doesn't fit with the other two braggadocio verses, and it's even more disappointing once you realize the verse is actually recycled from "World of Fantasy" from the mixtape "The Drought is Over 2: Tha Carter III Sessions". Wayne also disappoints on the posse track "You Ain't Got Nuthin'", where he's trumped by both Fabolous and Juelz Santana, while he rambles about having paper like a fax machine and uses that damn "oops, I mean" construct (same one he used twice on "Barry Bonds" last year) three or four times, showing just how lazy he really is. The very same could be said for many of the other songs on this record, like the introductory "3 Peat", the E.T.-inspired "Phone Home", and the laughably bad "La La" (which features wack verses from Brisco and Busta Rhymes as well). In my opinion, if he had replaced some of these weaker joints with mixtape gems like "La La La", "I'm Me", and the epic "I Feel Like Dying", the album would be much better.
However, I give Wayne credit when credit is due, and what helps this record stand out as much as it does is a stronger focus on artistic direction and varied topics. I had mentioned last time that Wayne's biggest problem was his lack of fresh subject matter, but that seems to be somewhat rectified here. Songs like "Dr. Carter" show a level of creativity that we have yet to see from him. The song in question sounds tailor made for the hardcore Hip-Hop heads, and it definitely works. Over a minimalist but jazzy Swizz Beatz track, Wayne takes the roll of a surgeon who diagnoses three different patients; the first two patients are wack emcees who he fails to revitalize, while the third is Hip-Hop, who he IS able to save. This is the kind of track that shows Wayne at his best, as he sticks to the concept, keeps your attention with his dope rhymes, and rides the ascending horns and rhythmic section like a true professional. Another creative standout is the rock-influenced "Shoot Me Down", a message to the haters with a creative twist. It begins as another standard braggadocio track, where he invites his detractors to take him out. But on the third verse, when they have not taken him out, he realizes the only person who can stop him now is himself, so he aims his gun at his reflection. It's a creative twist, and the ominous guitar and creepy hook from D Smith make it even more effective. But the album's best track is the introspective "Tie My Hands", which finds Weezy teaming up once again with Robin Thicke (they first collaborated on "Shooter" from C2). In a change of pace from the rest of the album, we find Wayne paying tribute to his hometown of New Orleans, and speaking on the affect Hurricane Katrina had on the town over silky guitars and organs. This isn't the first time he's gone down this route; C2 had a few references to Katrina, and he expanded on it significantly on the excellent mixtape cut "Georgia Bush". But this is the first time he's actually gotten so serious about it, as he reveals the horrors the people went through, and still go through. The uplifting ending is especially touching, as we get a rare glimpse of what Wayne hides behind his ego. The result is magnificent and shows that when he actually tries, he CAN be an excellent emcee.
I know some people aren't gonna like this review; y'all will probably brand me a Weezy hater for life now. They might even say I'm being too harsh cause I'm judging him by his self-proclaimed status of "best rapper alive" -- well, if he wouldn't say it every time he raps then I wouldn't have to judge him as such! At the end of the day, Lil Wayne is a decent artist but horribly inconsistent with the material he puts out, and that's what makes "Tha Carter III" such a disappointment. For someone who claims to be the best rapper alive, he sure isn't doing much to prove it; the showcases of lyrical brilliance are few and far in between, and the potential that shined through on "Tha Carter II" is now weighed down by his exhausted rap style. His lyrical non-sequiturs have become complacent and uninteresting, and prove above all else that he's nothing more than a glorified mixtape rapper. I can't help but think if Wayne hadn't wasted so much energy on mixtapes and guest verses over the past few years, he could've made a much better record -- maybe even a "classic" like so many fans wanted. But that lack of focus seems to have really hurt him overall. But Wayne can't take the blame completely; the public shoulders some of that blame as well. When an artist achieves a certain degree of popularity, mainstream media tends to get overzealous in their praise. And audiences get bored quickly, so they're more susceptible of falling for whoever is hot at the time. In time, Lil Wayne will be forgotten and everyone will have moved on to the next big thing. I'm sure Wayne realizes this, so he's doing everything he can to stay in the spot light. Unfortunately for him, "Tha Carter III" is not a good enough album to extend his 15 minutes, and it certainly isn't good enough for people to add him to the list of "2Pac, Biggie, and Jay-Z".
I got your number, Wayne.... I got your number.
FINAL RATING: 2 1/2 Stars
Track listing:
1. 3 Peat (2 1/2 Stars)
2. Mr. Carter feat. Jay-Z (5 Stars)
3. A Milli (3 Stars)
4. Got Money feat. T-Pain (0 Stars)
5. Comfortable feat. Babyface (4 Stars)
6. Dr. Carter (5 Stars)
7. Phone Home (2 1/2 Stars)
8. Tie My Hands feat. Robin Thicke (5 Stars)
9. Ms. Officer feat. Bobby Valentino (1 Star)
10. Let the Beat Build (2 Stars)
11. Shoot Me Down feat. D. Smith (4 1/2 Stars)
12. Lollipop feat. Static Major (0 Stars)
13. La La feat. Brisco and Busta Rhymes (0 Stars)
14. Playing With Fire feat. Betty Wright (2 1/2 Stars)
15. You Ain't Got Nuthin' feat. Fabolous and Juelz Santana (3 1/2 Stars)
16. DontGetIt (3 Stars)
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