REVIEW: Lil Wayne – Tha Carter 3

Lil Wayne Tha Carter 3 Review

Review: 3.5 out of 5

Best Songs: Got Money, Playin’ With Fire, Shoot Me Down

Saying this is the most highly anticipated album of the year is an understatement that other reviewers will likely use to describe Tha Carter 3. We prefer to say that most hip hop heads are just waiting for Lil Wayne to “show and prove”. After all the “Best Rapper Alive” talk, a series of East coast (Read: Jay-Z) influenced rhymes showcased on the mixtape circuit, a feud with Philly hood rapper Gillie, and making guest appearances on every single song in 2007/08, all eyes are on Weezy to prove beyond a reasonable doubt he’s the GRA (Greatest Rapper Alive).

Although, this album is Lil Wayne’s best work to date, the main thing missing from this album is the fun. Since The Block is Hot to Wayne’s recent guest appearances Lil Wayne proved he could have the most fun on tracks, with Tha Carter 3, Wayne trades fun for serious. Unfortunately, this is the major draw back of this album, as Wayne tries to hard to force himself into the Holy Trinity of Hip Hop (Jay-Z/Nas, Biggie, and Tupac) by making sub-par serious tracks.

You see Lil Wayne has everything going for him, except a compelling life story. He’s been signed to a major label since he was 13, so his tales of struggle, drug dealing, and killing (note: 4 tear drop tats), are unbelievable. In other words, there is no narrative that people can identify with him, and his “kid rapper” story is analogous to Lil Bow Wow and Lil Romeo. Weezy’s dependence on performance enhancing drugs and the kind of sympathy he evokes for being addicted to sizzurp are classic symptoms of CB4its (a common disease affecting most rappers causing them to get into more trouble then they did prior to becoming a famous rapper). Now enough of the knit picking, check out the break down.

1. 3 Peat (Produced by Maestro)
This is a 2008 Birdman Jr and works poorly as an intro track. Wayne’s freestyle, although impressive with a few lines, fails to set the stage of what Tha Carter 3 is about. I was expecting to hear something huge like the intro on Jay-Z’s Dynasty album or Kanye’s Graduation.

2. Mr. Carter featuring Jay-Z (Produced by Infamous)
Lil Wayne and Jay-Z try to make up for the monstrosity that was Hello Brooklyn 2.0. Although this is a much better track, I still think Jay-Z and Lil Wayne make the odd couple. Also what’s with Lil Wayne ending the song with an old Jay-Z verse from Lucky Me? I know Weezy will say he’s paying homage, but the truth is he just discovered In My Lifetime Volume 1.

3. A Milli (Produced by Bangledesh)
This beat has to be the most annoying and easiest beat to make in the history of hip hop. I don’t have any proof but I’m sure the producer, Bangledesh (who has a cool name), just looped the “A Milli” sample in Fruity Loops and Wayne (who was probably high as hell when he heard it) spazzed out. Having said that, this song does grow on you.

4. Got Money featuring T-Pain (Produced by Play-n-Skillz)
Undoubtedly the hottest song on the album. This is Lil Wayne in his element, having fun, talking sh*t and going hyper active with the verses. This isn’t a serious lyrical miracle track that touches on today’s social issues (not that I expect Wayne to make such tracks), but it is a big mainstream song. The only thing I want to know is why get T-Pain on this, when you can just sing into the vocoder and get the same effect. It’s not like Lollipop needed T-Pain.

5. Comfortable (Produced by Kanye West)
A song we have all heard before which made me wonder why did this make the album? Why isn’t Lisa Marie on here? I read that Birdman and Slim picked out all the songs for this album so… And secondly, why get Kanye to produce an R&B track? I’m still not convinced Kanye can make a an R&B groove.

6. Dr. Carter (Produced by Swizz Beatz)
Lil Wayne gets his Ph.D on this one rhyming over what could be A Tribe Called Quest beat courtesy of Swizz Beats of all people. Wayne uses the concept of being a doctor to diagnose wack rappers constant lack of creativity and lack of passion in their songs. An original concept with great execution, Weezy gives something to us “real hip hop heads”.

7. Phone Home (Produced by Cool & Dre)
Expanding on the whole “I’m a Martian” lyric, Wayne spit a while back, Lil Wayne turns into E.T. and goes into lyrical beast mode on this one. Wayne goes hard here, making it one of the stand out tracks on the album. The song reminds me of a cross between Jay-Z’s Hola Hovito and Souljaboy’s Crank Dat.

8. Tie My Hands featuring Robin Thicke (Produced by Kanye West)
Building on the chemistry of Shooter, Lil Wayne and Robin Thicke wax philosophical over a Mr. West beat that sounds like it was meant for Common. This is the kind of song in Wayne’s catalogue where he goes into Maxwell mode, turning into a Neo-soul artist aiming for those college educated Black women. I see through it.

9. Mrs. Officer featuring Bobby Valentino (Produced by Deezle & Wyclef Jean)
Another fun song that could very well be the second or third single of the album. Lil Wayne discusses his encounters with a “Lady Cop” and the sex filled day that follows. I can already picture the video with some thick video vixen in a tight police uniform arresting Weezy. Also Bobby V comes through with enough swag to match Wayne’s.

10. Let the Beat Build (Produced by Kanye West and Deezle)
Even though Kanye’s sample chopping is a little awkward on the beat, this song could have been the intro to the album as it’s rather triumphant and “church like”. Though Lil Wayne’s verses turn into a Seinfield episode of sorts as Weezy really talks about nothing other than rapping about rap -which I hate with a passion. For example take this sentence, “Hey I’m a great writer, I can write thought provoking album reviews”.

11. Shoot Me Down featuring D.Smith (Produced by Kanye West)
The beat and the hook on this one sound like Lupe Fiasco is going to jump in at any moment and kill it. Unfortunately or fortunately, Lil Wayne comes through with a few abstract verses that compliment one of the best emo-rock hooks hip hop has ever heard. I love it!

12. Lollipop featuring Static Major (Produced by Deezle and Jim Jonsin)
One of the biggest songs of 2008 and my personal favorite song of the year as well. Even though Lil Wayne gets his T-Pain on, this song came so far out of left field that you have to give the man credit for being some what original. Wait didn’t Snoop do a whole song singing into the vocoder?

13. La La featuring Brisco and Busta Rhymes (Produced by David Banner)
When I first heard a snippet of this on the previews that were released a few weeks back, I thought this would be one of the craziest songs on the album. It reminds me of the type of songs Busta Rhymes used to make like Whoo-Ha. So it’s not surprising that Busta makes a strong showing spitting some of his most colorful rhymes to date. Let’s not forget Weezy’s impressive performance and my new favorite Southern rapper Brisco (this guys on everyone’s posse track) [Sidebar: Peep Brisco’s verse on Birdman’s album 5 Star Stunna].

14. Playin’ With Fire featuring Betty Wright (Produced by Streetrunners)
Getting Betty Wright to do the most passionate hook ever = +1 point already. Another certified banger on the album where Lil Wayne channels the Lil Wayne from Gossip, which probably isn’t a coincidence since the Streetrunners also produced that joint. Only disappointment with this track is that Wayne recycles a verse from the Empire mixtape “Tha Carter Sessions”. I hate when rappers re-use verses!

15. You Ain’t Got Nuthin featuring Fabolous & Juelz Santana (Produced by The Alchemist)
Who would have thought that Alchemist would do a beat for Lil Wayne? Weezy goes hard for that Eastcoast love by recruiting Fabolous and Juelz for this NY posse cut. Surprisingly ‘Loso gets off his lazy ass and gives us that ’99 Fabolous flow with better lines than he has on his album. And Juelz comes out of nowhere, with one of his best verses ever. If anything, Weezy lit a match under his peers because everyone spits fire on this one.

16. Don’t Get It (Produced by Will.I.Am)
I have no clue what Weezy is rappin’ about on this one. His handlers should have told him not to freestyle here. The only thing worth noting about this joint is the verbal abuse Al Sharpton suffers for a good two minutes during a Lil Wayne drug influenced soliloquy. Why Weezy went after Big Al, I do not know. I do agree with him though for the reason that Al Sharpton does not speak on behalf of Black people.

Even though this album didn’t (and couldn’t) live up to most people’s expectations, it should provide for some good car music for the next few weeks. Ultimately, the album disappoints because it’s lack of fun and cohesiveness as a full album. I won’t, however, hold my breath for Tha Carter 4. *Waits for Lil Wayne dickriders*

lil wayne clothing

Tagged ,