Lil Wayne made his return to the music scene with the release of his 12th studio album “Tha Carter V.” “Tha Carter V” debuted on number one on the Billboard 200. The album was originally planned for 2014, but with label disputes and self problems the album had to be delayed.
“Tha Carter V” blends different types of beats where Wayne’s lyrics just flow. There was some concern that Lil Wayne was done as a rapper; he did not have that same flow or energy. People were scared that the drugs and lean had taken over his music career. It was apparent that some of his songs did not sound the same.
Lil Wayne has always been known as musical lyricist. He has had some of the greatest punchlines in his songs. When you first listen to it, you may not realize the wordplay that he uses. It is amazing to have that skill as a rapper.
“Tha Carter V” had many features on it, including XXXTentacion, Snoop Dogg, Kendrick Lamar, Travis Scott and many more. Wayne used all different types of styles of music on this album.
The album starts off with a song named “I Love You Dwayne.” The track is a recording of Wayne’s mother talking about how proud she is of her baby boy, how much she loves him and thanks God everyday that her son is safe and doing well. This first track is an emotional start that shows how Wayne has changed, not only as rapper, but as a person. A memorable line is “Mama love you, I can’t wait ’til your album come out, ’cause everybody asking about it and I know it’s gonna be a beautiful album.”
The next song is called “Don’t Cry,” featuring XXXTENTACION. This song is a response to the intro of the album. Wayne is telling his mother not to cry because in the intro you can tell that she is crying. The song is also emotional because Wayne talks about the dark times he has went through in his life. In the second verse, Wayne raps:
“Don’t call it a comeback
It was dark, now the sun back
Hit me hard, but I punched back
The wheels fell off, I rode the hubcap
Is it suicide or it’s do or die?
It’s newer days and it’s bluer skies.”
The next three songs are “Dedicate,” “Uproar” and “Let It Fly” featuring Travis Scott. These songs showcase that Wayne is still a powerhouse in the rap game. Wayne lets everyone know that he is still a lyricist. “Uproar,” the more popular song of the three, has taken the social media world by storm. There is a hashtag on Instagram called the #UproarChallenge. When the song comes on, people dance and post the video on Instagram with the hashtag.
Songs such as “Problems,” “Mona Lisa” featuring Kendrick Lamar, “Open Letter”, “Hittas” and “Open Safe” are all tracks with raw beats. The beats are much tougher, and they show that Wayne can make songs for everyone. People who like a good, hard beat will like these songs because of how raw the beats are.
Lil Wayne explains on songs such as “Mess,” “Demons,” “Can’t Be Broken” and “Used 2” some of the personal things he had to deal with in his lifetime. This includes drugs, women and other personal issues in his life. These songs are slower and deeper. The beats are dark and evoke some type of emotion.
Lil Wayne also shows that he is versatile. He can make songs in other genres and incorporate rap into it. Songs that display this ares “Start This S**t Off Right” featuring Ashanti and Mack Maine, “Dark Side of the Moon” featuring Nicki Minaj and “What About Me.” These songs are kind of a mixture between R&B and rap, so they have a bit of a romantic flow. Wayne proves that he still has got some energy left in him to make different types of music.
Lil Wayne is on a different path now. He has put all of his past demons behind him and is looking forward to making changes in his life. Song such as “Famous,” “Let It All Work Out,” and “Dope New Gospel” have more uplifting beats and the mood is changed.
Overall, “Tha Carter V” exceeded expectations. Wayne’s storytelling and lyrics on a variety of beats show that he is reclaiming his seat in the rap game.
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