Yesterday, I was on Twitter minding my business when, all of a sudden, links to Tha Carter IV seemed to fall out of the sky. It seems like Lil Wayne's attempt to first release the album exclusively on iTunes (following the Watch the Throne model) was unsuccessful. Naturally, with albums I'm not sure I would pay $9.99 for, I decided to take a listen and write a review to help you determine whether you should go out and buy it.
Hit the jump to read my track-by-track review of Tha Carter IV and use the Rap Genius links to analyze for yourself.
If the intro isn't a skit, I expect the first song to really set the tone for the album. This intro I'd consider a warm up track that doesn't really make me too hopeful for the rest of Tha Carter IV due to the simple flow that doesn't change and Wayne's overusage of the Big Sean/Drake punchline style.
o_O line: "YMCMB, we don't give a f**k/You faker than some titties, you get titty fu*ked"
Now this should have been the first song. His delivery is more intense and he actually sounds like he means business.
line: "Young Money's eating, the label's getting fatter/And yea, the tables turned, but I'm still sittin' at em//I'm a bad motherfu**er, cuz the good die young/Everybody selling dreams, I'm too cheap to buy one."o_O line: "You don't need a bus pass for me to bust yo ass..."
3. Megaman (prod. by MegaMan)
Sounds like a 6 Foot, 7 Foot Part 2 if you ask me. No hook, similar beat. Reminded me of something that would be on a Jeezy or Yo Gotti mixtape. Eh.
4. 6 Foot, 7 Foot f/ Cory Gunz (prod. by Bangladesh)
Still not sure why Bangladesh continues to give Lil Wayne beats if he's still not getting paid, but that's beside the point. This was the first single off the album that let everyone know that Wayne hasn't lost it. My favorite part of the song is that it showcases Cory Gunz and brought him to the forefront.
5. Nightmares of the Bottom (prod. by Snizzy & Kenoe)
This is a standout track for me. I'm really feeling the beat and the concept is deep. It's a vulnerable track that lets us inside Lil Wayne's thoughts and aspirations. I'm still not a fan of some of his corny lines (e.g., "And don't call me 'Sir', call me 'survivor'.") but "Nightmares of the Bottom" is at least a blood diamond hidden in a pile of cubic zirconia.
6. She Will f/ Drake (prod. by T Minus)
This is the latest single that's sure to get steady rotation on radio and clubs. The dark beat and addicting Drake hook makes this track unskippable for me.
7. How To Hate f/ T-Pain (prod. by Young Frye)
Nice to see Wayne's still loyal to T-Pain even though he's slowly becoming irrelevant in the game. Almost everyone has been friend zone-d at least once in life, so this song is cool in my book. I love angry ass songs to smooth ass beats. Maybe he is blaming Tammy after all.
:-( line: "She used to always say, f**k my ni**as/And when I went to jail, she f**ked my ni**as."
8. Interlude (Performed by Tech N9ne & Andre 3000; prod. by Willy Will)
This song gave me life. I stepped my Tech N9ne game up when I went to college in Missouri, and I'm glad he's getting serious props 12 years into the game. He KILLED the verse. Every once in a while, 3 stacks emerges from the darkness and gives us a verse to analyze for months until the next verse is thrown at us. I was honestly just happy to hear his verse, and I thought it was clever even though it's kind of unrelated to Tech N9ne's verse.
9. John f/ Rick Ross (Prod. by Polow Da Don, Rob Holliday & Ayo the Producer)
UHN! This was Lil Wayne's song? Oh. ok. "John" is another single, but instead of having you in Marvin's Room, you'll probably be chugging Ciroc and slappin' snapbacks. I can't even lie, the lyrics are pretty
10. Abortion (Prod. by Streetrunner & Commission)\
When I heard the first lines, I was scared I was having a stroke. Broca's aphasia or something. But that's just Lil Wayne mumble singing.
Lil Wayne always has some sort of graphic or sexual metaphor for life, and this song's got plenty of them. I get what he's saying and I really liked his flow on the second verse. This one's a keeper.
11. So Special f/ John Legend (Prod. by Cool & Dre)
The John Legend hook is so smooth, but Lil Wayne sounds like he's using lyrics that he didn't keep for "Motivation." I guess there's not that much room for variation when you're making a commercial rap love song. This track is sure to be played in the clubs and will probably be on the radio.
12. How To Love (Prod. by Noel "Detail" Fisher & Drum Up)
If you haven't let this song grow on you, I hope you don't listen to the radio. I am a fan of the song, and the video had me sold.
13. President Carter (Prod. by Infamous)
Last Carter, he was just Mr. Carter. Apparently there was some sort of election I wasn't privy too. Another I'm really feeling the beat, but can he stop f**ing the earth? His lines just don't seem original enough anymore.
14. It's Good f/ Jadakiss & Drake (Prod. by ?)
This song is going to overshadow the entire album and has already caused debates all over the Web. Jadakiss' verse is dope, and Drake does a good job setting the mood for Wayne's verse. The diss itself makes this the most captivating verse of the entire album for him, but he's asking for trouble unless this is all a publicity stunt. A for effort and delivery, though.
15. Outro f/ Bun B, Nas, Shyne & Busta Rhymes
How about I just play the interlude and the outro, and that be the album? I appreciate that Lil' Wayne reached out and got some of the best to contribute. Nice to hear Shyne, but he sounds worn OUT. Busta Rhymes would've killed this beat eventually if he wasn't featured on the original, so I appreciate Wayne putting him on the original so I don't have two versions on my iTunes.
Overall:
If this was actually the Sorry 4 the Wait mixtape, I'd really believe that Lil Wayne is a legitimate contender for the crown. As an album, we've waited for 3 years to hear, Lil Wayne's got to think more outside of the box and come with some harder and more original verses. The single selection has been pretty on point, but other than the familiar tracks, there isn't much too much to look forward to. As a whole, it's safe to say that Tha Carter IV is not worth my $9.99.
Moral of the story: The "F" is for anything that starts with an "f" and fits with Lil Wayne's punchline.