Friday, August 26, 2011

Tha Carter IV Review



A few days ago Lil Wayne's Tha Carter IV leaked, right on schedule. Though it won't officially drop until Sunday at midnight, the leak has predictably had the internet going nuts. Is this Weezy's grand return from a relatively tough few years for the Young Money front-man? After stints in jail and musical misfires (Rebirth)Tha Carter IV was Wayne's chance to advance the now borderline legendary Carter series. Unfortunately Weezy chose a safe, though still dope, route, forgoing the chance to make another classic.

After a few spins of Tha Carter IV, the one thought that keeps popping up in my head is that it doesn't match up to Tha Carter III. Everything from the cover (the little Lil' Wayne theme again) to the "the ladies are gonna love this song ("Lollipop" vs "How To Love') to the guest spots, in no way does it stand up to that behemoth of an album. When arguably the two best songs of the album (Interlude and Outro) don't even have Wayne rapping on them, you know something is strange. While Wayne exercises his outlandish creativity at points ("Abortion," "President Carter") you never feel like he's truly pushing himself. Listening to the album sometimes feels like watching Lebron put up an effortless 28-12-8. Inspiring at some points, amazing at others, but almost the entire time you have the thought in the back of your head, "what if?" The biggest "what if" I have with this album is "what if he hadn't gone to jail?" Because above all, Tha Carter IV feels safe. Feels like Weezy wanted to make an immediately likable album, which it is, no doubt. But after two albums which pushed rap rather than walked along side of it, I wanted more, and I think a lot of people out there did too. I do think this will sell beaucoup numbers, and, well, there's always Tha Carter V. 


Click here to download "Abortion"






Click here to download "Megaman"



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