Lil Wayne - Tha Carter II (2005)

[Monotone]

Lil Wayne - Tha Carter II. With the huge critical and commercial success of the Tha Carter can Lil Wayne continue to impress hip hop listeners or will his effort fall short? With the noticeable absence of the popular collaborations with former Cash Money producer Mannie Fresh, all eyes are on Weezy F as without that chemistry they once shared can Wayne still bring his A Game?

In a move that may shock his fans, Wayne steers towards a soulful sound with this album leaving those southern synthesised beats behind, a bold and brave move that seems to work.. perhaps even better than the original sound he developed and had listeners accustomed to. Lyrically this albums shows a lot of maturity on Waynes part, in a year where he has come under fire over his lyrical content and rhyme scheme, he answers his critics in typical Wayne fashion with a hint of sarcasm and arrogance ever present.

From collaborations with familiar names such as Birdman & Kurupt to some lesser known artists, this release is simply brilliant from beginning to end. "Grown Man" is one of many tracks that show just how far Wayne has come from his entry into hip hop at the young age of just 15. It is evident that he has developed both his mc skills as well as his business sense with tracks such as "I'm a Dboy" expressing his hustle and desire for wealth, "Thinkin' of a masta plan/I get money but I'm thinkin of a fasta plan/I'm tryin' to cash it in/I got 5 in that garbage can and the Wrap Saran/I need cash advance". With gritty street tracks that contain political motivation reminiscent of a young Nas, Weezy delivers some raw rhymes throughout the album good enough to earn the respect of his fellow mc's. "Feel Me" gives a real insight as to what is running through the mind of the young artist "I got to bring the hood back after Katrina/Weezy F. Baby now the F is for FEMA", delivered with charisma that has not been seen since the late great Tupac Shakur, Wayne gets a chance to share the meaning and reason behind his music in interview form :

[Interviewer]: "So, is your music considered the voice of urban America or America period"

[Lil Wayne]: "I mean, I would say the voice of the hood 'cause that’s who I speak for and myself, you know what I mean, my family that’s who I represent my homies, my girl, my life you know".

The high point of the album as an entirety has to be the track "Receipt", over a hard hitting sampled beat, Weezy pours his heart out with a genuine and moving chorus "I gotta hold on, hold on to my receipt/to redeem your love, that's exactly what I need/(It's kinda hard sayin this shit to ya face/So I do it over snares and bass/Music take me away)". Tracks like this in the modern world we live in are a rarity and in an impressive manor it is followed by "Shooter", a track that is nothing less than pure brilliance. "And to the radio stations, I'm tired o' being patient/Stop bein' rapper racists, region haters/Spectators, dictators, behind door dick takers/It's outrageous, you don't know how sick you make us/I want to throw up like chips in Vegas/But this is Southern face it/If we too simple then y'all don't get the basics"

Containing everything from upbeat tracks like "Fireman", "Hit Em Up" & "Get Over" to storytelling/street tracks such as "Tha Mobb", "Best Rapper Alive", "Lock & Load" & "Hustler Musik", this release brings a perfect balance and smooth transition throughout the album. In a year where there has been a shortage of quality cd's worth the $15.99 price tag, Tha Carter II is a breath of fresh air. An enjoyable listening experience that is sure to be well received by all hip hop fans, this well rounded lp proves that sometimes sequels can live up to the hype. With Tha Carter II you can't go wrong.

[BigBDrugStores]

he entered the rap game at 11

[Monotone]

That was the age he first appeared on a release, i meant his entry with droppin his own record (Hot Boys), sorry my mistake should have made that clearer

[BigBDrugStores]

he dropped a cd with bg in 93

[Monotone]

B.G.: True StoryPage Quick Jump:.........................................Song SamplesUser ReviewsWrite A Review  Enlarge Released: 1999(Re-Release)
Label: Uptown/Universal
Genre: Rap & Hip Hop
Parental Advisory, Explicit Lyrics

Is that what you're talking about? Wayne featured on it but it was B.G's release in '93, then "In 1997, Wayne joined forces with Juvenile, B.G. and Young Turk to form the Hot Boys"

[BigBDrugStores]

the cd in 93 was a B.G.z cd. it was lil Doogie (bg) and Baby D (lil wayne). it was 1st released as a group cd but then rereleased as a bg cd

[Monotone]

Oh ok, you're right then. Its my first ever review...you can let this technicality slide haha

[BigBDrugStores]

sure. no problem. but you wrote this. you get a prop