Lil' Wayne: Tha' Carter III

If absence makes the heart grow fonder, Dwyane "Lil' Wayne" Carter must've missed that memo years ago. It's no secret that since releasing Tha' Carter II, Wayne's unrelentless work ethic has not only spawned countless guest appearances/mixtapes but a collection's worth of quality material as well; but, all eyes/ears were seemingly waiting on one of the most anticipated albums in recent memory, Tha' Carter III. As expected, Tha' Carter III falls short of "classic" expectations but to call this album a disappointment would be a complete fallacy on my part. Instead, Tha' Carter III is [indeed] a step in the right direction for Wayne and while it's still premature to crown him as the "heir" to the Hip-Hop throne, it's quite clear that his coronation will come sooner rather than later.

I'll be honest. The expectations I had for this album were relatively high and on some levels, I kind of feel disappointed but slightly. Songs like "A Milli" and the Jay-Z featured "Mr. Carter" bring value to the album and sets it apart from anything else Weezy has done [album wise] but the counterbalance would be his commercial monstrosity "Lollipop" and the equally awful "Mrs Officer". Both songs are bad in their own way but from a outsider's perspective, Wayne chose wisely in putting "Lollipop" out as the 1st single. Since it's release, Wayne has earned himself his 1st number one single at Billboard and as I write this, Tha' Carter III is expected to be the number one album in the country with over a million copies sold. Overall, it would seem as though Wayne can do no wrong, however, Tha Carter III [as a whole] is a completely different story.

Getting the album started, "3 Peat" finds Wayne with a very uninspired flow but segues nicely into the Jay-Z featured "Mr. Carter". Though the two were long thought to be at odds with one another, the two come together quite nicely here and more than make up for the "Hello Brooklyn 2.0" collab from Jay's American Gangster album. I'll admit, this song is not the picture perfect collaboration you would expect and the two leave a lot to be desired but, hopefully it only adds fuel to the fire that the best is yet to come. Following suit, "A Milli" finds Wayne in full beast mode and, without question, Wayne eats this track alive. From start to finish, Wayne is a straight beast and it's really something to marvel at. Besides, very few M.C.'s could accomplish such a feat but Wayne...Wayne is NOT your typical M.C. now, is he?

Up next, Wayne recruits T-Pain for "Got Money" and from there the album starts to drag. While not the best song, "Got Money" comes off more annoying than anything but is equally better than the Kanye West produced "Comfortable". Featuring Babyface on the hook, Wayne kicks it to the ladies about not being "safe" in their own but, if anything, this track is safe in that it seems as a desperate attempt to appeal to the ladies. Don't get me wrong, I don't feel like it's a unfair criticism on my part because those who have heard the album would more than likely agree. If not, to each his own but "Dr. Carter" would gain an overwhelming consensus hands down. Over production from Swizz Beatz [no less], Wayne raps as the doctor of Hip-Hop and attends to three patients throughout the song. By far, this track stands out as a highlight and will become an instant classic [nonetheless], only adding validity to Wayne's claim as one of the elite.

Switching gears, Robin Thicke lends his smooth vocals to the politically charged "Tie My Hands" and Wayne delivers a heartfelt and emotional eulogy that addresses issues surrounding his hometown of New Orleans in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. As a fan, I enjoy seeing all sides of Wayne so, for his depth to be on display is a sight to be heard. Besides, so many artists shy away from politics and things of that nature in fear of backlash, but Wayne's approach is almost commanding, if you will. In relation, I share the same sentiments about "Shoot Me Down" and "Playing With Fire" but it's the Kanye West concoction "Let The Beat Build" that makes the latter half of the album worth it. Save for the 9 minute invite into Wayne's World entitled "Don't Get It", the latter half of the album has it's ups and downs but, overall, this album remains fairly consistent. Unlike it's predecessor, every track has it's own intrinsic value; and while, critically, it may not be as acclaimed as one would have hoped, the end result is damn near perfect.

Rating: 8.0 headphones out of 10