Artists who release albums that define their generation are often haunted by their own success. Stevie Wonder could not recreate the magic of Songs in the Key of Life; Prince never achieved a moment greater than Purple Rain; and Michael Jackson’s Thriller was so astronomical that it will likely never be duplicated by any person again. In hip-hop terms, Nas will never surpass the greatness of Illmatic.
Lil Wayne is the latest artist to face such a dilemma. Arguably, Tha Carter III stands as the most significant hip-hop album of this century. After a forced hiatus, Lil Wayne returns with his latest effort, Tha Carter IV.
From the outset, Lil Wayne’s once flawless wittiness appears to be at stake as many of his punchlines come off as lazy, corny or weak. On the bouncy “Blunt Blowin,” Lil Wayne raps, “You don’t need a bus pass for me to bust your ass.” And on “Megaman,” he raps, “Your cap get pilled like ibuprofen.”
But like any great fighter, Lil Wayne continues to punch and lands more than a few memorable verses as the album progresses. On the reflective “Nightmares Of The Bottom” he raps, “I’m walking on needles, sticking to the point, yeah the streets is talking, I’m familiar with the voice, I’m a gangsta by choice, I hope my son choose wiser, and don’t call me sir, call me survivor.”
Drake provides an engaging hook on “She Will”; John Legend croons as Lil Wayne talks freaky to his mate on “So Special”; and the sentimental plight of a young woman searching for true love is explored on “How to Love.”
In a rare political moment, Lil Wayne addresses the misfortunes of the Iraq and Afghan war on “President Carter.” “Guerrillas in suits, the holy war, the spiritual troops, fighting over the mythical truth, drowning in the political soup, they shoot missiles and nucs, taking out such a pivotal group, the body count is the physical proof, and they thought drugs were killing the youth,” he raps.
Unfortunately, Lil Wayne is absent from the album’s most impressive songs. He takes a step back and allows Andre 3000, Tech N9ne, Bun B, Nas, and Busta Ryhme to rap superb verses on “Interlude” and “Outro.” Hip-hop fans can only wonder how Lil Wayne would have fared among such greats.
Overall, Tha Carter IV is an adequate piece of work. But conceptually, it lacks the spontaneity and zaniness that made Tha Carter III his magnum opus. It proves that Tha Carter III has cast a towering shadow that Lil Wayne will find hard to escape. –amir shaw
