Lil Wayne’s ‘Tha Carter VI’: All 19 Songs Ranked

Freed from Wayne bars, “King Carter” cleanses the palette for listeners heading into Tha Carter VI. The intro includes a narrator hailing Weezy’s greatness like a Roman Empire ruler returning to his throne. “With metaphors sharp as a gleaming blade, he modified the sport,” the narrator states whereas thunderous horns rain down. “Wayne stays timeless, he’ll by no means die.”

Out of all the fireplace manufacturing at his disposal, this circus beat ought to’ve been handed on. Weezy repeatedly says Donald Trump is the pink elephant of the Republican celebration, however it’s unclear if it’s a jab on the president he was photographed with and pardoned by in 2021.

The bell sounds and Weezy lets the chopper sing like a mini-uzi of punchlines for 3 minutes straight. This can be a monitor Wayne would’ve completely ripped in the course of the peak of his mixtape period circa ’07, however as an alternative of blazing 100 mph down the freeway, the New Orleans icon retains it cruising at 65.

Tha Carter V noticed Wayne group up along with his daughter, Reginae, and C6 brings on one other household affair with teenage son Kameron Carter helming refrain duties. It’s catchy for a teen who raps about “zooming in a Rari by L.A.” Though he’s not sufficiently old to drive simply but, he’s most likely ridden in his justifiable share of unique sports activities automobiles over time.

Weezy has fancied himself as an alien up to now, and his spaceship takes orbit to a special planet on “Mula Komin In.” A maximalist tackle SoundCloud rap, Wayne lets his son, Lil Novi, bask within the highlight earlier than exhibiting him father is aware of greatest. “He take after me, I’m the large apple tree/ And you realize the apple don’t fall too removed from it/ He solely fourteen, however that’s nothing however numbers,” Wayne raps whereas saluting his son’s aspirations.

No one — and I imply no person — noticed a Jelly Roll and Large Sean union with Wayne coming. However that’s what makes Wayne nice — with the ability to sew unlikely teammates into formation. Jelly handles refrain duties, singing in regards to the haters mendacity within the weeds. “Can’t belief no person,” Weezy inflects. “The place was all people at once I was simply no person?” Large Sean closes ruminating about these he misplaced and the exes left behind, whereas calling out “new enemies” being “outdated associates.” It’s powerful to digest, however “Snakes will” stay in the midst of the pack.

Wayne makes an attempt to reconnect along with his rock roots whereas his syrupy croon floats over Weezer’s “Island within the Solar” beat. Elements of the monitor appear to work, however others simply really feel like Wayne’s misplaced on the island he’s rapping about. This may very well be the one which takes off on TikTok, although.

Followers bought a style of “The Days” when it was used as a part of the NBA Finals promo, and it seems to be Wayne’s shot at a commercial-friendly single from C6 with a elevate from U2’s Bono. Weezy speaks on to America, however issues are brighter. He claims to have been in Manhattan on 9/11’s tragedy, whether or not that be bodily or spiritually, who is aware of? At 42, Wayne doesn’t take any day as a right whereas considering again to the instances he was locked up or mendacity flat on a hospital mattress, not figuring out what was forward. This might’ve been a smash circa 2010.

The primary signature lighter intro of the night time smokes out the desolate drum kicks. Weezy picks up the tempo, sliding into his slurry move, and it will get chilly, so bundle up. The tap runs as bars pour out of Wayne and the darkish days flip to starry nights.

No one was extra hyped to notch a Carter VI function than Machine Gun Kelly, who shaped the unlikely trio alongside Wayne and Kodak Black on “Alone within the Studio With My Gun.” A starry beat that Juice WRLD would’ve ripped, a sorrowful MGK takes on the refrain whereas Wayne raps about having extra weapons on the wall than guitars and extra beats in his head than his coronary heart. Kodak squeezes into the combination and leaves listeners with extra to be desired.

Backed by horns, Weezy leans on New Orleans’ jazzy roots for “Flex Up.” He condenses his move nose-diving into motion with loads of drug references and gaudy name-drops to perk listeners’ ears up from Christina Aguilera to Slim Shady. It’s a Welcome 2 Collegrove reunion with 2 Chainz becoming a member of the sugar rush, and these guys will be capable of be part of forces with ease till their within the retirement dwelling.

Wayne wasn’t shy about his rock star needs when he made the rock pivot in 2010. Right here, Weezy glides over soothing strings whereas his guitar doubles as a lover who performed him and bought away. It’s an gratifying pay attention, however the experimental try feels misplaced on the album. “Rattling, I’d do probably the most for you/ I ought to use that bridge you bought me to recover from you,” he softly speaks in a raspy move a few former flame. A lonely Wayne taking part in the guitar in entrance of a campsite bonfire seems like the suitable setting for a visible.

The nostalgia is robust with “Banned From NO” as longtime followers will return to Weezy blacking out on No Ceilings standout “Banned From TV” whereas taking a second swipe on the N.O.R.E. traditional. Wayne growls about those that crossed in his hometown, and will probably have undertones tied to his New Orleans Tremendous Bowl snub.

Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli roars within the background all through “Maria” whereas bringing Tha Carter VI to the opera home. Wayne grabs the baton from Wyclef Jean and locks in with a shout-out to his rap hero Missy Elliott. He focuses on extra critical material, bearing on seeing his father abuse his mom and the self-inflicted gunshot wound that almost took his life. Rapping-wise, that is considered one of Weezy’s greatest performances on the album and a peek behind the tattoos, shades and recluse’s curtain.

A church choir chants “Welcome to the Carter” after which fades into the background to mix seamlessly with the holy manufacturing. Weezy effortlessly bounces off the drums whereas interpolating Diddy bars from the 1997 traditional “Victory.” Wayne lives in his personal world so it’s attainable he’s oblivious to the troubling allegations and expenses surrounding Combs.

A gospel document with shrewd sports-themed name-drops from Metta World Peace to Sean McVay and a tribute to Lakers legend Jerry West will get the stamp of approval.

Wayne throws up his B’s and slides on “Loki’s Theme.” This was a bona fide standout from C6 with classic Weezy threats repping his set till a stark flip into the rock lane to shut it out brings the unmitigated chaos. Regardless, it’s one of many memorable tunes on the album.

BigXthaPlug continues his successful streak going toe-to-toe with Wayne. He kicks off the groovy “Hip-Hop” with a good verse the place he’s feeling like 2Pac. They even duet on the refrain, which comes very sudden. “B—-s throughout me and X like Twitter, n—a,” Wayne raps with one other cheeky punchline that Wayne has made a dwelling spewing for practically three many years. Hopefully there’s extra X and Weezy collabs down the road.

A self-expression empowerment anthem, Wayne reunites with Money Cash engine Mannie Recent, who builds a tarmac for Tunechi to take flight with a soul pattern looped round flutes. If there’s one factor about Wayne, he’s at all times going to be the fullest model of himself, and never change for anyone. “Do a tune about myself that includes myself,” Wayne raps. Whereas AI continues to pop up and trigger some to take cowl in music, Weezy is assured no robotic can replicate his mind. “It may very well be AI, it nonetheless ain’t him/ And if it ain’t my YM, we ain’t them,” he spews. Weezy’s proper at dwelling on “Bein Myself.”

Wayne saves the very best for final with “Written Historical past” serving as a strong outro and last chapter to shut the ebook on C6. Kicked off by a 1974 speech from boxing legend Muhammad Ali earlier than getting into the ring in opposition to Sonny Liston for the second time.

Weezy touts his standing within the rap recreation atop the meals chain and calls out those that have tried to imitate his model, however there’s just one Tunechi. “Don’t eat the fruit with out acknowledging the label, n—a,” he raps.