(ThyBlackMan.com) DeWayne Carter is one of the most prolific rappers ever. Some people may even say that he is the greatest of all time. That is a discussion for another day. Today, we are taking a look at a very small, although most important part of Lil Waynes album and mixtape catalogue. Even though many fans love his mixtape work more than some of Tha Carter series, you will find Lil Wayne at his very best in these more focused albums.
Tha Carter V – 2018
This is most recent offering of the series. The release came a ridiculous seven years after Tha Carter IV. The reason for the delay was his legal battle with Cash Money head honcho, Birdman, over unpaid money that he earned. Although I feel that this is something that affected this album, I do think that Tha Carter V proved that he hasn’t missed a beat and that he is still one of the top rappers alive despite his absence.
Don’t get me wrong, even though Tha Carter V ranks last in Tha Carter series, it is still better than 80% of albums that are released today. The album has features from Gucci Mane, 2 Chainz, Kendrick Lamar, and more.
Key Songs: Mona Lisa ft. Kendrick Lamar, Open Letter, Don’t Cry ft. XXXTENTACION
Tha Carter IV – 2011
This album came after the album that made Lil Wayne a household name. Even though throughout Tha Carter series, his actual rapping skills got better, his song making and hit making took a hit compared to Tha Carter III. This album is still very enjoyable as we saw Lil Wayne attempt to mix the more commercial Tha Carter III with his top-notch mixtape style. To a certain extent, it didn’t hit and didn’t live up to the expectations that people gave him after Tha Carter III. The album has features from Drake, Rick Ross, John Legend, and more.
Key Songs: 6 Foot 7 Foot ft. Cory Gunz, She Will ft. Drake, How to Love
Tha Carter – 2004
Where it all began. The first entry of Tha Carter series saw Lil Wayne transition from one of the most popular members of The Hotboys to lead artist on the legendary Cash Money label. Many people wondered what he had to offer without Juvenile and BG, and boy did Lil Wayne silence his critics. Of Tha Carter series’ albums, this is Lil Wayne at his rawest and purest. Coming off the momentum that he established from his mixtape tear in the early 2000s, he showed that he can rap bar to bar with the more lyrical northern rappers while keeping the southern flair that moved hip hop forward around this period. The album has features from Baby (Birdman), Mannie Fresh, and Jazze Pha.
Key Songs: Go DJ, I Miss My Dawgs, Hoes ft. Mannie Fresh
Tha Carter III – 2008
Arguably the most important entry into Tha Carter series and the album that cemented Lil Wayne at the top of hip hop for some time. Led by the hit song Lollipop, many songs on this album became instant classics. Lil Wayne’s most commercial album out of Tha Carter series sees him hop into his singing bag and even expand some of the topics that he raps about, giving the album a little more variety. This album has features from Jay Z, Robin Thicke, Static Major, and others.
Key Songs: Mr. Cater ft. Jay Z, A Milli, Lollipop ft. Static Major
Tha Carter II – 2005
Not only the best album of Tha Carter series but one of my top 10 albums of all time. Start this album at “Tha Mobb” and don’t stop listening until the end of “Fly Out”. This album is just that good. What sets this album apart from the others in the series is the high quality of every song. The beats set a whole mood and knows when to change it up and how to change it up to keep it fresh. At the time, some of his flows and rapping patterns were unheard of in southern hip hop. The album has features from Robin Thicke, Curren$y, Birdman, and others.
Key Songs: Money On My Mind, Best Rapper Alive, Hustler Musik
Staff Writer; Tardell Swift
This brother is new to writing yet has many different interests such as gaming, hip hop, wrestling, and manga.
You can follow him on Twitter; PhirewoodGaming and keep up with his thoughts there as well.