Lil Wayne’s album “Tha Carter V,” which dropped on Sept. 28, has already hit the top of the Billboard charts. This is Wayne’s fourth number one album following “Tha Carter III,” “I Am Not a Human Being” and “The Carter IV.” The hype surrounding this release was foreseen, as the rap icon has been brewing the album for over six years. The stalled release was due to a legal dispute with Weezy’s label Cash Money Records and boss Birdman. While Wayne reports that both he and his creativity were “being held prisoner,” many mainstream rap fans were left wondering where Weezy went.
In reality, he didn’t go anywhere. Although blocked by Cash Money from appearing on streaming services and therefore stunting its success, he released the “Free Weezy Album” in 2015. He has continued touring and collaborating with other artists leading up to the grand release this fall. With 23 tracks and 87 minutes of beats, “The Carter V” is a masterpiece that was worth the wait. Featuring big names like Kendrick Lamar, Nicki Minaj, Travis Scott and Snoop Dog, the album is the epitome of rap music for the decade.
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Here’s VALLEY’s list of the top “Tha Carter V” songs that are worth a listen.
Mona Lisa
This track is full of exciting and hypothetical storytelling as well as a feature from icon Kendrick Lamar, with each rapper voicing a different side of the plot. The premise involves a woman, Liz, who deceitfully sets up her “boyfriend” for robbery. The song is captivating and fun to listen to, providing a balance to the heavier subjects of the other tracks. This song spotlights the comical word play that Wayne is known for; most famously, his lyrics,“They started French kissin’ / So he didn’t see moi.”
Open Letter
“Open Letter” is exactly that: an open letter from Wayne to his family, friends, fans and some may argue, himself. He discusses his struggles with self-hatred and suicidal thoughts. At the end of the track, Wayne’s mother makes another appearance, giving her advice after discovering he is having a child with Toya Wright. Wayne makes illusions to the birth of his daughter giving him newfound purpose, but his mind is still in pain.
“Even though I make it look easy
But understand looks are deceiving
Lookin’ like I’m lookin’ for some grievance
‘Cause I been through way too much, don’t wanna think about it
Cranky ’bout it, gotta drink about it
Gotta synchronize it, tranquilize it
Doctor ain’t prescribin’ what he ain’t realizin’
Pain inside me got me thinkin’ ’bout me
Tryna hang my body, sanctifyin’
I’m a gangsta dyin’ ’cause all gangsters die.”
Let It All Work Out
“Let It All Work Out” is the final song of the album. It is lyrically dense, raw, and honestly describes Lil Wayne’s childhood suicide attempt. Wayne told Billboard that his suicidal thoughts were triggered by his mother not allowing him to rap when he was originally presented with a record deal from Cash Money Records. Wayne is so committed to his craft he is willing to die for it. The lyrics speak for themselves when he says,
“I found my momma’s pistol where she always hide it
I cried, put it to my head, and thought about it
Nobody was home to stop me, so I called my auntie
Hung up, then put the gun up to my heart and pondered
Too much was on my conscience to be smart about it
Too torn apart about it, I aimed where my heart was pounding
I shot it, and I woke up with blood all around me
It’s mine, I didn’t die, but as I was dying
God came to my side and we talked about it
He sold me another life and he made a profit.”
Listen to the full album below!
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