Your Black World Reports
Just minutes after his performance at the MTV Video Music Awards, Lil Wayne released his latest album, "Tha Carter IV." The album is part of a long-standing franchise that has served the artist well, leading to sales in the millions. Like him, love him or hate him, Lil Wayne is considered to be the hottest hip hop artist in the world.
But his latest album hasn't won the hearts of critics. Some seem to love it, as Steve Jones from USA Today says:
"Lil Wayne made fans wait 10 months after his release from prison for Tha Carter IV (* * * ½out of four), his much anticipated follow-up to 2008's triple-platinum Tha CarterIII. But now that it's finally here, Weezy has packed the lineup with more than enough repeat-worthy tunes to make it worth the delays."
There are others who feel that Lil Wayne has lost a wee bit of swag and creativity, such as Julian Benbow at the Boston Globe, who says that the CD is "bland" and "forgettable":
"...when you listen to “Tha Carter IV,’’ his eagerly awaited new album released today, it’s evident he’s not the same person, let alone the same rapper.
“Tha Carter III’’ and the endless stream of mixtapes that helped Wayne bend the corner from rap star to rock star were great because they were unpredictable, reckless, and urgent. He’s neutered now, though. He’s running a sober tour - no drugs, no alcohol. Before he went in, he quit drinking codeine syrup, which was like Popeye cutting back on the spinach.
“C3’’ was great because despite the unbeatable hype that went into it, Wayne managed to live up to it. Its follow-up doesn’t deserve the brand name. It’s not good or bad; it’s bland and aimless, which is worse.
With “Tha Carter IV,’’ there are only traces of the playful wit that made Wayne so interesting to begin with. On “Nightmares of the Bottom,’’ he raps, “If I would have known I was going to jail/ I would have [slept with] my attorney.’’ Beyond that, though, he has reduced himself to puns, thinking it’s clever when it’s not."
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