Tha Carter II

iTunes Review

Tha Carter II is to Lil Wayne what Supreme Clientele is to Ghostface. Wayne had always maintained a unique style, and had made memorable, even classic, recordings in years past but Tha Carter II broke the mold. Sudenly Wayne was taking risks in his rhymes, experimenting with his voice and his cadences, using stream-of-consciousness wordplay that was at times incisive, at times incomprehensible, but never less than stimulating. Without the futuristic stutter-stepping sounds of estranged Cash Money producer Mannie Fresh, Wayne became tuned into a more soulful sound that seemed to bring out the best in his personality. Songs like “Receipt” and “Hustler Musik” embrace the moans and sweet strings of classic Seventies R&B, while the sublime “Shooter,” which unfolds in layers and hushed climaxes, bears little resemblance to typical rap song structure. As Wayne explains, “Then they ask who when where how / And my reply was simply POW!” Tha Carter II was the beginning of a whole new chapter for this New Orleans youngster, and the first time we started believing him when he proclaimed himself “the best rapper alive.”