Lil' Wayne - The Carter II Album Review

As expected, this highly anticipated album starts out with a bang. The first track features Lil' Wayne at his best, flowing for a solid five minutes with no hook. After setting the stage with such an impressive display of clever lyrics laced over an effective beat, Wayne continues his dominance consistently over for the entire life of the album.

Twisting and turning through a variety of production styles, Lil' Wayne parades through each song with ease. Highlighted by the thematic, self-serving Best Rapper Alive and the funky but message-laden Shooter, Tha Carter II shines on all levels. The bar has obviously been raised for this Cash Money Millionaire, as his lyrical content and flavor have improved significantly. Wayne showcases this new level of efficiency mostly on tracks like Fly In, Carter II and Fly Out, which coincidentally all share the same instrumental. This gives the album some extra fluidity, adding even more to the impressive continuance of musical artistry.

Many releases from the Cash Money stable tend to be heavy in skits and filler tracks. This is not the case with Tha Carter II. Only three skits are featured on the album and they are all short and sweet. This was a pleasant surprise and it helps to effectively showcase the true talent of the artist.

Overall, Tha Carter II is a certified head-turning, "did he just say that?" type of album. Lil' Wayne's inventive style coupled with the always impressive production expected from a Cash Money album creates the perfect setting for a superior product. Any true fan of hip-hop needs to put this album in the rotation. Don't miss out on one of today's best rappers at the top of his game.

Final Rating: 4 Stars

Explanation of rating scale:
5 Stars = Instant Classic
4 Stars = Superior
3 Stars = Good, but I've heard better
2 Stars = Average
1 Star = Waste of Time