Falcon Rating: 3.5/4

The wait is finally over! After nearly seven years, Lil Wayne has blessed the rap culture with the fifth installment of his album series Tha Carter, and I can say, it did not disappoint.

In his twelfth studio album, Wayne has not lost a step. Dropped on Wayne’s birthday late last month, Tha Carter V is a refresher for the hip-hop game, and a reminder that Weezy is not to be played with.

From the very first track, we knew that this album was unlike any other that has been released this year. However, what impressed me even more than the first song was how diverse the tracks were.

The album starts with a very emotional voicemail from Wayne’s mother, then jumps right in with a heavy hitter entitled “Don’t Cry.” Featuring the late XXXTentacion, this track set the tone for the rest of the album. Wayne’s unmistakable voice shines and shows the world that he’s still got it.

From there, the tracks only get better. From “Dedicate” all the way through “Problems,” it seems like Wayne is reinvigorating the rap game while simultaneously grabbing the attention of all of his haters.

Now, one of my only gripes with this album is the middle four or five tracks. It’s not that they lacked substance, but having already set the standard with the previous twelve tracks, I have to say, “Dope N****z” through “Dope New Gospel” were fairly dull.

However, the next three tracks are the most noteworthy in my opinion. “Perfect Strangers” transported me back to the days of Tha Carter III. The beat, along with Wayne’s crooning auto-tune made me reminisce about when I first heard “Lollipop.” The song served as an outlet for Wayne to reflect on his relationships, and the fact that sometimes being lonely is best.

In my opinion, “Used 2” is the best song on the entire album. This is the Lil Wayne we have waited seven years for. The way he jumps in and out of the pocket, as well as his bars and his delivery, make this an easy choice for me. As soon as the beat dropped, I knew that this was a special track. The hook played so well over the beat that I found myself constantly replaying it.

The next track, “Let It All Work Out,” was a solid ending. Making good use of a “Sampha” sample, Wayne reflects on his life and his rap career, including a harrowing story of how he attempted suicide. I found that this was a rather heavy-handed way to wrap an album of this style, but it worked for me. The song is a message to those who feel that there is a lot of stress and pressure on them. Sometimes, you have to let it all work out on its own.

Overall, this album was incredible. What made Tha Carter V so great was its relatability. Though coated in some very extreme references, this album speaks to the human need for love, interactions, relationships, and proving your worth. It was an important album for the culture, given the current state of hip-hop. Now that I have finished it, I can say that this will be a classic: something that people will listen to for years to come.

This piece also appears in our October 2018 print edition.