Tha Carter III [Explicit]

this is the future???
wht is this world comin to this is
a POP album NOT hiphop
lil wayne needs to re-find himself!!!

Look, I've been a fan of Lil Wayne's since he was a hot boy. His lyrics have never been very profound but I always liked his crazy flow, his sense of humor, and his beats (when he was working with Mannie Fresh). There isn't much debate as far as I'm concerned that Tha Carter is a great mainstream rap album and Tha Carter II is also pretty damn entertaining. Lil Wayne definitely endeared himself to fans by churning out mix tapes on what seemed like nearly a weekly basis for awhile. But the best rapper alive? come on. I know that part of being a pop rapper now is constantly talking about how great you are and I don't fault him for saying he's the best cause cockiness is the norm. However, I really can't see how anyone besides Wayne himself should is be able to say he's the best rapper alive with a straight face. His rhymes lately are nothing but analogies like "I'm ____ as____" or "I'm higher than ____". After awhile it gets really, really repetitive and just downright boring. Don't get me wrong, I don't want to hate on him too much. I had been anticipating the release of Tha Carter III and thought some of the leaked songs were great. But this record is really a letdown for me. It sounds like something Yung Joc or some other crap pop rapper would put out. I think lollipop is one of the WORST Wayne songs I've ever heard and after listening to the album 3-4 times I still just couldn't find anything that I could really vibe to. Is this a terrible record? No, not compared to most of the garbage hip hop playing on the radio and MTV these days. But I think it might be his worst and I just expected more from Wayne quite frankly. Not cause he is a brilliant lyricist, cause he's not. But because he has delivered some really entertaining rhymes and regardless of how overhyped he is now, he does have talent. Too bad you would never know that by listening to Tha Carter III.

This is by far the worst album have purchased in about 10 years. Definitely part of my negative response is
due to the fact that SO many people have bought this album and reviewed it as being great.

The beats are standard 808-style drum patterns and drops. Boring, repetitive, hooks and loops.
Standard "club" beats and sounds, the only place where this album sounds good is the same place where you think its a good idea to pay 11 bucks for a drink and take that skeezy girl home.

The lyrics are by far the worst I have heard on such a hyped album. Completely unimaginative.
THEY DON'T MAKE SENSE! Nothing intelligible as a clear thought on this album.

DO NOT BUY. THIS IS A TERRIBLE ALBUM AND WE SHOULD DISCOURAGE THIS TYPE OF PRODUCTION VALUE!

go find some decent albums. the new game is good. the new ice cube is good. Elzhi is really interesting and fresh.

I bought this cd after hearing a fews ssongs on MTV, but mainly because of hearing how many people bought and loved it! I myself wasn't impressed. I like 3 songs, and the rest I could do without. I wish I'd saved a lil money and just downloaded the good stuff!

Basically, I find it hard to call The Carter 3 Lil' Wayne's best work, but it definitely not his worst. Overall though, he puts forth good effort and unless you absolutely HATE lil wayne, you'll enjoy at least some of this album. It starts strong and finishes out nicely but it definitely is like nothing else wayne has done in the past.

3 Peat - good intro. maestro delivers a great opening beat for this track. lil wayne rhymes pretty hard on this, but as you will see on this album, he is clearly influenced heavily by drugs and his flow often jumps around. But still, this is a pretty good rap song (4.5/5)

Mr. Carter - These are some of Wayne's best lyrics you'll find on the album (at least his first verse). his lyrics get kinda weird as the song goes on though and the beat becomes repetitive. I don't think Jay-Z is that good on this track, but thats just my opinion. Personally this isn't one of my favorites (4/5)

A Millie - This song kind of sums up the album; weird but good sounding. and it is definitely a love/hate song. Most people either love or hate a millie. No question it bumps incredibly hard. Wayne's lyrics are good on the first verse, but i usually skip the rest of the song. He often gets off on a tangent while rapping and doesn't have enough focus. This song is basically about nothing, but that doesn't stop me from bumping it in my car. (4/5)

Got Money - To be honest, i hated this song when i first heard it. but i have grown to like it. the voice auto-tune thing gets pretty annoying though. If i was on as many drugs as Wayne i might like it more. But i have to say, Lil Wayne and T-pain are a pretty good combo, even though i don't really like T Pain. But again, this songs lyrics are about nothing. Money, hoes etc. Its definitely a track aimed mainly at radio and clubs. (4/5)

Comfortable - One the better songs on the album. It is kind of a guy's version of Beyonce's "Irreplaceable". Kanye West does a great production on the beat. Plus, Lil Wayne's lyrics are actually pretty good. Baby Face says 'don't take our love for granted... if you don't love me, someone else will'. It's not exactly a love song, but has a good message. (5/5)

Dr. Carter - A different song. Not the type of thing you'd hear on most rap albums. The lyrics are about doctoring and fixing hip-hop and the rappers that are ruining it. He is good lyrically here but, he comes off kinda conceited. His cockiness on this album is at an all time high. Maybe he is the best rapper out right now, but i could do without all the arrogance (4.5/5)

Phone Home - This is what i was talking about when i said this album was weird. Just sit back and listen to the lyrics. Wayne is such an unorthodox rapper. You can be the judge of whether he's good or not, but there is definitely no father to his style (4/5)

Tie My Hands - The message of this song is very good. Wayne shows he can do more than come up with crazy, weird lyrics with no meaning. However, i think on of the reasons this album gets such a wide range of opinions is because the music is so versatile. This song is like nothing else on the album. But that doesn't make it good. Personally, i get tired of Robin Thick on this song, and the slow guitar beat is not the kinda rap beat I'm looking for. It's good for a listen or two, but ultimately i think it's skippable (3/5)

Mrs. Officer - This is a funny track. Not your average rap song. He raps about a sexy lady cop. It's nothing amazing, but the beat is good and Bobby Valentino does the chorus nicely. Not much else to say about this song (4/5)

Let The Beat Build - A creative track by Kanye West. Wayne's lyrics are pretty random and not really about anything, but the beat is what this track good. It does get repetitive i think, but so do a lot of rap songs. The song builds up as it goes on, like the title suggests. The lyrics could be better, but still its good. (3.5/5)

Shoot Me Again - Not a big fan off the quiet snare beat. The chorus is okay, and the verses are mediocre. Overall this is one of the worst songs on the album because of the beat, lyrics and his overall cockiness. But i don't think Lil Wayne really cares. he has enough money to make songs like this and still be rich (3/5)

Lollipop - Self explanatory. The main reason, I'd say, why the album is loved/hated. The beat is soft and sexy while the bass knocks. Kinda songs like the theme music in the movie "28 Days Later". Even though it has a good beat and catchy chorus, the lyrics still are lacking. They are simple, not usually his style and delivered over that auto-tune voice effect thing. It's not THAT bad, but its definitely not THAT good either. (3.5/5)

La La - Great beat by David Banner. Wayne's lyrics are not his best, but still good compared to a lot of the album. The guest appearances, Busta Rhymes and Brisco, are okay. The beat part of this song is the chorus and how hard it bumps (4/5)

Playing With Fire - Boring. The lyrics are repetitive, arrogant and overall ridiculous. The beat sucks. nothing else to say. easily the worst track on the album. It's almost not even rap, just talking over a very slow beat. Not a good rolling stones sample at all, either. This is by far the least creative track on the album, but some people still love. Idk why (2/5)

You Ain't Got Nothin' - I had originally heard this song on a Lil' Wayne/Juelz Santana mixtape. It only had their verses in it. I gotta say, even though I'm a Dipset fan, Juelz verse sucked. Lil Wayne's verse is better, but nothing out of the ordinary (when you consider none of wayne's work is ordinary). Fabolous is by far the best on this song. His verse is clever, funny, and entirely crazy. I didn't really think too much of this song, but it has grown over time. (4.5/5)

Misunderstood - Lyrically better than about half of the album. The song goes on for about 4-5 minutes and then wayne just starts talking. What he says is meaningful and interesting, but it didn't need to be 9 minutes long! He just rambles off, unscripted, and eventually insults Al Sharpton. Whether or not you agree with lil Wayne, he is the ultimate example of free speech and he does it with style. (4/5)

*Bonus Tracks:
Lollipop Remix
Prostitute Flange 2
-nothing to get too excited about. they are both okay remixes.

Overall the Carter III does it's best to live up to mixtapes prior to it's release. Some of it is better, some of it is worse. The sheer randomness of all the tracks on this album make it hard to say it's lil wayne's best album. No way is it an instant classic. Maybe people will look back years later and say that, but not now. Furthermore, it is not that bad either. So many people complain, but lil wayne is probably one of the best rappers alive right now (RIP 2Pac, Biggie, Mac Dre, Eazy E, Freeky Tah, Bloodshed, and of course Big Punisher). Whether you like lil wayne or not, you can't deny that he is on top right now. I guess we'll see what the future holds...