Compared to the albums he's released under the name "Tha Carter", Lil Wayne's I Am Not a Human Being series is noticeably looser. The quality control is certainly above mixtape or street-release level, but stray tracks and "Carter" leftovers are given their homes here, while the overall album flow is allowed to be reckless. Here, Weezy's wisecracking rebel songs get bunched together, coming off as redundant blasts of evil genius narcisswagger, where flaccid penises are "sleeping giants," codeine, promithazene, and weed are the recommended vitamins, and spending your birthday in jail ain't no biggie because the Playboy Mansion can always reschedule. In other words, he lives on this earth but this stopgap release's title is apt, and also believable, since Wayne's real world bio plays more like a comic book origin story, being raised by surrogate father Birdman in the halls of Cash Money. Bundle that background with stunning talent, true wit, and a John Holmes level of cocksure, and it doesn't matter that the bedroom-bragging "Curtains" is next to the conquest-listing "Days and Days," because the first has a rock-solid hook and pop-rap craftsmanship, while the second has a 2 Chainz feature and "You know I'm on that grass/Don't turn on the sprinkles" amongst its many quotables. 2 Chainz is back for more boasting on "Rich as Fuck," a winner with an enticing and eerie beat from T-Minus. Producer Mike WILL Made-It offers a posh and radio-friendly version of the traditional swagger track, covering the "good kush and alcohol" number "Love Me" in sounds so buttery smooth that hitmakers Drake and Future sound wonderfully couch-locked and comfortable. Brilliant single "My Homies Still" is only on the Deluxe version, in frustrating "it's not really an official, official album" fashion, and yet all this redundancy and the scattershot complaints become minor when the album breaks character and gives up surprising diversions like power-baller "Back to You" (rap-rock that really works), the raw, Dirty South winner "Wowzers" (diva Trina wants sex "till' daybreak, then you can go skate"), and the quite good political commentary sketchbook dubbed "God Bless Amerika" ("I saw a butterfly in hell" might not read well, but the way it's dropped in the song is superb). This is an indulgent jumble of a sideline release, but that doesn't mean Wayne isn't in fine form. He is, and anyone with four Carters already on their shelves will certainly want this one. [A clean version of the disc was also released.]

Compared to the albums he's released under the name "Tha Carter", Lil Wayne's I Am Not a Human Being series is noticeably looser. The quality control is certainly above mixtape or street-release level, but stray tracks and "Carter" leftovers are given their homes here, while the overall album flow is allowed to be reckless. Here, Weezy's wisecracking rebel songs get bunched together, coming off as redundant blasts of evil genius narcisswagger, where flaccid penises are "sleeping giants," codeine, promithazene, and weed are the recommended vitamins, and spending your birthday in jail ain't no biggie because the Playboy Mansion can always reschedule. In other words, he lives on this earth but this stopgap release's title is apt, and also believable, since Wayne's real world bio plays more like a comic book origin story, being raised by surrogate father Birdman in the halls of Cash Money. Bundle that background with stunning talent, true wit, and a John Holmes level of cocksure, and it doesn't matter that the bedroom-bragging "Curtains" is next to the conquest-listing "Days and Days," because the first has a rock-solid hook and pop-rap craftsmanship, while the second has a 2 Chainz feature and "You know I'm on that grass/Don't turn on the sprinkles" amongst its many quotables. 2 Chainz is back for more boasting on "Rich as Fuck," a winner with an enticing and eerie beat from T-Minus. Producer Mike WILL Made-It offers a posh and radio-friendly version of the traditional swagger track, covering the "good kush and alcohol" number "Love Me" in sounds so buttery smooth that hitmakers Drake and Future sound wonderfully couch-locked and comfortable. Brilliant single "My Homies Still" is only on the Deluxe version, in frustrating "it's not really an official, official album" fashion, and yet all this redundancy and the scattershot complaints become minor when the album breaks character and gives up surprising diversions like power-baller "Back to You" (rap-rock that really works), the raw, Dirty South winner "Wowzers" (diva Trina wants sex "till' daybreak, then you can go skate"), and the quite good political commentary sketchbook dubbed "God Bless Amerika" ("I saw a butterfly in hell" might not read well, but the way it's dropped in the song is superb). This is an indulgent jumble of a sideline release, but that doesn't mean Wayne isn't in fine form. He is, and anyone with four Carters already on their shelves will certainly want this one. [A clean version of the disc was also released.]

How Tha Carter III came to be "the most anticipated rap album of 2008" is a story that involves the usual delays and promises of a masterpiece, plus a whole lot of bullet points that could only exist in the absurd world of Lil Wayne. There's his complete annihilation of the mixtape game, the ridiculous amount of guest shots he granted since Tha Carter II made him a hip-hop superstar, that photograph of him kissing his mentor, Birdman, rumors of addiction to the sizzurp, plus the gargantuan ego and aggravating aloofness (Wayne will ignore all incoming beefs and infuriate challengers even further by offering the lethal "I don't listen to your records"). His "best rapper alive" quote is discussed to death, but if that claim includes creating perfectly crafted full-lengths in a 2Pac style, the evidence won't be found here. Tha Carter III is instead a surprisingly casual album that takes numerous listens to sort out, and only part of a puzzle that is scattered across mixtapes, guest shots, and Internet leaks. Had he included another easy-access single like "Rider" from The Drought Is Over, Pt. 4 -- just one of his mixtape series that made it to a Pt. 5 -- the "classic" argument could be considered, but figuring out what to sacrifice from this high-grade jumble is difficult. It wouldn't be the electro-bumpin' "Lollipop," an infectious track that contains the wonderfully Wayne line "I told her to back it up/Like burp, burp." You certainly wouldn't want to lose key cut "Phone Home," where the maverick adopts an alien voice and drops "I could get your brains for a bargain/Like I bought it from Target." Another Weezy special from way outside the hip-hop universe comes in the striking "Dr. Carter," when the football reference "And you ain't Vince Young/So don't clash with the Titan" dances on a David Axelrod sample and an unexpected jazzy production from Swizz Beatz. Giant meets giant when Jay-Z stops by for the velvet-smooth hangout session "Mr. Carter," and with Babyface laying the stylish swagger all over "Comfortable," Wayne gets the opportunity to convincingly vibe in the land of true class. Just like on Tha Carter II, Robin Thicke ends up the most complementary guest, coating Wayne's post-Katrina tale "Tie My Hands" in warm buttery soul. As the track flows from political commentary ("My whole city's underwater, some people still floatin'/And they wonderin' why black people still votin'/Cuz your President's still chokin'") to despair and onto some moving "keep your head up"-styled verse, it proves Wayne can go deep and connect with his audience if he chooses. You can fault him for not connecting enough on the album and further complicating his unmanageable body of work with this disjointed effort, but Wayne's true masterpiece is the bigger picture and how he's flipped the script since the first Carter rolled out. Filled with bold, entertaining wordplay and plenty of well-executed, left-field ideas, Tha Carter III should be considered as a wild, somewhat difficult child of Weezy's magnum opus in motion, one that allows the listener an exhilarating and unapologetic taste of artistic freedom. [Tha Carter III was also made available in a Deluxe Edition featuring the once download-only EP The Leak as a bonus CD. This Deluxe Edition was also offered in a clean version, with all explicit material removed.]

How Tha Carter III came to be "the most anticipated rap album of 2008" is a story that involves the usual delays and promises of a masterpiece, plus a whole lot of bullet points that could only exist in the absurd world of Lil Wayne. There's his complete annihilation of the mixtape game, the ridiculous amount of guest shots he granted since Tha Carter II made him a hip-hop superstar, that photograph of him kissing his mentor, Birdman, rumors of addiction to the sizzurp, plus the gargantuan ego and aggravating aloofness (Wayne will ignore all incoming beefs and infuriate challengers even further by offering the lethal "I don't listen to your records"). His "best rapper alive" quote is discussed to death, but if that claim includes creating perfectly crafted full-lengths in a 2Pac style, the evidence won't be found here. Tha Carter III is instead a surprisingly casual album that takes numerous listens to sort out, and only part of a puzzle that is scattered across mixtapes, guest shots, and Internet leaks. Had he included another easy-access single like "Rider" from The Drought Is Over, Pt. 4 -- just one of his mixtape series that made it to a Pt. 5 -- the "classic" argument could be considered, but figuring out what to sacrifice from this high-grade jumble is difficult. It wouldn't be the electro-bumpin' "Lollipop," an infectious track that contains the wonderfully Wayne line "I told her to back it up/Like burp, burp." You certainly wouldn't want to lose key cut "Phone Home," where the maverick adopts an alien voice and drops "I could get your brains for a bargain/Like I bought it from Target." Another Weezy special from way outside the hip-hop universe comes in the striking "Dr. Carter," when the football reference "And you ain't Vince Young/So don't clash with the Titan" dances on a David Axelrod sample and an unexpected jazzy production from Swizz Beatz. Giant meets giant when Jay-Z stops by for the velvet-smooth hangout session "Mr. Carter," and with Babyface laying the stylish swagger all over "Comfortable," Wayne gets the opportunity to convincingly vibe in the land of true class. Just like on Tha Carter II, Robin Thicke ends up the most complementary guest, coating Wayne's post-Katrina tale "Tie My Hands" in warm buttery soul. As the track flows from political commentary ("My whole city's underwater, some people still floatin'/And they wonderin' why black people still votin'/Cuz your President's still chokin'") to despair and onto some moving "keep your head up"-styled verse, it proves Wayne can go deep and connect with his audience if he chooses. You can fault him for not connecting enough on the album and further complicating his unmanageable body of work with this disjointed effort, but Wayne's true masterpiece is the bigger picture and how he's flipped the script since the first Carter rolled out. Filled with bold, entertaining wordplay and plenty of well-executed, left-field ideas, Tha Carter III should be considered as a wild, somewhat difficult child of Weezy's magnum opus in motion, one that allows the listener an exhilarating and unapologetic taste of artistic freedom. [Tha Carter III was also made available in a Deluxe Edition featuring the once download-only EP The Leak as a bonus CD. This Deluxe Edition was also offered in a clean version, with all explicit material removed.]

I Am Not a Human Being is the eighth studio album by American rapper Lil Wayne; it had a digital release on September 27, 2010 and on Compact Disc on October 12, 2010, by Young Money Entertainment, Cash Money Records, and Universal Motown. It was recorded prior to Wayne's eight-month prison term for criminal possession of a weapon. Production for the album was handled by Wayne and several record producers, including Boi-1da, Cool & Dre, StreetRunner, Noah "40" Shebib and DJ Infamous, among others.
Upon its release, I Am Not a Human Being received generally favorable reviews from music critics, who drew comparisons to Wayne's earlier works. The album debuted at number two on the U.S. Billboard 200, based on its first-week digital sales alone. Following its physical release, it topped the chart, becoming Lil Wayne's second US number-one album and the first studio album since Tupac Shakur's Me Against the World in 1995 to reach the top slot on the Billboard 200 while its artist was jailed. Its lead single "Right Above It" became a top-ten hit in the United States. The album has been certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America.

Rebirth is the seventh studio album by American rapper Lil Wayne, released February 2, 2010, on Cash Money Records, Young Money Entertainment and Universal Motown. Originally set to be released in early 2009 before several delays, the album was produced primarily by Cool & Dre, DJ Infamous, DJ Nasty & LVM, Kevin Rudolf, and J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League. Rebirth was promoted as Wayne's rock music debut, though it includes some hip hop tracks.
The album debuted at number two on the US Billboard 200 chart, selling 176,000 copies in its first week. It became Wayne's seventh top-ten album in the United States and produced four singles that attained Billboard chart success. Upon its release, Rebirth received generally negative reviews from most music critics. It has been certified gold in sales by the Recording Industry Association of America, with domestic shipment of 500,000 copies.

Rebirth is the seventh studio album by American rapper Lil Wayne, released February 2, 2010, on Cash Money Records, Young Money Entertainment and Universal Motown. Originally set to be released in early 2009 before several delays, the album was produced primarily by Cool & Dre, DJ Infamous, DJ Nasty & LVM, Kevin Rudolf, and J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League. Rebirth was promoted as Wayne's rock music debut, though it includes some hip hop tracks.
The album debuted at number two on the US Billboard 200 chart, selling 176,000 copies in its first week. It became Wayne's seventh top-ten album in the United States and produced four singles that attained Billboard chart success. Upon its release, Rebirth received generally negative reviews from most music critics. It has been certified gold in sales by the Recording Industry Association of America, with domestic shipment of 500,000 copies.

Tha Carter III is the sixth studio album by American rapper Lil Wayne, released on June 10, 2008, by Cash Money and Universal Motown. It follows a long string of mixtape releases and guest appearances on other hip hop and R&B artists records, helping to increase his exposure in the mainstream. The album's cover art features a baby picture of Wayne and is similar to covers of hip hop albums such as Nas's Illmatic and Notorious B.I.G.'s Ready to Die. Amid release delays and leaks, Tha Carter III became one of the most anticipated releases of 2008.
The album debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200 chart, selling 1,005,545 copies in its first week. It reached sales of 2.88 million copies by the end of 2008 and produced four singles that achieved chart success, including the international hit "Lollipop" and Billboard hits "A Milli", "Got Money", and "Mrs. Officer". Tha Carter III received acclaim from music critics upon its release and earned Lil Wayne several accolades. It has been certified triple-platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America and has sold 3.6 million copies in the United States.

Cash Money's rise and fall has been talked to death, but it's important to note that the 2006 collaboration between Birdman (Cash Money CEO) and Lil Wayne (Birdman's "surrogate son" and Cash Money's president) lands while the label is on the upswing. Critically, they're doing better than ever, respected in a way they weren't back when they had Juvenile and Mannie Fresh. The biggest reason of all is Lil Wayne's Tha Carter 2, so Birdman bumps him up to president and suddenly the rapper who was evolving with more complex lyrics, strange vocal rhythms, and risky production choices is creative director of the label that used be the down-low dirty-dirty. Like Father, Like Son is a celebration of Wayne and Cash Money's success, a testament to the allegiance the two feel toward each other, and most likely a way for Birdman to set Wayne on the right path as label boss. When it came to singles, Tha Carter 2 stalled after the leadoff "Fireman," so it's no big surprise this album is filled with hooks, infectious beats, and that trunk-rumbling weekend music Cash Money was built on. Synthesized horns blast out "Stuntin' Like My Daddy"'s triumphant melody, while the instantly gripping "Know What I'm Doing" works because it's keep-it-simple-stupid swagger music like the Big Tymers used to kick. Birdman might be reinforcing what Cash Money was built on, but he's well aware of his boy's talent and gives the freedom-craving, forward-looking baller adequate room to roam. The woozy "Leather So Soft" had to be Wayne's idea, "Army Gunz" features one of his most broken deliveries yet, and on the title track he offers, "I'll put you niggas in the closet in the shirt space/Niggas yellow like Sesame Street's Bert face." Production comes primarily from TMIX -- the UGK-sampling "1st Key" is his masterwork -- although Scott Storch stops by for the so-so "You Ain't Know," a great argument the beat-maker is spread too thin in his prolific 2006. The mix of familiar and strange is fascinating, the team-up feels like family, and at 20 tracks long, the album doesn't wear out its welcome. There's probably too much get money/stack-paper for those who want Wayne to speak on the injustices New Orleans has suffered post-Katrina, or to get to work on "Tha Carter 3", but that's not what Like Father, Like Son is about. This is the sure sound of Cash Money steadying the ship and getting back on course. [Like Father, Like Son was also made available with a bonus CD with five extra tracks including the guitar-filled "Rock Remix" of "Stuntin' Like My Daddy" and "Shooter," Lil Wayne's excellent collaboration with Robin Thicke.]

Tha Carter II is the fifth studio album by American rapper Lil Wayne, released on December 6, 2005, by Cash Money, Young Money, and Universal. The album serves as a sequel to his fourth album Tha Carter. Its music incorporates southern hip hop styles. As executive producers, Birdman and Ronald "Slim" Williams enlisted a variety of collaborators, including The Runners, Robin Thicke, and The Heatmakerz.
Upon its release, Tha Carter II received generally favorable reviews from music critics, who complimented its musical progression from his previous albums. The album peaked at number two on the U.S. Billboard 200 for first week sales of over 254,000 copies. The album has sold over 1,400,000 copies since its release.