An automatic rap hall-of-famer, Lil Wayne has carved his legacy into hip-hop history as the most productive artist in the genre. A generational artist with an overbearing work ethic, Wayne made sure his fanbase was constantly fed with new music whether it was a full-length album or a loosely-tied mixtape. Quantity was never an issue in regards to Wayne’s catalog but the debate intensifies when the conversation reaches quality.
Though it’s a good problem to have, we as fans struggle to find the line that divides Wayne’s mixtape catalog and his album showcase. Wayne is celebrated for having one of the strongest mixtape discographies of all time but it’s a shame to see some of his official albums get swept under the rug. Albeit a lot of his records didn’t receive the best critical reception at the time, we want to go back and sort through Wayne’s album list and rank his work from worst to first to see just how well some of these joints hold up today.
13. Rebirth (2010)
This may go down as one of the most peculiar instances of an artist trying to break the hip-hop mould they’ve shelled into. At a point where he was considered one of the biggest artists on the planet, Weezy sought to find the source of his next wave of inspiration. With a newfound love of skateboarding, Weezy rekindled an interest in rock music to compliment his newly adopted style – and to celebrate it, he dropped an album littered with rock-and-roll meshes. Just as one would expect, Rebirth performed awfully in regards to fan and critical reception. The album did spawn some chart toppers to suppress the negativity but at a time where the music industry was reaching a virtual recession, anything that Wayne could’ve put out at this time would’ve garnered high attention.
Best tracks: “Drop the World”, “On Fire”, “I’ll Die for You”
12. I Am Not a Human Being (2010)
In response to the negative reception garnered by Rebirth, Weezy would drop another record in the same year, this time, more geared towards his rapper persona. By this time, it was evident that Wayne was trying to branch out of his hip-hop roots in order to find satisfaction in something else. While the record wasn’t as bad as its rock-fueled forefunner, I Am Not a Human Being still came with a fair amount of duds. What really helped this record succeed were the records featuring his newly assembled Young Money squad, and of course, the Drake-assisted tracks would take all of the shine. It helped get Weezy back on his feet but I Am Not A Human Being was only good in minor glimpses.
Best tracks: “Right Above It”, “With You”, “That Ain’t Me”
11. Lights Out (2000)
Following the success of his solo debut, Weezy would deliver another product manufactured from the Cash Money machine, only this time it wouldn’t have the same effect as its predecessor. The album saw somewhat of an upgrade in terms of critical reception, but by this point it was clear that Cash Money was heavily depending on its formulaic approach to make sales. This never really hurt the quality of the records released under the imprint, but Weezy was playing the backup to Juvenile and the Big Tymers who were the heavy hitters of the label.
This wasn’t the Weezy that we know and love today, but there were hints of it all over the record. Since Wayne was the young prodigy, they figured he’ll be fine if they could catch lighting in a bottle again but evidently it didn’t work out that way.
Best tracks: “Shine”, “Everything”, “On the Grind”
10. I Am Not a Human Being II (2013)
There’s no in between when it comes to the perception of this record: it’s either seen as a great project or a horrible record. You would think that Wayne got the message about I Am Not a Human Being and would stray from a sequel but alas, here we are. The album featured some of the biggest names in the industry at the time along with some Young Money lightweights, which perfect describes the contrast of the album. On one hand, generational singles were spawned that could still control a club setting today; but on the other end, we see a shameless amount of throwaway tracks that question what Wayne was thinking when he added them to the tracklist.
I Am Not a Human Being II is so polarizing that it’s genuinely hard to determine a consistent spot for it on an array of lists like this. And if you think no single is able to uplift a record to these limited heights, then you weren’t outside for the “Love Me” impact.
Best tracks: “Love Me”, “Rich as Fuck”, “No Worries”
9. Funeral (2020)
Finally closing the chapter to Tha Carter V chapter of his life, it was time for Weezy to figure out his next move. Fortunately, it doesn’t take much to get Weezy in the studio as he whipped up a beefy offering to keep the momentum going. Funeral was over an hour of Weezy rapping his heart out, leaving no room for any track to breathe. Lyrically, it was as if Wayne had never went on hiatus, sharpening his flow on a mesh of trap beats and singing collaborations. While it was nice to see a legend like Wayne enjoy his hobby-turned-job once again, the track list for this record felt very bloated as it featured twenty-four complete songs.
There’s a bit of irony to the fact that the undisputed mixtape king struggled with a swollen setlist but the throwaways weren’t necessarily bad, just a bit forgettable. Nonetheless, the list length was justified as a tribute to the late Kobe Byrant (who shared a great relationship with the NOLA vet) so we can’t be too mad at the end of the day.
Best tracks: “Mahogany”, “Piano Trap”, “Bing James”
8. 500 Degreez (2002)
As Cash Money began to shift into a future without Juvenile and B.G., the label looked towards Wayne to serve as the new face of the company. Wayne was up for the challenge but Baby and Slim knew it would be hard to shake his persona as the “Drop It Like It’s Hot” kid at the time. In effort to get the label moving again, Wayne and the Cash Money team crafted what was seen as the successor to the Juvenile era that defined its sound. 500 Degreez isn’t the traditional ode that fully pays homage – it acknowledges the importance of its foundation all while trying to keep the movement alive.
In terms of the album’s quality, Weezy understood the assignment and took over as he tried to establish a superstar presence. That wouldn’t be achieved with this record in particular as the once-infamous NOLA bounce began to dye out, taking this album out with it as a casualty. It didn’t help at the time but this would light the spark that was Weezy’s reinvention as he geared up to work on this next album, Tha Carter. The rest as you know it is history.
Best tracks: “Way of Life”, “Where Ya At”, “500 Degreez”
7. Tha Block Is Hot (1999)
Taking the questionable cover out of consideration, Lil Wayne’s solo debut record was definitely better than history recalls. Following a blockbuster introduction as a member of the Hot Boyz, Wayne quickly rose as a fan favorite among his band members (yes, the Hot Boyz are a band, fight me). His first offering away from the group was orchestrated in favor of the young emcee’s high energy deliver and charisma. It was clear from the get go that Baby and Slim had a special case on their hands when it got to the deep cuts of the record.
Tha Block Is Hot would go on to perform well among the charts, but the general consensus was that Wayne would be another young phenomenon who would fall in the shadow of his elders – Juvie and B.G. As a result, the album’s longevity would sink in a sea of doubt and continues to remain overlooked among Wayne’s lengthy catalog. Seriously, spin this again and see how much things have changed since Cash Money took over for the ’99 and 2000.
Best tracks: “Drop It Like It’s Hot”, “Fuck Tha World”, “Tha Block Is Hot”
6. FWA (2015)
Ah, the simple, yet complex days of twitter rants and insider reports that almost decimated a relationship. In case your memory is hazy, we’re talking about the scandals that arose from Tha Carter V situation. While Wayne was under contractual obligations with Cash Money records, he was unable to see the complete earnings from any studio albums he’d release under the imprint, leading him to hold out on his prior stomping grounds. With the newly established Tidal rising up the ranks, Jay-Z would offer his hand to Wayne, giving him a platform to release a record as an exclusive to the streaming site. Wayne took the opportunity to release FWA, a statement to demand his release from the label.
Wayne had continued to clog up the mixtape scene in between, but FWA displayed some of Wayne’s best album work since Tha Carter’s. It revealed Wayne’s everlasting interest in hip-hop, kindling the flames that were his passion for the sport. The album was like a lion that had been caged in for years, ready to come out and snatch its spot as the king of the jungle.
Best tracks: “Glory”, “London Roads”, “White Girl”
5. Tha Carter (2004)
From child prodigy to rookie sensatin, Tha Carter was truly a game changer. Following the polarizing reception that came from his third offering, 500 Degreez, Wayne had felt that he was trapped in a box, creatively. In attempt to pry free from his artistic asylum, Wayne turned to the mixtape format that T.I. was beginning to help popularize in the South. As a result, mixtape Weezy was born and that unmatched passionate fire was translated to Tha Carter.
Every song was a lyrical barrage, bursting with charisma and wit as Wayne finally begun to fill his own shoes and become his own artist. This changed the landscape of the culture in a major way as Tha Carter helped set the standard to lyricism in the South along with T.I. Audiences couldn’t get past the Southern drawl but this album helped bypass those barriers and place that lifestyle on the forefront. As the long white tee era for Wayne was coming to a close, Tha Carter paved the path for the next phase in Wayne’s career, making him a star in the process.
Best tracks: “Go DJ”, “Bring It Back”, “This is the Carter”, “I Miss My Dawgs”
4. Tha Carter V (2018)
Almost seven years of anticipation building up to this moment, Tha Carter V would finally see the light of day after a settlement between Lil Wayne and Cash Money Records would allow the record to drop under the Young Money imprint. After years of delays and release dates, the moment was special as those who grew up with the music were finally able to see an ending to this story. Tha Carter V compiles all of Wayne’s best moments and puts on a rather lengthy display of what he means to the culture. Whether he’s going back and forth with Kendrick or rapping while his daughter sings vocals, this is the most range we’ve heard out of Wayne since the previous Carter entry. But of course, the apex of the album comes at the end as Wayne reveals his shooting as a child was intended to be a suicide attempt.
Though the younger generation has praised the NOLA emcee throughout their short lives, Wayne often caught a lot of flak throughout these years for influencing the effortless styles of rap that angered hip-hop purists. When Tha Carter V dropped, their perception shifted as Wayne finally accepted his veteran position and settled down. Since its release, nothing has been able to top the moment we collectively pressed play on Tha Carter V upon its arrival.
Best tracks: “Let It All Work Out”, “Mona Lisa”, “Used 2”, “Don’t Cry”
3. Tha Carter IV (2011)
A polarizing entry that helps solidly the classic status of Tha Carter series, fans were either quick to love or hate the radio-friendly tunes that Tha Carter IV mastered. Following a quick detour to Riker’s Island due to a gun possession charge, Wayne would begin writing the bulk of what would become this album during his time in jail. With no set time on when he’d be released – partially due to the infamously hilarious deposition video – Wayne tapped into a different side of his persona, one that the word had yet to see. His short stop to Riker’s ended up serving as a reality check, forcing him to mature as he displayed his progression in the music.
Though it holds some of the same vintage Wayne moments where he effortlessly raps circles around his peers, a bulk of Tha Carter IV felt like we were hearing a different Wayne that was dominating the radio a year prior as he honed his songwriting skills. Many knocked the album for its steady amount of radio records and overabundance of collaborators – especially singers – but these same factor granted Tha Carter IV major success as they took over the air waves and molded the soundtrack for entire generation to gravitate to. Granted mainstream hip-hop took a brutal beating amidsts the later 2000’s/early 2010’s, Tha Carter IV stood its ground and is gradually being recognized as an elite contendor among Wayne’s extended discography.
Best tracks: “6 Foot 7 Foot”, “John”, “She Will”, “Blunt Blowin”
2. Tha Carter III (2008)
What is there to say that hasn’t been said about Tha Carter IlI? I guess we can start by saying it isn’t the best of the Carter series, but it’s damn near close. It’s funny because the reception of this album was very split at the time. Younger heads loved the direction Wayne went in on this record while older listeners saw this as “Lollipop” the album. Coming off a major wave of success through his classic feature run and extended mixtape catalog, Wayne had the world in a chokehold around this time. Nobody in the world was bigger than Lil Wayne in 2007. As a result, the third act to his Carter series would generate mass amounts of hype as fan waited patiently for its release.
After re-recording the album due to leaking issues, Tha Carter III took the world by storm. With hip-hop lacking a dominating force in the mainstream, the doors were open for this album to take over the world and that exactly what it did with an arsenal of hit records at its disposal. Tha Carter III was more than an album—it was a moment in time. While its classic status is to be debated, it lacked just one defining factor to edge out the competition within the catalog.
Best tracks: “A Milli”, “Mr. Carter”, “Comfortable”, “Dr. Carter”
1. Tha Carter II (2005)
Although Tha Carter III is seen as the poster child in the Carter family, there’s no denying the impact Tha Carter II had on the course of hip-hop. Coming off of the white tees and bounce bangers that plagued Tha Carter, Wayne felt it was time to go in a different direction for the sequel to his regional classic. The original Carter made humongous waves in the South, but not too many people in other areas were completely sold on the Cash Money product. It wasn’t until the release of a free DJ Drama-hosted mixtape titled The Dedication in which the masses were beginning to catch on to Wayne’s lyrical abilities. The mixtape would set the tone for what would become Wayne’s attempt to branch out of the South and establish his reach for the throne.
Off top, Tha Carter II broke away from the bounce-infested beats that tied Wayne to his New Orleans roots in favor for a variety of different regional styles. Whether it was soul-looped New York boom bap or slowed-down Houston chopped and screwed, Wayne rapped in every avenue possible to project his love for the culture and its nationwide impact. It showed many that Wayne was truly a force to be reckoned with as his enhanced lyrical attacks proved he could take over the world. Tha Carter II provided moments, taking over function scenes with anthems like “Fireman” and “Money on My Mind”, while simultaneously etching his mark in the genre with statement records “Best Rapper Alive” and “Hustler Muzik” – the latter of which made Wayne a fashion icon as he helped spread the gospel that was Bape in 2005.
It’s not easy to chose a concrete selection for the best Wayne album, but Tha Carter II makes one of the closest cases among the bunch. Where Tha Carter helped in revitalizing Wayne’s career, Tha Carter II propelled Wayne into a new level of stardom, establishing him as a worldwide icon for doing what he loved the most: devoting his life to hip-hop.
Best tracks: “Hustler Muzik”, “Fireman”, “Money on My Mind”, “Best Rapper Alive”, “Tha Mobb”
Mic Cheque 