Lil’ Wayne putting a mixtape out is as surprising as a movie with a predominantly Black cast not getting recognition. Everyone knows it’s going to happen. There’s even a checklist for what is going to be heard on a mixtape from the New Orleans native: Popular instrumentals, weird metaphors/punchlines, sex, goons, weed/drugs. I know what I’m going to hear, but wait, this time, he has a serious problem. Dwayne Michael Carter Jr. and his step-father, Bryan Williams are having a fallout. Cash Money records having an issue with one of its artists is not a new story, but when it’s the one that stuck through the entire bullsh*t over the years, it makes you wonder. Not since an impending jail sentence inspired No Ceilings, has motivation found the once self-proclaimed “Best Rapper Alive” in the best position to deliver great material.
1. Coco
Original Instrumental: O.T. Genasis – “CoCo”
This is how you are supposed to start a mixtape. I’m not posting any lyrics, because I would be posting the whole song. The issues with Cash Money Records as a staff, label, and mother#cking crew are front and center. LISTEN TO THIS! The flow and delivery are excellent.
2. Sh!t
Original Instrumental: Future – “Sh!t”
I heard the Tunechi version of Future’s single before the whole mixtape’s release date and was pleased with what I heard. I thought it was a great performance with some good rapping and light commentary on his problems with Cash Money. Now, I can’t really listen to it anymore. It got annoying real quick after the first listen.
3. Trap House
Original Instrumental: Rich The Kid – “Trap House Jumpin’ Like Jordan”
Here is where I have realized that I need to stop trying to find amazing lyricism/subject matter or rapping from Wayne. I just need to be entertained by him and you can’t help but be entertained when he has uptempo production and he matches it with his energy.
4. Selsun Blue
Original Instrumental: Troy Ave – “All About The Money”
Troy Ave is not on my radar. Maybe if this was done with another beat instead of the BSB member’s “All About The Money”, I would have paid more attention, but I don’t feel like I’m missing anything.
5. Used To
Featuring Drake; Produced by WondaGurl
I know everyone is saying that Lil’ Wayne has become a Young Thug clone, but I wonder when did he become a Drake stan. Notice how every verse on this mixtape becomes about a woman. Anyway, once again the protégé overshadows his mentor and finds time to shout out HBCUs.
6. No Type
Original Instrumental: Rae Sremmurd – “No Type”
From this point in the review, I will let you know if I prefer the “Tunechi Mix” or the original version. Honestly, this mix just made me appreciate Mike WiLL Made-It’s production on this Rae Sremmurd song, but I would still prefer the original version to listen if I had the choice. It’s funny when I think about how I was anticipating a R&B album from Lil’ Wayne years ago when he had nine different albums in the works (T-Wayne, I Can’t Feel My Face, etc.). Songs like “Prostitute Flange”, “PMW”, and his freestyle to Ciara’s “Promise” made the idea plausible, but if it came out now I feel like it would be unbearable.
7. Fingers Hurting
Original Instrumental: ILOVEMAKONNEN – “Maneuvering”
Give him a beat like this and step back. Another preview before the actual release date. I played this remix of “Manuevering” from Drake’s latest artist repeatedly, at least five times on the day that I downloaded it to my phone.
8. Hot Nigga
Original Instrumental: Bobby Shmurda – “Hot Nigga”
THE SONG OF 2014 and I still don’t like it as much as everyone else. I still haven’t watched the video from Bobby Shmurda. This is one of my biggest problems from a Wayne mixtape; He chooses popular instrumentals. Did he miss the time to rap over this song?
9. HollyWeezy
Produced by Drama Beats
The concept is cool. Hollygrove’s own is trying to find a balance between his past life and life in the mainstream/success or Hollywood. It’s just so boring! Once again, Wayne has goons, he’s going to send them at me and my family, the chopper is going to come out. Shut the f#ck up, D’Wayne. The only rappers I’m actually scared of are Freddie Gibbs and Killer Mike. Also, Webbie, but I just think he’s crazy.
10. Drunk In Love
Featuring Christina Milian; Original Instrumental: Beyoncè – “Drunk In Love”
If you haven’t heard “pussy” talked about enough or mentioned so far, then track ten is for you. Lil’ Wayne & Christina Milan make their bid to be the new “This could be us, but” couple for the thots that think the Carters and Obamas are too hard for their relationship goals. Once again. do you think he missed the time frame to remix this song? Also, the original over this any day.
11. You Guessed It
Original Instrumental: OG Maco – “U Guessed It”
Ten songs later and we get a pertinent topic to hear about again. While it is a weird choice to use the Vine sensation to be the soundtrack for his grievances, but the closing lines make their point:
I come with that heroin flow, I come with that never before,
My CMB days are dead, I ain’t worried about ghost,
I married the MOB, we divorced. And all that shit dead with me of course,
It’s nothing, a zombie, a corpse. You burnt yourself and was suppose to pass me the torch,
Fuck it, I’ll see you in Forbes.
12. Try Me
Featuring Mack Maine; Original Instrumental: Dej Loaf – “Try Me”
The original, please God let me only hear the original. I know Dej Loaf is happy that Wayne remixed her song, but if I was her and this was the final result, I would be pissed. I was reminded why I Mack Maine was my fourth favorite member of Young Money when it was Wayne, Curren$y, Boo, and him.
13. Preach
Featuring 2 Chainz; Original Instrumental: Young Dolph – “Preach”
Zaytoven does what he did with Nicki Minaj by giving her “Want Some More” and gives a much need adrenaline shot for speakers playing this mixtape. Or should we thank Young Dolph? While the production does remind me of Shawty Lo’s “I’m Da Man”, I can still enjoy the Nancy Grace/weed debate reference:
Please don’t worry Nancy, all my weed is organic
If my children end up smoking, I whip they ass if they don’t pass it
14. Alphabet
Original Instrumental: ILOVEMAKONNEN – “Tuesday”
It’s just so simple! For every letter of the alphabet, there’s a woman’s name and two details on this reworking on the anthem for the day after Monday. I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I’d rather listen to Dedication 3 just for the song, “Dick Pleaser”, if I wanted to hear him name off random women It’s not funny anymore, try different jokes. I definitely prefer the ILOVEMAKONNEN original over this. I swear to drunk, I’m not God.
15. No Haters
Produced by London on da Track
I was really expecting to hear “Mustard on the beat, hoe” in the first ten seconds of this, but this is actually produced by London On Da Track. That’s the only thing I have to say about this song. SKIP!
16. Admit It
Featuring Shanell
Yay, another song about sex from Lil’ Wayne, just what I was waiting for on this mixtape. Poor Shanell, she’s actually a good singer, but doesn’t get recognition. YMCMB dropped the ball by not promoting, “Catch Me At The Light” with Yo Gotti off the YM collabo album, Rise Of An Empire. Anyway, the only highlight of the song is hearing Wayne use Drake’s BBW line from Nicki’s “Only” for the hook. Has Mr. Carter ever done a song with a female that didn’t involve any mention of sex? I really want to see him do a lyrical back and forth with 3’D Na’Tee, Chels, or Dej Loaf.
17. Dreams and Nightmares
Original Instrumental: Meek Mill – “Deams and Nightmares”
Original. The original over this! I don’t even like Meek Mill, but if Weezy wants to match this modern day classic intro, he needs better lines than, “I bring wine to Amy’s house”. The energy is there, but something about the flow and lyrics just make this an underwhelming outro. AGAIN, why did he decide on this old ass beat? Jeezy’s “Seen It All” would have been perfect.
Now that we’re at the end, they’re a lot of questions I have. What happened to the tracklist Dej Loaf IG’d on her page? I really wanted to hear the Boosie and Kevin Gates features. Speaking of features, for the songs against Cash Money, why wasn’t Tyga featured on anything since he was the first to complain about the home Baby and Slim built before Wayne’s tweets?
Bottom Line:
5 out of 17 songs I can actually listen to and I just get more mad with every listen of this mixtape. Like I said, I let the whole “impressive lyrics and various concepts” characteristic he used to have go if I want Lil’ Wayne to still be one of my favorite rappers. Curren$y is one of my favorite rappers and I admit that he basically talks about the same thing everything, but I’ll be damned if you try to tell me he’s not entertaining. I will gladly listen to his last five mixtapes than listen to this mixtape in its entirety again. For the record, I listened to this completely in four different settings before I wrote this. I don’t feel like I missed anything and I still have no anticipation for new music from Tunechi or The Carter V. Sorry, but I’m not really sorry.
