Tha Carter II
Lil Wayne
2005
In the grand scheme of his legendary career, this is the installment of his illustrious series that represented that Weezy could stand on his own, according to today’s hip hop gatekeepers that were there to witness in real time.
Mafioso Hip Hop/trap/Southern Rap
BY DA’SHAN “NIGHTSHAWN101” SMITH
DECEMBER 10, 2023
Over the course of last week— in response to the album’s 18th anniversary— Elliott Wilson brought his Twitter (now known as X) followers back to the times of 2005. The former editor-in-chief of ‘XXL Magazine’ discussed two side by side front covers: One featuring Beanie Siegel and the other of Lil Wayne. Wilson confessed, “Back in the #YNera days, I wasn’t sold yet that Weezy was a solo star in 2005. So I did a split cover with Beanie Siegel. Boy, was I wrong.”
As the “know it all” student of the class, I wanted to challenge the post with a “Really? I always thought [insert comment about Wayne being big in my eyes].” But I had to stop myself and do research. Was Beanie Siegel really bigger than Wayne? Didn’t Weezy have standout hits before the release of ‘Tha Carter II’?
Looking back at Wayne’s catalog– even from a scholarly point of view– Elliott Wilson’s words check out. First off, rarely doubt the person who was on the scene (Ha!). Second off, it’s simply fun to scroll back when personal context is placed in motion. I guess if I were sitting at that desk, holding a physical copy of Wayne’s LP, and “Feel It In The Air” by Beanie Siegel stayed on my radio’s rotation, I too might have been a little hesitant.
By the time he released ‘Tha Carter II’ that December, Lil Wayne already had four studio albums, after six years. And that’s not counting two additional years as part of the New Orleans posse, Hot Boys, who had women “Back[ing] That Azz Up” and fellas flashing their “Bling Bling.” Despite the fact that Wayne had distinct moments on both those tracks, they came under the packaging of group efforts. Even his previous LP, ‘Tha Carter I’ – which debuted at No. 5 on the Billboard 200 in 2004– had a single that cheered “Go D.J.” and an aerodynamic deep cut that repped “Cash Money Millionaires.” Echoing Wilson’s sentiment, Weezy still wasn’t flying out on his own, even when he told the world he left the nest.
With that historical context in mind, it’s clear to see why ‘Tha Carter II’ became the breakout album that forever changed the trajectory of Wayne’s career. Opening with “Tha Mobb” it’s as if Wayne is transitioning out of staying lowkey for the betterment of the posse. He’s ready to be the main star that he was destined to be. He mentions his father label, Cash Money, while shouting out his newly founded one “Young Money,” pushing himself as a CEO in an era of hip hop where being the CEO or President of anything became the thing. By the middle of “Tha Mobb,” he asks, “Carter II, tell me how is you gon' stop a riot?” And he even teases the fact that despite the album being for “The hustlers and the hoes,” it very well could go “crossover, whatever mainstream” should people doubt the album’s power.
By opening with “Tha Mobb,” Weezy effectively channels an entrepreneur ready for the next stage of artistic maturity and growth. It also adds a distinguishable character trait in ‘Tha Carter’ series (which nearly 20 years since the first installment, has five going on six). ‘Carter I’ opens with a “Walk In” and closes with “Walk Out.” On ‘II,’ “Fly In” picks up as the album’s second track with roughly 70 minutes to go until the finale, “Fly Out.” “Tha Mobb” serves as a prelude of the album, while “Fly In” acts as the actual opener with its Mafioso mimicking piano and all.
Just as it seems that Weezy would channel Mafioso hip hop that gave contemporary Northern hip hop its backbone, he flips that back into the production of the south. At a time where trap was on the come up, thanks to Wayne himself, he doubles down on that, never forgetting his hood of Hollygrove in the process. “Money On My Mind” and “Fireman” roll one after the other, with the former interpolating Junior M.A.F.I.A.’s “Get Money” in a slouched, laidback way. While “Fireman” blazed on rap radio for its sirens. The line “That’s where my stash at,” would be so prominent that Wayne self-references himself on one of his greatest mix-tape cuts, 2006’s “Where da Cash At.”
So by this point he’s bossed up with Mafioso. He’s stunted in the familiar territory of trap. His flow is undeniable, and his vocal delivery in a deeper tone. ‘Tha Carter II’ starts to take the form of a rap project that’s going for G.O.A.T. status, because the genres are starting to switch. “Mo Fire” delves into reggae, while the aptly titled “Best Rapper Alive” foreshadows the ‘Rebirth’ era of 2009 by gloating over rap rock, nu-metal. While traveling the hip hop map of the U.S. of A, Wayne mentions “I'm Hollygrove to the heart, Hollygrove from the start,” keeping his soul of storytelling– this time around over a West Coast g-funk styled song featuring Kurupt, over the pitter-patter of go-go conga drums.
With the mainstream being crowded, Lil Wayne stands out on his own, because he steps outside the box. “Oh No” delivers one consistent verse for nearly three minutes, with an “oh no no” in the background substituting as a quasi-hook. “Grown Man” is sleek as Weezy melodically sings as a smooth talker. Even “Shooter,” which features an emerging Robin Thicke, hits on the notes of R&B. After all, being a gangsta turned commercial entrepreneur means cleaning up the act bit by bit. Like pouring cognac on the rocks, rather than sipping Everclear out of a jungle juice bowl.
Although he makes the strides of flexing on different styles of hip hop, it’s on this album where Wayne distinguishes his specific solo brand. “Hit Em Up” brandishes a menacing mystique, the running of a few piano keys once again being the central instrumentation. But the heart of the entire album, and one of many statement pieces of his illustrious career, will forever be “Hustler Muzik.”
Even if I were too young to recall Beanie Siegel being bigger than Wayne at the time, I avidly remember my family members blasting “Hustler Muzik.” Before ‘Tha Carter II,’ Wayne had been in a position of flaunting his antics under the leadership of his elders. With this album’s release– and this slow grinder specifically– Wayne transformed from “Young Stunna” to “Hood Motivator.” His blend of Mafioso storytelling with the backbeat of trap and southern blues encompasses a majority of the album’s more sophisticated soundscape, whereas “Hustler Muzik” hones in on that the best. “Baby, you gotta know that I'm just out here/Doin' what I gotta do for me and you, and we eatin'/So, b*tch, why the f*ck is you tripping?/I'm takin' these chances,” goes Weezy on the addictive chorus.
From start to finish, ‘Tha Carter II’ relays masterful storytelling that prophesied how Dwayne Carter would take the reins of hip hop. And, what’s crazy is he never wanted this to be a sell out crossover record. In 2007– well after this album’s era and in the midst of his hyper mix-tape turnout that would lead into the III installment– ‘XXL’ mentioned how he told them he wasn’t “concerned about sales” in a previous interview. Wayne responded: “I’m not set out to be bought. I’m set out to be heard… I’m focused on making great music.”
“Hustler Muzik” for being sincere enough to become a classic in Wayne’s discography.
“Money On My Mind” for serving as a relic of classic trap music, and mirroring the style of production that Wayne would use in his dominant mix-tape run that would follow ‘Tha Carter II.’
“Fly In”/“Carter II”/”Fly Out” for establishing Wayne’s cadence and representing his storytelling continuity the best. Once “Fly Out” ends we know that he views himself as “the best rapper alive” and hardly anyone makes a qualm about that.
Key Tracks
In hindsight, this would be the breakout record that would establish Lil Wayne. And it’s clear to see why. It happens to be one of the most versatile of that time period in hip hop, where the mainstream sought after blockbuster stars that had the making of being moguls. Wayne set forth what he prophesied without selling out of his sound, and therefore inventing waves that everyone else wanted to be a part of.