Become Universe — Live. Aspire. Thrive.

I’ll admit. I hate jumping on the band wagon for any fad in popular culture. It’s my own stubborn way of proving I’m an individual and I can go against the grain instead of following a crowd. My history of using this technique is great for peer pressure but its not a good look when it comes enjoying a talented artist. This is in fact a case of The Carter III. I’ll admit : I was sleeping on Lil’ Wayne’s skills. I’ve followed his career since the late ’90s with Cash Money Millionaires but I never took the time to listen to what he had to say on his own projects in the last 4 years. Dare I say, “what a big mistake?”

November 2003 critics and fans of hip-hop wondered who would be next to take the crown for Best Rapper Alive now that Jay-Z appeared to be in full swing of his retirement from music. Summer 2004, Cash Money Millionaire Lil’ Wayne devised a plan for the title that would take three albums (and a shitload of mixtapes) to succeed. It was our first summer without a Jigga-man anthem to bump our heads to since his supposedly final release “The Black Album”. Clearly, Wayne’s hit “Go DJ” didn’t fill a void but we were still listening and watching as the song became one of our ringtones. We asked ourselves, “What is Tha Carter?” “What does it imply?” “Is it Jay-Z’s (Shawn Carter) name he’s trying to attract to his album?” (Lil’ Wayne’s full name is actually Dwayne Michael Carter Jr.)

“Best Rapper Alive Since The Best Rapper Retired” was the self-proclaimed title the then 21-year-old rapper stood up in a land of Fat Joe’s, Kanye West’s and Fiddy’s. But isn’t he just a Cash Money Millionaire? His lyrical track record includes “wobble, wobble, drop, drop, drop it like its hot.” We’d be embarassed to call him our rapper. Lil’ Wayne was not to be confused with Lil’ Bow Wow but certainly wasn’t a candidate that we considered for the job of “saving the game.” Hip-Hop was already dying without the help of Nas recognizing it.

September 2005. Kanye West made his moves telling us about a Gold Digger and still hadn’t quite managed to make it to those classes while Young Jeezy made the grade with Thug Motivation 101. Out comes,”Fireman,” an anthem that just missed summer making its way into our mp3 players. Lil’ Wayne’s sound had matured and didn’t lack the confidence that made us assume he was a little boy, even a person that didn’t take notice to Wayne before now had to listen.

“So I let her lick the lollipop…” No, it isn’t a nursery rhyme but it is what kids are now singing this tune across the country. Not to be confused with “Kidz Bop,” “Lollipop,” the kicker single from Lil’ Wayne’s album “Tha Carter III” album had finally arrived and clubs everywhere were playing the addictive, symphonic track featuring the late Static Major. And who couldn’t forget this year’s most used instrumental “A Milli.” Every urban artist from hardcore rappers to R&B crooners (Chris Brown, Ne-Yo) wanted to spin their own take on the track. But nothing compares to what Wayne was spitting. Both singles have been in the Billboard 100 Top 10 for the entire summer and are projected to stay  until deep in to the fall. Not bad for a rapper who’s only 25 and hasn’t established any beefs amongst his comrades.

Wayne has lent his hand to a remixes over the years and in the summer of 2008, we’ve seen the rapper on all of our favorite web sites, television and radio stations and magazines due to a history-making album. He commercially clobbered 8 hits this summer including Usher’s “Love In This Club Remix (featuring Beyonce),” Lloyd’s “Girls All Around The World,” and DJ Khaled’s “Out Here Grindin’.” You couldn’t hide from Lil’ Wayne this summer even if you wanted to. His voice were on your speakers whether you were a fan of his or not. It is almost like he excused himself to be on your favorite song. You could expect to hear a Wayne verse on any popular song that you heard this summer even if you were a blushing Pussycat Dolls fan.

“In my chair// With my crown, with my dear//Queen Bee, as I share
Mic time, with my heir//Young Carter//Go farther//Go further//
Go harder//Is that not//Why we came? and if not,//Then why bother?” These are the words from Jay-Z on Tha Carter III’s “Mr. Carter” track, a single that in words tells the story of Lil’ Wayne’s journey in the music industry. Musically, one of the best stories told in Hip-Hop as of recently.

We haven’t seen an lyrical energy so vibrant since 2Pac. It’s safe to say that Lil’ Wayne is recording the way Pac did except his music is being released as its being recorded and plus more.

The Louisiana rapper has come a far long way from his Hot Boyz days and has exceeded the expectations of critics when he sold over a million copies of “Tha Carter III” in its first week of release. Lil’ Wayne will be performing at the 2008 MTV Video Music Awards on September 7 in Hollywood where he is also nominated.

Tha Carter III

Released June 10, 2008

Music Videos :

“Lollipop”

“A Milli”

“Out Here Grindin’”