Artist of the Week:

Lil Wayne

Album of Choice: Tha Carter III

Genre: Hip-Hop

Who would have guessed that Weezy’s long-delayed follow-up to the moderately successful Tha Carter II would be such a worldwide sensation?  Heavily lauded by fans and critics alike, 2008′s Tha Carter III set a new standard for the ailing world of hip-hop, bringing grade-A production values, clever wordplay and undeniably moving beats to the table.  And while Lil Wayne’s contemporaries may get bogged down in the over-exposition of featured guests, Tha Carter’s lengthy list of collaborators including Jay-Z and T-Pain only enhance the performance.  From the chart-topping hit “Lollipop” to worthy club entries such as “Got Money” and “Mrs. Officer,” this album shines in quality and consistency.

The outlook on Lil Wayne’s future, however, appears rather murky.  With the “rock” expedition known as Rebirth to be released in mid-August, the public will soon see a side to him that is probably better left unexplored.  The lukewarm reception of first single “Prom Queen” has made many fans skeptical of whether or not Weezy can successfully complete this genre leap.  However, if any artist can make such a drastic change, you can bet that he is the one to do it.  And if he should fail, he will always have the in-production Tha Carter IV to fall back on.

A true genius of the trade, Lil Wayne has proved that the public is still willing to dish out $18 for an entire album.  His triple platinum magnum opus shows that even in the iPod age, when our libraries are permanently set on shuffle, that there is still room for ingenuity, cohesion and consistency across a playlist.

Listen to This: “Got Money”

Buy Album from: iTunes | Amazon.com

- Alex Welter