Initially slated for release five years ago in 2013, ‘Tha Carter V’ is finally here. Released on Lil Wayne’s birthday, the fifth instalment in the series comes in at twenty three tracks long, and features XXXTentacion, Kendrick Lamar, Nicki Minaj, Travis Scott, Snoop Dogg and more. All in all, it’s a real mixed bag. ‘Dedicate’ [track 3] is the first time we see Weezy back at his brilliant best, with other highlights being Swizz Beats’ production on ‘Uproar’, ‘Mona Lisa’ and album closer ‘Let It All Work Out’.
On the other hand, there’s a hell of a lot of filler and a couple of real low points; specifically ‘Mess’ and the Sosamann-featured ‘What About Me’. Great as it is to have Wayne back, this certainly isn’t the strongest in the ‘Tha Carter’ series. Back in 2013, Wayne said that ‘Tha Carter V’ would be his last album. Speaking with Billboard earlier this year, he said: “I do think about retirement. I think about how I don’t think I ever will.” We’re pleased, because this certainly isn’t the album to go out on.
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