Lil Wayne - Tha Carter III

 
It takes a certain amount of ego to publicly describe yourself as “the greatest rapper alive” (and mean it), but New Orleans native Lil Wayne has never been one for diffidence. The MC began his career with a bang back in ’99 with Tha Block Is Hot, but in recent years has gradually achieved the kind of ubiquity the majority of his peers can only dream about.

The spur for this success has undoubtedly been the acclaimed Carter albums, which started in 2004, and is brought up to date with this long-awaited third instalment. While it’s been a long time coming, it couldn’t be argued that Wayne has been resting on his laurels. Between Tha Carter II’s release in 2006 and now, he has dropped such a ceaseless salvo of mix-tapes, singles and cameo appearances – many of them critically and commercially well received - that it’s difficult to imagine him finding time for anything as career-restricting as sleep.

But despite his seemingly unerring Midas touch, a great deal of expectation rests on Tha Carter III. It’s his first comprehensive artistic statement for a while, and thus represents an opportunity to find out not only what his latest ‘phase’ is, but also to assess him anew in the light of his ‘Best Of The Best’ claims.

The document for sure offers the full sweep of the rapper’s kaleidoscopic vision. Drafting in beat-makers like Alchemist, David Banner and Kanye West (among others), the soundtrack is as elliptical as Wayne’s stream-of-consciousness lyrics, veering haphazardly through old skool electro, soul-tinged soundtracks and post-p-funk gangsta-isms. Weezy gives his take on the usual topics (guns, money, girls), as well as less clichéd subject matter like aliens ("Phone Home") and Hurricane Katrina (“Tie My Hands”), his discursive, weed-stained drawl masquerading as extra-terrestrial, concerned lover and Jamaican rudebwoy along the way.

A sample of the album’s diversity is demonstrated by the singles to date: the electro bounce of "Lollipop” (featuring Static Major); the 303-plus- hand-claps that propel "A Milli"; the brittle beats of "Got Money" (with Mr. Auto-Tune himself T Pain); and the soulful, sunny "Mrs. Officer," featuring r & b star Bobby Valentino.

These building blocks are joined by an array of other tunes, some thrillers, others definitely fillers. “Mr Carter” (which features a stellar verse from Jay Z) is a genuine highlight, as is the mesmerizing “Phone Home”. “Shoot Me Down,” with its sleazy-rock aura, is also worth mentioning, while the award for Biggest Surprise probably goes to the Swizz-Beats-produced “Dr. Carter,” which rides David Axelrod’s classic “Holy Thursday” (also used by the likes of Black Sheep and Fat Joe) with super-funky results.

But the album is dulled by plodding, nondescript fare like “Comfortable,” “Nothin’ On Me" and “Let The Beat Build,” uneventful tracks that even the rapper's stoned lyrics can’t save. Eclectic, imaginative and occasionally dazzling it may be, but Tha Carter III ultimately weighs in as a good album - not a great one. And until he makes something more transcendent, more timeless, Lil Wayne's self-proclaimed Best Rapper Alive status will remain mere braggadocio.