Top 5 Lil Wayne "Tha Carter" Tracks

While Lil Wayne has enjoyed a lengthy and celebrated career, his Carter series have often been at the forefront of his critical acclaim, at least insofar as studio albums are concerned. Tha Carter is an amalgamation of everything that makes Wayne such a well rounded emcee, and everything from the flow to the beat selection is peak Weezy. With Mannie Fresh handling the bulk of the production, the album also retains a sense of cohesiveness despite its considerable length. 

The first installment of Tha Carter dropped on June 29th, thirteen years ago, and still bumps to this day. It wasn't easy to narrow down a list of five, and many dope cuts were left out. Without further ado, here are five of the album's best offerings. And please, feel free to share your personal favorites in the comment section below. 

From the track's outlandish opening introduction and rump-centric chorus, "Bring It Back" embodies that classic Cash Money Sound. As one of the album's biggest singles, "Bring It Back" manages to tow the line between being club friendly and lyrically dope, a formula that some of Wayne's later singles (Got Money, Lollipop) failed to achieve. 

Wayne kicks some great punchlines here, busting out some of that classic wit on bars like "I don't need no pool, I'm swimming in you" and "pop up on bicycles, pop y'all like spot pimples." If this doesn't make you want to load up your copy of Tha Carter, than maybe ya'll need some divine intervention. 

Lil Wayne sets off his fourth solo album with a sinister display of bars. Over a beat eerily reminiscent of Eminem's "Evil Deeds," Wayne wastes no time in displaying some GOAT quality flow and lyricism. As far as intro tracks go, "Walk In"  takes the old-school approach of "straight bars" rather than a tone-setting skit or more atmospheric piece. The end result? Pure flames.

While Wayne's versatility allows him to shine over a wide variety of beats, there's something glorious about Weezy tearing up a dark banger, courtesy of Mannie Fresh. Everything about this track is peak Wayne, from the lyrics, to the flow, to the voice control. 

Leave it to Weezy to make a harp sound hard. "BM J.R." takes us back to simpler times, when Wayne looked up to his daddy, never hesitating to put some much-desired respect on Birdman's name.  Over a beat that's pure early two-thousands, Wayne goes in for several lengthy verses with narry an autotuned vocal in sight. If you're a younger fan wondering why Wayne has amassed such a prestigious reputation, look no further. 

Insofar as persona, Wayne flexes his gangster on this cut, relishing in the violent nature of his threats. Do yourself a favor and stick around for the third verse.

Lil Wayne and Mannie Fresh may be one of the most underrated producer / rapper tandems in the game. "Go DJ" is a homage to their chemistry, and once Wayne gathers momentum, he's impossible to stop. Before proceeding, I've gotta show some love to Wayne's voice. It's like an instrument in and of itself, and Weezy has full control of it, knowing exactly when to snarl, or when to raise an octave. Great voice control is one of rap's most slept on qualities, and vocally-eclectic rappers like Kendrick Lamar owe a lot to what what dudes like Weezy and Busta Rhymes brought to the table. 

I digress. "Go DJ" is a standout cut off a classic album, and I'd be willing to bet this one would still go off at any party. 

While many Carter highlights fall under the banger category, Wayne is equally capable of dishing out honesty and introspection. Maybe I'm crazy, but I feel like Wayne was subtly influenced by Eminem on some of the production; I mean, listen to that intro. Regardless, Wayne spits bars that would make Marshall proud, penning a eulogy of sorts to some of his shattered relationships, with verses dedicated to former Hot Boyz BG, Juvenile, and Turk. 

Wayne's proverbial character gains some added depth, as the song dives into themes of loyalty, loss, and legacy. "I Miss My Dawgs" is Wayne at his most vulnerable, and the song is an emotional reminder of Cash Money's rise and fall. While we see these crew falling-outs are mere entertainment, sometimes it's easy to forget that these are human beings with real relationships. It's especially sad viewed through the lens of Weezy and Birdman's current relationship.