Music Review: Lil Wayne - The Carter IV - Page 2

As for the remainder of the 15-track opus, its lineup of producers comprises the likes of Bangladesh, T-Minus to the formidable duo of Cool & Dre. Winning moments include John Legend’s refreshing appearance on “So Special,” a sexed-up bedroom promise; and the endlessly ambitious “President Carter,” which finds the entertainer hunting political stripes, quite satirically of course, but respectfully. Perhaps the album’s sole disappointment, “How To Love,” which finds the rapper testing his singing voice, could have been surprisingly tender, but instead it just feels out of place.

Like several of his contemporaries, Lil Wayne is a love-him-or-hate-him kind of dude. As such, The Carter IV will earn its share of praise and derision. But whatever the outcome, it’s a definite fact that Wayne and his attention-grabbing songs stay true to hardcore rap and the influential gritty streets, where only those who "keep it real" get love.

Article Author: TYRONE S REID

Tyrone S Reid is an award-winning Jamaican writer and cultural critic who is passionate about the arts and providing cultural information for people who need it.

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