Lil’ Wayne – Tha Carter 3 Sessions Mixtape (Review)
If you haven’t peeped this yet, you should be gettin’ it, while the gettin’ is good. It should go without saying as to why this particular mixtape, put together by The Empire, is more worthy of attention than any of the other Wayne mixtapes that have flooded the market recently — shit, it’s right there in the title. The main purpose of any mixtape is typically to build up anticipation for, and give people a quick glimpse of, an upcoming album. Simply put, there aren’t many albums more anticipated than Wayne’s Tha Carter 3, and there’s no better way to give fans a glimpse of that album than by providing some rough cuts made during the ongoing recording process.
Tha Carter 3 Sessions was discussed by Wayne last week on MTV.com, and though he doesn’t drop any track names, he mentioned that a song produced by Kanye West that’s “out there” is something that he wants to save for the album, and everything else “probably wouldn’t have made” the album. The Kanye track in question would appear to be “Did It Before”, the first song on this mixtape, which has Wayne spitting a sex rap (about women — no homo, for y’all insecure folk) and rhyming every bar with the track’s title, coming off as equally impressive and lazy, humorous and grating. One of the roughest of the rough cuts on here, it’s not all that surprising that Wayne’s planning on keeping this one — with a little fine-tuning, to both the beat and the lyrics, it could be a standout track on the actual album.
Since, apparently, nothing else on here is making the cut, Tha Carter 3 Sessions is the closest thing to a full-length solo we’ll get from Wayne until (more than likely) 2008, and it has a few impressive moments. “Something You Forgot” has Wayne reminiscing over a lost love (Trina? Nivea?) over a sample from Heart (that’s right, Heart) that is well-produced enough to avoid being cheesy. “I Feel Like Dying” has Wayne rhyming his way through a drug-induced state of euphoria — content-wise, it sounds more like an early Cage record. These tracks, in addition to the simple-yet-catchy “La La”, could’ve fit well into an actual album.
However, most of the rest of Tha Carter 3 Sessions is more suitable as mixtape material. “How You Like Me Now” is a cool, laid-back track with a nice echoing vocal sample in the beat, “Scarface” is Wayne at his most aggressive, and “Help” finds Wayne sounding comfortable over a sampling of the Beatles’ record of the same name. Nonetheless, judging from the lack of quality hooks, Wayne is quite clearly in “practice” mode on these tracks; but the fact that his practice records sound better than some people’s real records should make expectations for Tha Carter 3 that much higher.
Lil’ Wayne doesn’t take himself too seriously — the shit talking and youthful charisma that he’s known for is prevalent throughout Tha Carter 3 Sessions. But one thing that Wayne does take seriously is his own work ethic. He’s got a million ways to tell you that he’s the best rapper alive — granted, none of ’em are really all that convincing, but it’s still fun to listen to.
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Metal Lungies » Blog Archive » See, they're not THAT bad. said,
Wrote on June 27, 2007 @ 6:10 pm
[…] [This flips the same sample that Lil’ Wayne used on “Something You Forgot” off Tha Carter 3 Sessions […]
Metal Lungies » Blog Archive » Freeway + Don Cannon-Live Free Die Hard Mixtape. said,
Wrote on July 6, 2007 @ 12:00 am
[…] to this over the past few days, it got lost in the holiday week shuffle to be posted. And, yeah we have been on a mixtape kick as of late. While this may not be up to par with the other exclusive […]
Leon said,
Wrote on August 19, 2007 @ 12:16 am
There are a crap ton of great songs on this mixtape, “I know the future” in particular, incredible stand out track with an amazing beat (who is matlock!?)and a sweet guest spot. i am VERY upset that it ain’t making the final cut! i would kill for a studio version!!!!!!! BAH!
Snowy said,
Wrote on October 11, 2007 @ 4:47 pm
i agree wit leon “i know the future” is a class tune i woulda thot it wuda made de cut above any of the others
Krysi - same one said,
Wrote on January 2, 2008 @ 3:22 pm
“Something You Forgot” is about Nivea…come on yall Trina was born and raised in the county of dade…she is not from Georgia. Further more regardless of who wants to believe it or not…Lil Wayne trully loved Nivea, Trina was a little too much, not for Wayne to handle but for him to swallow. She was a whore for goodness SAKE! Nivea has a daughter, Trina has no kids so how was that a reference to her? The dead giveaway was the last bar….”all that i can do is Dream” Hello thats the name of her now ex-husband (Nivea). Please stop throwing Trina in the mix, Wayne could give a fuck about that girl, when it was over it was over…he may have hit it a few more times but shit who wouldn’t??!!
Metal Lungies » Blog Archive » Lil Wayne- The Drought Is Over 5, ‘Grand Finale’, Mixtape. said,
Wrote on March 29, 2008 @ 11:29 am
[…] haven’t been excited for a Lil Wayne mixtape like this since that little mixtape from late […]
Mixtapes said,
Wrote on August 30, 2010 @ 11:37 am
This is a great cd. “Scarface” and “I Know The Future” are the two best tracks. The Carter 3 actual album was garbage. The mixtape stuff was so much better.
Nas, Lil Wayne, Talib Kweli & More Keep John Lennon’s Memory Alive | Cash Money Artists said,
Wrote on October 9, 2010 @ 12:48 pm
[…] In 2007, Lil Wayne’s Carter 3 Sessions mixtape sampled the Beatles’ 1965 film/soundtrack, Help! The titular Beatles sample makes it unlikely that this track will ever get a real release, which is a shame since it’s probably the most honest 83 seconds in his discography. This is Wayne’s candid plea for assistance (and not just from his weed carriers). (NY Mag) Most of the of Tha Carter 3 Sessions is more suitable as mixtape material. “How You Like Me Now” is a cool, laid-back track with a nice echoing vocal sample in the beat, “Scarface” is Wayne at his most aggressive, and “Help” finds Wayne sounding comfortable over a sampling of the Beatles’ record of the same name. Nonetheless, judging from the lack of quality hooks, Wayne is quite clearly in “practice” mode on these tracks; but the fact that his practice records sound better than some people’s real records should make expectations for Tha Carter 3 that much higher. (Metal Lungies) […]