Tha Carter [PA] by Lil Wayne

Personnel: Lil Wayne (rap vocals); Mannie Fresh, Baby (rap vocals). Recording information: Cash Money Studios, New Orleans, LA (2004); Patchwerk, Atlanta, Georgia (2004). Lil' Wayne has been in the national spotlight since his days as the youngest member of the Dirty South's Hot Boys. On his fourth solo record, THA CARTER, Wayne is almost wholly on his own. There are no big-name guest stars (as with Petey Pablo's memorable turn on Wayne's previous album), only recurring shots from producer Mannie Fresh and Cash Money head Bryan "Baby" Williams. Lil' Wayne's easy flow speaks for itself; in a relaxed Southern manner, he waits for the rhyme to unfold before unleashing a torrent of lyrical lines, with consistent, understated beats pulling the tracks along. Not as "lil'" as his name implies, Wayne hits a peak with "This Is the Carter," a brash track that captures the essence of this potent hip-hop album.