Happy 20th Birthday To Lil Wayne’s “Tha Carter”

I still remember the first time I ever heard “Bring It Back”, off The Carter and hearing Lil Wayne call himself “the greatest rapper alive”. 

Wait a minute, this is the kid from The Boyz? (He was a legit kid).

That guys saying he’s the greatest alive?

It had felt like just a few months since Jay-Z, who most regarded as the greatest had “retired”, dropping his Black Album. 

The song fucked though, 

The whole album did actually. 

Next came “Go Dj” and that “kid” that’d been featured on club bangers like Juvenile’s “Back Dat Azz Up”, and Hot Boyz’ “Need A Hot Girl”, suddenly had one of his one. And another radio topper. 

The album flew off shelves, and Wayne became the most sought after rapper for features and production collaborations- a few months after the album dropped he was tapped to assist on Destiny’s Child’s smash, “Soldier”, along with T.I.

Shortly after that Jay-Z supposedly tried to make Wayne a cash advance offer to leave Cash Money and join him on Roc-A-Fella. 

As incredible as Wayne’s “Squad Up” and “No Ceilings” mixtape series’ were, The Carter album series is the pentultimate. 

And it all began 20 years ago today. 🤯