Reconsider retiring, Weezy
After numerous pushbacks and delays, Lil Wayne's new mixtape, Dedication 4, dropped this week, marking another turn for the worse in Lil Wayne's declining career. When Wayne releases a mixtape, it is usually met with fanfare, from the most critical to the lay listener. However, ever since Dedication 2, Wayne seems to have lost his knack for punch lines and witty verses. In hindsight, No Ceilings seems to be the pinnacle of his mix tape oeuvre. Dedication 4 continues the trend of Tunechi's gradually deteriorating career. On past mixtapes, Wayne has shown a propensity for being able to dominate any beat he hops on, but listeners will certainly be left disappointed by this one. More often than not, his raps sound drowned out by some of the beats and his confident flow is gone. "Usually, I kill all the hot songs that's (sic) out," Wayne told themixtapedaily.com. The command of old is lost. "Same Damn Tune" is one of the hardest beats to come out in a while, and Wayne seems like he has to live up to it rather than dominate it. "No Worries" is another example of Wayne falling short of old glory. One of the worst verses from this song is, "It's OK if you're turnt up, just don't turn off my light-years." This verse does not make any sense and it is obvious that he used light-years just to make the rhyme work, which is disappointing for a rapper of his caliber. Overall, his flow seems lost and the song is only enjoyable because the production stands out to the listener more than Wayne's weak rhymes and random guttural noises. At other times, such as in "Burn," the old Wayne reemerges, with sharp rhymes and controlled, yet confident flows. Wayne is seemingly looking for shock value to get people excited about this mixtape. On the "Get Smoked" track, he features 13-year-old Chicago rapper Lil Mouse, who freely raps about guns, women (in a derogatory manner) and clubbing, all while sounding like he is in the middle of recess. If you want to give the mixtape a listen, there are a few tracks to check out and a few you should stay away from. Weezy sounds like his old self on "Burn." With serious lines like "Blood, I'll be having you drink your own blood, communion," listeners know Wayne means business. "Green Ranger" also has a nice beat, and Wayne is supported by some tight verses by J. Cole. Stay away from "No Worries." His overly capricious verses coupled with an annoying voice do not work. "Get Smoked" is not a bad track by Wayne, but once Lil Mouse starts rapping, the song sounds childish. Dedication 4 shows flashes of Wayne's former self, but it is still a far cry compared to his mixtapes of old.