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Tha Carter II

{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2020}}

{{Infobox album

| name = Tha Carter II

| type = studio

| artist = Lil Wayne

| cover = Tha Carter 2.jpg

| alt =

| released = {{Start date|2005|12|6}}

| recorded =

| studio =

| genre =

| length = {{duration|m=77|s=22}}

| label = {{flatlist|

}}

| producer = {{flatlist|

}}

| prev_title = The Dedication

| prev_year = 2005

| next_title = Dedication 2

| next_year = 2006

| misc = {{Singles

| name = Tha Carter II

| type = studio

| single1 = Fireman

| single1date = October 25, 2005

| single2 = Hustler Musik

| single2date = January 10, 2006

| single3 = Shooter

| single3date = April 9, 2006

}}

}}

Tha Carter II is the fifth studio album by American rapper Lil Wayne. It was released on December 6, 2005, by Cash Money Records, Young Money Entertainment and Universal Records. The recording sessions took place from 2004 to 2005. The album was produced by Birdman, the Runners, and the Heatmakerz, among others. It serves as a sequel to his fourth album Tha Carter (2004), and was supported by three singles ("Fireman", "Hustler Musik" and "Shooter").

Tha Carter II received critical acclaim and ranks highly in retrospectives of Lil Wayne's best work.{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2018/oct/04/lil-waynes-albums-ranked|title=Lil Wayne's albums – ranked!|last=Nguyen|first=Dean Van|date=2018-10-04|work=The Guardian|access-date=2019-12-01|language=en-GB|issn=0261-3077}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.vulture.com/2018/09/whats-the-best-album-in-lil-waynes-carter-series.html|title=What's the Best Album in Lil Wayne's Carter Series?|last=Lockett|first=Sam Hockley-Smith, Craig Jenkins, Dee|date=2018-09-28|website=Vulture|language=en-us|access-date=2019-12-01}} The album debuted at number two on the US Billboard 200 chart. The album was later certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) in September 2020.

Singles

The lead single from the album, called "Fireman" was released on October 25, 2005. The song was produced by DVLP and Filthy. While they were recording the song at the time, both DVLP and Filthy first burst into a music scene as the production duo, called Doe Boys.

The album's second single, "Hustler Musik" was released on January 10, 2006. The song was produced by T-Mix and the unknown producer named Batman. A music video was released for this song that was directed by Benny Boom.

The album's third single, "Shooter" was released on April 9, 2006. The song features guest vocals from an American R&B singer-songwriter Robin Thicke, who also produced this track. The song also was later included on Thicke's then-upcoming album, titled The Evolution of Robin Thicke (2006).

Critical reception

{{Music ratings

| rev1 = AllMusic

| rev1Score = {{Rating|4.5|5}}{{cite web|last=Jeffries|first=David|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/tha-carter-ii-mw0000784647|title=Tha Carter II – Lil Wayne|publisher=AllMusic|access-date=March 13, 2020}}

| rev2 = Blender

| rev2Score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite journal|url=http://blender.com:80/guide/rArchive.aspx?itype=1|title=Lil' Wayne: Tha Carter II|journal=Blender|access-date=November 25, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060113081046/http://blender.com/guide/rArchive.aspx?itype=1|archive-date=January 13, 2006|url-status=dead}}

| rev3 = Entertainment Weekly

| rev3Score = B{{cite magazine|last=Dombal|first=Ryan|title=Lil Wayne: Tha Carter II|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|issue=853|date=December 9, 2005|page=88}}

| rev4 = The Guardian

| rev4Score = A{{cite news|last=Westhoff|first=Ben|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2014/dec/05/lil-waynes-tha-carter-series-from-best-to-worst|title=Lil Wayne's Tha Carter series, from best to worst|newspaper=The Guardian|date=December 5, 2014|access-date=November 25, 2017}}

| rev5 = Houston Chronicle

| rev5Score = {{Rating|3|5}}{{cite news|last=Hardimon|first=Zharmer|url=http://www.chron.com/entertainment/music/article/N-awlins-son-keep-things-interesting-1657603.php|title=N'awlins son keep things interesting|newspaper=Houston Chronicle|date=December 18, 2005|access-date=November 25, 2017}}

| rev6 = Pitchfork

| rev6Score = 8.1/10{{cite web|last=Sylvester|first=Nick|url=http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/4997-tha-carter-ii/|title=Lil Wayne: Tha Carter II|work=Pitchfork|date=January 12, 2006|access-date=June 17, 2015}}

| rev7 = PopMatters

| rev7Score = 8/10{{cite web|last=Cibula|first=Matt|url=http://www.popmatters.com/pm/review/lil_wayne_tha_carter_ii/|title=Lil' Wayne: Tha Carter II|work=PopMatters|date=January 25, 2006|access-date=February 2, 2012}}

| rev8 = Rolling Stone

| rev8Score = {{Rating|3.5|5}}{{cite magazine|last=Hoard|first=Christian|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/tha-carter-ii-20051128|title=Tha Carter II|magazine=Rolling Stone|date=November 28, 2005|access-date=June 17, 2015}}

| rev9 = USA Today

| rev9Score = {{Rating|3|4}}{{cite news|last=Jones|first=Steve|url=http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/life/music/reviews/2005-12-12-listen-up_x.htm|title=Lil' Wayne, Tha Carter II|newspaper=USA Today|date=December 12, 2005|access-date=June 17, 2015}}

| rev10 = The Village Voice

| rev10Score = B+{{cite news|last=Christgau|first=Robert|author-link=Robert Christgau|url=https://www.robertchristgau.com/xg/cg/cgv206-06.php|title=Consumer Guide: Forever Young|newspaper=The Village Voice|date=February 14, 2006|access-date=June 17, 2015}}

}}

Upon its release, Tha Carter II received widespread acclaim from music critics, with several praising the lyricism and artistic growth demonstrated by Wayne on the album. AllMusic's David Jeffries praised the album's balance of "hookless, freestyle-ish tracks" and "slicker club singles", commenting that "the well-rounded, risk-taking, but true-to-its-roots album suggests he can weather the highs and lows like a champion." Entertainment Weekly{{'}}s Ryan Dombal wrote that Tha Carter II "transcends [Wayne's] inflated ego" and complimented the album's "sturdy funk-blues tracks... that offer genuine value". David Drake of Stylus Magazine called the album "one of the year's best releases" and lauded his "entire persona, an aura, a rap creation that seems {{Sic|hide=y|fully|-}}developed and fascinating".{{cite web|url=http://www.stylusmagazine.com/reviews/lil-wayne/the-carter-ii.htm |title=Lil Wayne - The Carter II - Review |publisher=Stylus Magazine |access-date=2015-06-17}} Despite writing that "Wayne's verses need a good polish", Nick Sylvester of Pitchfork wrote that the album contains "jaw-droppers aplenty" and complimented Wayne's growth as a lyricist, stating:

{{blockquote|People who met Wayne on "Go DJ" and thought him a lunchroom hack emcee – who knows what's happened since then, but damn has he learned how to write. His squeak is now a croak, his laugh a little more burly, his flow remarkably flexible. Sometimes he's deliberate like syrup cats ("But this is Southern, face it/ If we too simple then yall don't get the basics") but when he needs to be, he's nimble as that Other Carter: "I ain't talking too fast you just listening too slow." Remy and weed, fast things and women, the corner – these are Wayne's wax since B.G.'ing with B.G., putting piff on the campus before he ever enrolled in college.}}

IGN writer Jim During gave the album an eight out of ten and commented that Wayne "[punishes] the mic with hard-hitting verbal tenacity", and wrote that the album shows him "at his most focused, and is a strong next step for a relatively young career."{{cite web |title=Lil' Wayne - Tha Carter II |date=2006-01-25 |website=IGN |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171201130519/https://www.ign.com/articles/2006/01/25/lil-wayne-tha-carter-ii |archive-date=2017-12-01 |url-status=live |url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2006/01/25/lil-wayne-tha-carter-ii}} Matt Cibula of PopMatters wrote ambivalently towards that album's production, writing that "the producers here are mostly no-namers who do their jobs well but not spectacularly", but praised Wayne's "amazing" words and remarked that "Straws really IS the best rapper alive, at least when he tries".

In 2020, Rolling Stone ranked it number 370 on the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/best-albums-of-all-time-1062063/lil-wayne-tha-carter-ii-1062863/|title= The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time|magazine=Rolling Stone|access-date=April 25, 2021}}

LA Weekly included the track "Best Rapper Alive" in their list of "Ten Rap-Rock Songs That Are Actually Awesome".{{Cite web|url=https://www.laweekly.com/ten-rap-rock-songs-that-are-actually-awesome/|title=Ten Rap-Rock Songs That Are Actually Awesome|date=April 6, 2012|website=LA Weekly}}

Commercial performance

Tha Carter II debuted at number two on the US Billboard 200 chart, selling 240,000 copies in its first week.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/60351/eminem-scores-fourth-no-1-album-in-a-row|title=Eminem Scores Fourth No. 1 Album In A Row|magazine=Billboard|date=December 14, 2005|access-date=March 1, 2020}} This became Wayne's fourth US top-ten debut. The album also debuted at number one on the US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, becoming Wayne's third number-one album on this chart. As of March 2008, the album has sold 1.3 million copies in the US.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/1046072/lil-waynes-carter-iii-finally-has-street-date|title=Lil Wayne's 'Carter III' Finally Has Street Date|author=Mariel Concepcion|magazine=Billboard|date=March 25, 2008|access-date=March 1, 2020}} On September 25, 2020, the album was certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for combined sales and album-equivalent units of over two million units in the United States.

Track listing

{{Track listing

| total_length = 77:22

| extra_column = Producer(s)

| title1 = Tha Mobb

| writer1 = {{flat list|

}}

| extra1 = The Heatmakerz

| length1 = 5:20

| title2 = Fly In

| writer2 = {{flat list|

}}

| extra2 = {{flat list|

  • T-Mix
  • Batman

}}

| length2 = 2:23

| title3 = Money on My Mind

| writer3 = {{flat list|

}}

| extra3 = {{flat list|

}}

| length3 = 4:31

| title4 = Fireman

| writer4 = {{flat list|

}}

| extra4 = {{flat list|

}}

| length4 = 4:23

| title5 = Mo Fire

| writer5 = {{flat list|

  • Carter, Jr.
  • Ronald "Young Yonny" Ferebee, Jr.

}}

| extra5 = Young Yonny

| length5 = 3:23

| title6 = On tha Block #1

| length6 = 0:38

| title7 = Best Rapper Alive

| writer7 = {{flat list|

}}

| extra7 = Bigg D

| length7 = 4:53

| title8 = Lock and Load

| writer8 = {{flat list|

}}

| note8 = featuring Kurupt

| extra8 = {{flat list|

  • T-Mix
  • Batman

}}

| length8 = 4:46

| title9 = Oh No

| writer9 = {{flat list|

  • Carter, Jr.
  • Ferebee, Jr.
  • W. Matlock

}}

| extra9 = {{flat list|

  • Young Yonny
  • Matlock

}}

| length9 = 3:11

| title10 = Grown Man

| writer10 = {{flat list|

}}

| note10 = featuring Curren$y

| extra10 = {{flat list|

  • T-Mix
  • Batman

}}

| length10 = 4:06

| title11 = On tha Block #2

| length11 = 0:26

| title12 = Hit Em Up

| writer12 = {{flat list|

  • Carter, Jr.
  • Zayas
  • DelGiorno

}}

| extra12 = {{flat list|

  • DVLP
  • Filthy

}}

| length12 = 4:07

| title13 = Carter II

| writer13 = {{flat list|

  • Carter, Jr.
  • Jones
  • Williams

}}

| extra13 = {{flat list|

  • T-Mix
  • Batman

}}

| length13 = 2:24

| title14 = Hustler Musik

| writer14 = {{flat list|

  • Carter, Jr.
  • Jones
  • Williams

}}

| extra14 = {{flat list|

  • T-Mix
  • Batman

}}

| length14 = 5:03

| title15 = Receipt

| writer15 = {{flat list|

}}

| extra15 = The Heatmakerz

| length15 = 3:48

| title16 = Shooter

| writer16 = {{flat list|

  • Carter, Jr.
  • Robin Thicke
  • Robert Daniels
  • James Gass
  • Robert Keyes

}}

| note16 = featuring Robin Thicke

| extra16 = Robin Thicke

| length16 = 4:35

| title17 = Weezy Baby

| writer17 = {{flat list|

}}

| note17 = featuring Nikki Kynard

| extra17 = Deezle

| length17 = 4:18

| title18 = On tha Block #3

| length18 = 0:13

| title19 = I'm a D-Boy

| writer19 = {{flat list|

}}

| note19 = featuring Birdman

| extra19 = {{flat list|

  • T-Mix
  • Batman

}}

| length19 = 4:00

| title20 = Feel Me

| writer20 = {{flat list|

  • Carter, Jr.
  • Zayas
  • DelGiorno

}}

| extra20 = {{flat list|

  • DVLP
  • Filthy

}}

| length20 = 3:48

| title21 = Get Over

| writer21 = {{flat list|

}}

| note21 = featuring Nikki Kynard

| extra21 = Cool & Dre

| length21 = 4:42

| title22 = Fly Out

| writer22 = {{flat list|

  • Carter, Jr.
  • Jones
  • Williams

}}

| extra22 = {{flat list|

  • T-Mix
  • Batman

}}

| length22 = 2:25

}}

;Sample credits

Personnel

Credits for Tha Carter II adapted from Allmusic.{{cite web|title=Tha Carter II > Credits|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/tha-carter-ii-r811100/credits|work=Allmusic|publisher=Rovi Corporation|access-date=December 10, 2011}}

{{col-begin}}

{{col-2}}

  • Birdman – producer
  • Derrick "Bigg D" Baker – composer, producer
  • Katina Bynum – project manager
  • D.P. "Dad" Carter – composer
  • Dwayne "Lil Wayne" Carter – composer, vocals
  • Cool & Dre – multi instruments, producers
  • Andrews Correa – audio engineer
  • Shante "Curren$y" Franklin – composer
  • April DeVona – assistant engineer
  • Brian "Big Bass" Gardner – mastering
  • Gregory Green – composer
  • The Heatmakerz – producers
  • David Karmiol – bass guitar
  • Lil' Hollywood – engineer
  • Patrick Magee – assistant engineer

{{col-2}}

  • Jonathan Mannion – photography
  • Tommy Mara – assistant engineer
  • Fabian Marasciullo – audio engineer, engineer, mixing
  • Kevin Mayer – assistant engineer
  • Nikki – vocals
  • Danielle Premone – assistant engineer
  • Jose Luis Rodríguez – assistant engineer
  • Walter "Bunny" Sigler – composer
  • Tristan "T-Mix" Jones – producer
  • Sean Thomas – composer
  • Javier Valverde – engineer
  • Ronald "Slim" Williams – executive producer
  • Bryan "Baby" Williams – executive producer
  • Genevieve Zaragoza – A&R

{{col-end}}

Charts

{{col-begin}}

{{col-2}}

= Weekly charts =

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"
scope="col"| Chart (2005-2006)

! scope="col"| Peak
position

scope="row"|US Billboard 200{{cite magazine|title=Lil Wayne Album & Song Chart History: Billboard 200|url={{BillboardURLbyName|artist=lil wayne|chart=Billboard 200}}|magazine=Billboard|publisher=Prometheus Global Media|access-date=December 10, 2011}}

| style="text-align:center;"|2

scope="row"|US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard){{cite magazine|title=Lil Wayne Album & Song Chart History: R&B/Hip-Hop Albums|url={{BillboardURLbyName|artist=lil wayne|chart=R&B/Hip-Hop Albums B}}|magazine=Billboard|publisher=Prometheus Global Media|access-date=December 10, 2011}}

| style="text-align:center;"|1

scope="row"|US Top Rap Albums (Billboard){{cite magazine|title=Lil Wayne Album & Song Chart History: Rap Albums|url={{BillboardURLbyName|artist=lil wayne|chart=Rap Albums}}|magazine=Billboard|publisher=Prometheus Global Media|access-date=December 10, 2011}}

| style="text-align:center;"|1

{{col-2}}

= Year-end charts =

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"
scope="col" | Chart (2006)

! scope="col" | Position

scope="row"|US Billboard 200{{cite magazine |url=http://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2006/top-billboard-200-albums|title=2006 Year-End Charts – Billboard 200 Albums |magazine=Billboard |publisher=Prometheus Global Media |access-date=February 28, 2015}}

| style="text-align:center;"|47

scope="row"|US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard){{cite magazine |url=http://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2006/top-r-b-hip-hop-albums|title=2006 Year-End Charts – Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Albums|magazine=Billboard |publisher=Prometheus Global Media |access-date=February 28, 2015}}

| style="text-align:center;"|6

scope="row"|US Top Rap Albums (Billboard){{cite magazine |url=http://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2006/top-rap-albums|title=2006 Year-End Charts – Billboard Rap Albums|magazine=Billboard |publisher=Prometheus Global Media |access-date=February 28, 2015}}

| style="text-align:center;"|2

{{col-end}}

Certifications

{{Certification Table Top}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|type=album|artist=Lil Wayne|title=Tha Carter II|award=Platinum|number=2|relyear=2005|certyear=2020|refname="RIAA"}}

{{Certification Table Bottom|streaming=true | nosales=true | noshipments=true}}

References

{{reflist|2}}

{{Lil Wayne}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Carter 2, Tha}}

Category:2005 albums

Category:Lil Wayne albums

Category:Universal Records albums

Category:Cash Money Records albums

Category:Albums produced by the Runners

Category:Albums produced by Cool & Dre

Category:Albums produced by Robin Thicke

Category:Sequel albums