"He is our strangest hip-hop superstar, and maybe the last antiaspirational one: he’s the one who won’t harp at length about his watches and cars, the one who still thinks it’s acceptable to record a rap-rock album (last year’s “Rebirth”), the one who became more famous the more he rapped about turning into a Martian.
In retrospect, Lil Wayne’s dizzying mixtape output from 2006 to 2007, when he was at his most bizarre, most confusing and most prolific, set an almost impossible standard, one that he has failed to live up to for the last couple of years."
"During his Untouchable Era-- from the December 2005 release of Tha Carter II through 2008's Tha Carter III, with several classic mixtapes in between-- Wayne was The Best Rapper Alive because he said he was, and then rhymed his brain off to prove it. He doesn't claim that world-beating title once on Tha Carter IV."Pitchfork (Ryan Dombal) - "Lil Wayne - Tha Carter IV"
"Wayne was a great king, a transcendent artist, and a totem. He's allowed to not be The Guy anymore. Think of him like The Simpsons, a once essential and enduring cultural institution operating past its expiration date (sometimes a gag sticks; mostly you skip it, unless there's a good guest). We won't hold Tha Carter IV against Lil Wayne. He remains a compelling artist and a standard-bearer for a generation of endlessly productive rappers. But nothing lasts forever. Weezy is dead. Long live Weezy."
Spin (Sean Fennessey) - "Lil Wayne, 'Tha Carter IV' (Young Money/Cash Money)
