Tha Carter III pushed Lil Wayne into the ranks of hip-hop's best, but the rock-themed Rebirth and the pre-prison term I Am Not a Human Being kept only the most dedicated of Weezy fans happy. Here is Tha Carter IV, and the album, just based on the strength of the lead single "6 Foot 7 Foot," is closer to III in terms of quality. The Bandgladesh-produced "6 Foot 7 Foot" is a potent mix of a banging' beat and Tunechi's rapid-fire flow, with Cory Gunz making a memorable guest appearance. The track has been out for a while, but it still hits as hard as ever. "John" featuring Rick Ross is another heater with plenty of gun and money talk (Polow da Don handles the beat), and for less aggressive, more introspective cuts, check out "How To Love" and "She Will feat Drake," or the brilliant, Jimmy Carter-sampling "President Carter. All in all, Tha Carter IV is a solid, well-rounded hip-hop album worth repeated listens. This is the deluxe RED VINYL version with 3 bonus tracks.

• music label: Universal

reviewed by nakinboots 10/2011