Atlantic Records

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Atlantic Records provided the platform for Lil Wayne's most commercially dominant years. The label released *Tha Carter III* (2008), which yielded his first Billboard Hot 100-number one single "Lollipop" (featuring Static Major) and the top-ten singles "A Milli" and "Got Money" (featuring T-Pain). The album won Best Rap Album at the 51st Annual Grammy Awards. During his incarceration in 2010, Atlantic released *I Am Not a Human Being*, followed months after his release by *Tha Carter IV* (2011), which sold 964,000 units in its first week despite mixed reviews. The label also handled the long-delayed *Tha Carter V* (2018), which sold 480,000 units in its first week after label disputes were resolved, and *Funeral* (2020), which became his fifth non-consecutive number one album. In June 2025, the label released *Tha Carter VI*.

In Their Own Story

The source does not provide a narrative scene or anecdote about Atlantic Records' specific interactions with Lil Wayne beyond the release timeline and sales figures.

Reader's Guide

Atlantic Records served as the distributor for Lil Wayne's studio albums from 2008 onward, following his emergence as Cash Money Records' flagship artist. The label's partnership with Wayne produced a string of commercially successful projects: *Tha Carter III* (2008) sold over one million units domestically in its first week; *Rebirth* (2010) experimented with rap rock to generally negative reviews; *I Am Not a Human Being* (2010) was released while Wayne served an 8-month jail sentence for criminal possession of a weapon; *Tha Carter IV* (2011) sold 964,000 units in its first week; *I Am Not a Human Being II* (2013) and *Free Weezy Album* (2015) preceded the long-delayed *Tha Carter V* (2018), which sold 480,000 units in its first week; *Funeral* (2020) became his fifth non-consecutive number one album; and *Tha Carter VI* was released in June 2025. The source does not specify Atlantic's role in Wayne's mixtape releases or his Young Money Entertainment label.

Did You Know?

• Lil Wayne's *Tha Carter III* (2008) sold over one million units domestically in its first week and won Best Rap Album at the 51st Annual Grammy Awards.
• Wayne's first Billboard Hot 100-number one single, "Lollipop" (featuring Static Major), was released under Atlantic Records.
• Atlantic released *I Am Not a Human Being* (2010) while Wayne was serving an 8-month jail sentence for criminal possession of a weapon.
• *Tha Carter IV* (2011) sold 964,000 units in its first week despite mixed reviews.
• Wayne's fourteenth album, *Tha Carter VI*, was released in June 2025.